JTC Corporation and Shell Singapore have signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding supported by the National Environment Agency and Energy Market Authority (EMA) to jointly explore developing a solar farm on part of Semakau Landfill on Semakau Island. This is Singapore’s only operational landfill, located south of the Singapore mainland.
If successful, the solar farm would reduce the country’s carbon emissions and meet its growing clean energy needs. The solar farm will also be the first large-scale solar project in Singapore where a sanitary landfill is also used for clean energy generation. The solar farm is expected to take up an area of 60 ha and have a capacity of at least 72 MWp, sufficient to reduce CO2 emissions by 37,000 tonnes a year. The energy produced can power up to 17,500 households for a year.
Shell Singapore has outlined a 10-year plan for how the company could make significant investments in people, assets and capabilities to repurpose its core business and aim to cut its own CO2 emissions in the country by about a third within a decade. As part of this 10-year plan, Shell is transforming its manufacturing business, making it fit for the new future, where its Pulau Bukom Energy and Chemicals Park is pivoting from a crude-oil, fuels-based product slate towards new, low-carbon value chains. Shell has set out its target to be a net-zero emissions energy business by 2050.
This project is also aligned with Singapore’s target to increase solar deployment to at least 2 GWp by 2030. Singapore’s energy sector is moving towards a cleaner and more sustainable future. Solar is its most promising renewable energy source and is a key switch for decarbonization. Given the country’s limited land space, EMA has been working with government agencies and industry players on innovative ways to harness more solar energy.
(Source: Shell)