HDB to test solar technology in 6 precincts [News]

By Joanne Chan, Channel NewsAsia, 7 Nov 2011.

The Housing and Development Board (HDB) will be testing a more energy- and cost-efficient solar technology in six precincts islandwide next year.

Using Copper Indium Gallium Selenide (CIGS) thin-film technology, the project is expected to cost S$4 million.

The solar panels will be installed in 20 to 25 HDB blocks, and collectively generate 1 MWp (megawatt peak) of electricity, enough to provide for 200 four-room flats.

Without direct sunlight, many traditional solar panels are unable to generate electricity efficiently. CIGS technology, which is more sensitive to light, may be the solution to erratic sun patterns. Read more

Clean Energy Expo Asia 2011 Trade Fair [Photos]

The annual Clean Energy Expo Asia (CEEA) 2011 Trade Fair is held at Suntec Singapore from 1 to 3 Nov. This year’s CEEA Trade Fair hosts about 170 exhibiting companies from 26 countries, with 6 country pavilions from Canada, Europe, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore and Switzerland. Exhibitors showcase clean energy solutions including solar energy, energy efficiency, biomass, biogas, biofuel, and electric vehicles.

Here are some photos of exhibits at the Trade Fair: Read more

Solar firm sets up headquarters here [News]

By Lynn Kan, The Business Times, 2 Nov 2011.

Trina Solar, the New York-listed Chinese maker of silicon solar panels, is making Singapore its Asia-Pacific regional headquarters.

The Singapore office will take care of managing sales, research and development, and logistics in Trina Solar’s expanding Asia-Pacific business.

Trina Solar had entered Japan, Australia and Korea and hopes the Singapore office will help its expansion into ‘emerging photovoltaic (PV) markets like Thailand and India’.

There may also be tie-ups between Trina Solar and local research institutes, said the company’s executives. Read more

NTU to research new solar cell [News]

By Lynda Hong, Channel NewsAsia, 13 Aug 2011.

Glass panels or windows in buildings could be integrated with solar panels in the near future. Currently, solar cell panels made of silicon are typically placed on top of the buildings.

The new solar cells are dye-sensitized solar cells, or Graetzel cells, named after its inventor Prof Michael Gratzel, who will be heading the new Centre for Nanostructured Photosystems at Nanyang Technological University.

Dr Subodh Mhaisalkar, Director of the Centre for Nanostructured Photosystems at NTU, said: “Silicon solar cells are also rigid. You cannot really integrate them very easily in windows and so on.

“These solar cells can be made readily on plastics. They can be used as bi-facial cells, so they can be used for transparent windows. They have different colours, so they can be used for building facades, or windows as well.” Read more

Solar outlook for the region looks bright for SANYO

Green Business Times recently met up with Dr Hiroyuki Kuriyama, Division President for Energy Systems & Solutions, SANYO Asia Pte Ltd, to understand more about SANYO’s solar products and market outlook.

From the discussion, we believe that the solar outlook for the region looks bright for SANYO, given its superior solar technology, its solar installations successfully tested in the field, and the growing opportunities for solar in Singapore and the region.

Superior Technology

SANYO has more than 30 years of experience in solar technology, and its HIT (Heterojunction with Intrinsic Thin layer) solar cells has the world’s highest energy conversion efficiency. The HIT solar cell is an original technology developed by SANYO, and is composed of a mono thin crystalline silicon wafer surrounded by ultra-thin amorphous silicon layers.

Dr Kuriyama explains that the HIT solar cell can achieve the highest cell efficiency of 21.6% and highest module efficiency of 19%. The higher conversion efficiency of HIT solar modules means that more energy can be generated per installation area. This is beneficial in Singapore with our limited land and roof space.

The HIT solar cell can also maintain higher efficiency at high temperatures as compared to a normal crystalline silicon solar cell. This means that the HIT solar cells are suitable for Singapore’s hot climate and would experience less drop in efficiency. In addition, the HIT solar modules are lighter, and more environmentally-friendly as they are lead-free. Read more

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