Singapore is betting on floating solar farms and vertical panels to increase its clean-energy supplies and cut carbon emissions, a model that could work in other densely populated cities, urban experts said.
With renewable energy options such as wind, hydro, nuclear and biomass ruled out, solar photovoltaic (PV) is the most viable option for Singapore, despite limited land for large-scale farms, and challenges such as frequent cloud cover.
Last month, Singapore inaugurated a 5 megawatt (MW) offshore floating PV system on the Johor Strait, part of its goal to install at least 2 gigawatts of solar power by 2030 – five times the current capacity – and halving its carbon emissions by 2050.
