Singapore has identified the clean energy industry as a strategic growth area and has implemented a comprehensive blueprint to develop this industry.
Within the clean technology (cleantech) sector, Singapore has secured several key investments in high-value manufacturing, engineering, biofuels, research and development (R&D), and regional headquarters activities.
Total investment in renewable energy in Singapore from 2020 reached around US$1.3 billion (S$1.75 billion). More than 55 percent of green investments in Southeast Asian countries made in 2022 were by foreign investors, both within and outside the region.
Singapore’s biggest hurdle in its energy transition is the mismatch of its renewable energy demand and supply, a recent report revealed.
According to the "Southeast Asia’s Green Economy 2023 Report: Cracking the code" report by Bain & Company, Temasek, GenZero, and Amazon Web Services (AWS), the Lion City “demonstrates the strongest need to import clean energy to achieve its 2030 goal and Net Zero in the longer term” amongst countries in the region.
Based on the report, the city-state’s total RE resources are 0.4 GW; of which, 0.3 GW comes from Photovoltaic (PV) Energy and 0.1 comes from onshore wind.
The total RE resources of Singapore are insufficient to meet its electricity demand by 2050 at 18 GW.
“Singapore doesn't have sufficient renewable energy potential to meet 100% of the nation’s electricity demand,” the report stated.
Whilst lacking in the RE aspect, Singapore has been leading in the transport front, from electric vehicle adoption to decarbonizing its maritime and aviation sectors.
Data from the report showed that EVs account for 12% of new car sales in Singapore. The highest percentage in ASEAN-6, tied with Vietnam.
Singapore has also gained momentum in decarbonizing its maritime sector by establishing the world’s longest Green and Digital Corridor with the Port of Rotterdam.
The corridor is expected to “bring together a coalition of shippers, fuel suppliers, and other companies to work on potential alternative fuel solutions and optimize maritime efficiency, safety, and transparent flow of goods through a digital trade lane.”
In aviation, Singapore has also piloted blended sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) on flights departing from Changi Airport and sold SAF credits as part of the pilot. The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, Singapore Airlines, and GenZero took part in the pilot.
To ensure efficient RE transition and EV adoption, the report recommended several actions for ASEAN countries.
Amongst its recommendations was to double down on power master plans to provide clarity on the transition path, which Singapore has done through its issuance of the Green Plan 2030.
The report also recommended ASEAN countries accelerate EV charging station infrastructure development, citing Singapore’s regulation that mandates EV charging points at all new buildings with car parks.
Sustainability has become a vital foundation for many businesses and organizations, including listed companies, small and medium enterprises, social enterprises, and public agencies. More recently and critically, there has been intensive attention on the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) pillars of sustainability and the implications of climate change. Stakeholders in all spheres require leaders to be responsible to the community and society and contribute to sustainable development.
Efficiency
The term “solar panel efficiency” refers to how well a solar panel captures sunlight and converts it into useful electricity. In the same conditions, a high-efficiency solar panel will produce more electricity than a lower-efficiency panel of the same size. For this reason, a higher efficiency rating is generally preferable.
The efficiency of your REC solar panels will vary depending on the specific model that you choose for your system. Solar panels in REC’s product line have an efficiency rating of 19.1% to 22.3%.
Performance (temperature coefficient)
The temperature coefficient is an indicator of how well your solar panel performs in less-than-ideal conditions. Solar panels, like other electronic equipment, perform better when they are kept cool (ideally around 25° C/77° F). The temperature coefficient tells you how much your panel’s performance will change during hot sunny summer days.
For every degree above 25° C (77° F), your solar panel’s electricity production will decrease by its temperature coefficient. For example, REC’s Alpha Pure-R panels have a temperature coefficient of -0.26%/°C (among the best performing alongside Panasonic and AXITEC). This means that if the panel’s temperature increases by one degree from 25° C (77° F) to 26° C (79° F), its electricity production will decrease by 0.26%. If its temperature increases all the way to 35° C (95° F), electricity production will reduce by 2.6%.
Your solar panels will likely see more than a few hot and sunny days over the course of each year, so ideally, they will have the lowest temperature coefficient possible. REC solar panels have temperature coefficients ranging from -0.34 to -0.26.
Warranties
Whether you’re buying a TV, a car, or solar panels, the manufacturer should stand behind their product with a strong warranty. A solar panel’s materials warranty (sometimes referred to as the product or equipment warranty) is a guarantee from the manufacturer that they will replace your panel if it fails as a result of manufacturing defects or environmental issues.
Under their ProTrust warranty, REC offers a 25-year product warranty on any panels installed by a REC Certified Solar Professional installer, comparable to other leading solar panel companies like Panasonic, SunPower, and Q CELLS. But, if you choose to go with a solar installer that isn’t REC-certified, you’ll only get a 20-year product warranty. They also provide a 25-year power warranty, which guarantees that their panels will still produce at least 86% to 92% of their original output by the end of the warranty term, depending on the product series.
Advantages & disadvantages of REC solar panels
As with any product that is such a significant investment, REC solar panels have advantages and disadvantages to keep in mind before deciding to make a purchase. Whether your primary motivation for switching to solar is sustainable living or decreasing your reliance on the electric grid by pairing your solar system with energy storage, it’s important to weigh your options.
Pros of REC solar panels
Efficiency: REC solar panels are some of the most efficient panels on the market, and the company was an industry leader in pioneering half-cut solar cell technology which has increased solar panel energy production across the board.
Performance: REC offers some of the top-performing panels on the market with two of their panel series having a temperature coefficient of -0.26%/°C.
Power warranty: three of REC’s four solar panel series include a power warranty with an annual degradation of no more than 0.25% and a guaranteed power output of at least 92% at year 25. This is higher than many panels currently on the market.
Cons of REC solar panels
Product Warranty: REC’s full 25-year product warranty is only available to people who had their panels installed by REC Certified Solar Professional installers; panels installed by any other installer are only eligible for a 20-year product warranty. The product warranty also doesn’t cover inverters, unlike some other industry-leading warranties.
Product diversity: REC only manufactures solar panels. Unlike brands like SunPower, Panasonic, or Q CELLS, It doesn’t offer other products like batteries, inverters, or other technology, limiting its revenue diversification.
The temperature coefficient is an indicator of how well your solar panels perform in less-than-ideal conditions. Solar panels, like other electronic equipment, perform better when kept cool (ideally around 25°C/77°F). The temperature coefficient tells you how much your panel’s performance will change during hot, sunny summer days.
For every degree above 25°C (77°F), your solar panel’s electricity production will decrease by its temperature coefficient. The temperature coefficient of all of the SunPower M Series and X Series panels is 0.29%/°C. This means that if the panel’s temperature increases by one degree from 25°C (77°F), its electricity production will decrease by 0.29%; if its temperature rises to 35°C (95°F), electricity production will reduce by 2.9%
Your solar panels will likely see more than a few hot and sunny days each year, so ideally, they will have the lowest temperature coefficient possible. SunPower’s solar panels have lower temperature coefficients as far as the industry goes at -0.29 for all their series (except the U Series, which is unknown). For comparison, the most popular brand of solar panels on EnergySage, Q CELLS, offers panels with a temperature coefficient of -0.34, while Panasonic panels all have a temperature coefficient of -0.26.
Warranties
Whether you’re buying a TV, a car, or solar panels, the brand should stand behind their product with a strong warranty. A solar panel’s materials warranty (sometimes referred to as the product or equipment warranty) is a guarantee from the company that they will replace your panel if it fails due to manufacturing defects or environmental issues.
SunPower offers a 25-year warranty, guaranteeing that their panels will still produce at least 92% of their original output by the end of the warranty term. This warranty applies even if the panels are not registered and they offer a 40-year warranty for panels that are registered within six months of installation and installed by a SunPower-certified installer. This 40-year warranty offering is the best warranty term in the industry, showing SunPower’s commitment to its panels’ durability and guaranteeing that SunPower solar modules will still be generating 88.25% of their minimum peak power output at year 40.
As with most warranties, SunPower’s warranty covers degradation of the panel quality but not any corrosion from elements like salt water. You can see the degradation warranty coverage of all of SunPower’s panels in the table below.
Advantages & disadvantages of SunPower solar panels
As with any product that is such a significant investment, SunPower panels have advantages and disadvantages to keep in mind before deciding to make a purchase. Whether your primary motivation for switching to solar is sustainability or lowering your electric bills, it’s important to weigh your options.
Pros of SunPower solar panels
Superior product warranty: SunPower solar panels come with one of the most extended and comprehensive warranties available at 25 years, in addition to the 40-year, 88.25% warranty available if you register your panels.
Excellent efficiency: SunPower solar panels are the most efficient solar panels currently available on the EnergySage Marketplace.
Battery system compatibility: in addition to solar panels, SunPower offers the SunVault Storage system, allowing you to install a completely integrated system under one company.
Cons of SunPower solar panels
Cost: SunPower solar panels are some of the most expensive panels on the market, making some of the less expensive (if somewhat lower quality) options more enticing for those concerned about costs.
Manufacturing: though this isn’t a direct disadvantage, SunPower no longer manufactures their own panels. It’s still unclear exactly what companies are manufacturing their U Series and very little information is available about these panels.
Efficiency
The term “solar panel efficiency” refers to how well a solar panel captures sunlight and converts it into useful electricity. In the same conditions, a high-efficiency solar panel will produce more electricity than a lower-efficiency panel of the same size. For this reason, a higher efficiency rating is generally preferable.
The efficiency of Q CELLS solar panels varies depending on the specific model that you choose for your system. Across the full Q CELLS product line, you can get solar panels with anywhere from 17.4% to 21.4% efficiency. Overall, most Q CELLS panels fall into the middle-of-the-road efficiency range for solar, but any panels that have 18% efficiency or higher can be considered “high efficiency.” The Q CELLS BLK lines all have efficiency ratings between 19.5% and 20.9%, putting them in that high-efficiency category.
Performance (temperature coefficient)
For this portion of EnergySage’s Q CELLS reviews, we use the temperature coefficient to evaluate solar panel performance. The temperature coefficient is an indicator of how well your solar panel can handle less-than-ideal conditions. Solar panels, like other electronic equipment, perform better when they’re kept cool (ideally around 25°C/77°F). The temperature coefficient tells you how much your panel’s performance will change during hot sunny summer days.
For every degree above 25°C (77°F), your solar panel’s electricity production will decrease by its temperature coefficient. For example, all panels in the Q CELLS BLK series have a temperature coefficient of 0.34%/°C. This means that if the panel’s temperature increases by one degree from 25°C (77°F) to 26°C (79°F), its electricity production will decrease by 0.34%. If its temperature increases to 35°C (95°F), electricity production will reduce by 3.4%.
Your solar panels will likely see more than a few hot and sunny days over the year, so ideally, they will have the lowest temperature coefficient possible. Q CELLS BLK panel series offers panels with a temperature coefficient rating of -0.34. For comparison, popular brands like SunPower and LA Solar Group have temperature coefficients of -0.29 and -0.37.
Warranties
Whether you’re buying a TV, a car, or solar panels, the manufacturer should stand behind their product with a strong warranty A solar panel’s materials warranty (sometimes referred to as the equipment or product warranty) is a guarantee from the manufacturer that they will replace your panel if it fails as a result of manufacturing defects or environmental issues.
Q CELLS offers a 25-year warranty on all of their panels, attesting to their confidence in the quality and durability of the panels that they produce. This warranty covers both the materials, as mentioned above, and the panel’s power output. The power warranty (often referred to as a performance warranty) guarantees that your Q CELLS panels will still produce at least 86% of their original output by the end of the warranty period (year 25).
As with most warranties, Q CELLS’ warranty covers degradation of the panel quality from normal wear and tear as a result of being installed on a roof but does not cover any damage caused by things like extreme weather events or maintenance by workers without the proper certifications. The annual degradation of Q CELLs solar panels cannot exceed 0.5%.
Advantages & disadvantages of Q CELLS solar panels
As with any product that is such a significant investment, Q CELLS panels have advantages and disadvantages to keep in mind before deciding to make a purchase. Whether your primary motivation for switching to solar is sustainable living or decreasing your reliance on the electric grid by pairing your solar system with energy storage, it’s important to weigh your options.
Pros of Q CELLS solar panels
Aesthetics: Q CELLS’ panels all come in a sleek black finish, meaning they’ll likely blend in with your roof nicely.
Great value for the price: while Q CELLS panels are not at the top of industry lists for efficiency or performance, they are a solid choice if you are looking for a quality panel at an affordable price point – there’s a reason they are the most quoted brand on the EnergySage Marketplace!
Cons of Q CELLS solar panels
Efficiency: if efficiency is your main concern when installing solar, other panel brands on the market have a higher efficiency rating than Q CELLS, but they will likely come at a higher price.
Performance: similar to efficiency, Q CELLS panels do not rank at the top of the list for performance when looking at the solar market as a whole. If this is your primary concern, the solar company installing your panels will point you in a different direction.
Climate change, fossil fuel depletion, and rapid urbanization are driving countries to deploy cleaner and more sustainable energy solutions. While climate change poses significant global challenges, it also provides strong incentives for entrepreneurship, research, and development (R&D), and creative problem-solving to help cities and communities anticipate, prepare for, and adapt to its impact. Singapore is a very open economy and is dependent on the global supply chain for food and energy.
As one of the most globalized economies and a trading nation with no natural resources, heavily dependent on the global supply chain for food and energy. Economic activity and emissions are also highly sensitive to the volatility of regional and global developments and escalating climate impacts. These challenges mean that Singapore’s climate strategies have to respond to international developments that may affect its economy, water, food, and energy, including preparing Singapore to be more climate resilient.
There are many opportunities for Singapore to develop as a green growth hub that provides green solutions to the world.
Zeljko Serdar, CCRES
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