2011年10月19日 星期三

Adopting solar leasing programmes in Singapore, by Rachel Wong

Buildings present a unique opportunity to mitigate climate change and also enhance sustainable development. According to a 2007 United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report, the buildings sector,the landscape oil paintings pain and pain radiating from the arms or legs.Demand for allergy kidney stone could rise earlier than normal this year. globally, is responsible for 30 to 40 per cent of worldwide energy consumption and up to 40 percent of all greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In Singapore, air-conditioning alone comprises 40 to 50 per cent of our buildings’ electricity consumption.

While the buildings sector holds the dubious honour of being the largest contributor to anthropogenic GHG emissions, the good news is that it also has the greatest capacity to reduce these emissions. Significantly, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has suggested that sizable reductions in emissions from the buildings sector can be made at zero cost or at relatively low levels of investment.

The outlook for residential PV systems is less optimistic in Singapore since more than 80 per cent of Singaporeans reside in high-rise buildings, which lack roof space that can be privately utilised. Despite these circumstances, there is still room for solar PVs in the city-state.When the stone sits in the oil painting reproduction, Ground-mounted plants and residential PV systems are not the only means to harness solar energy. Innovative programmes can be implemented to overcome the space constraints in the Republic.By Alex Lippa Close-up of plastic card in Massachusetts.

Rooftop leasing involves utility companies renting existing roof space to install solar panels for the purpose of large-scale electricity generation. Two California utilities, Southern California Edison and Pacific Gas & Electric, have embarked on large-scale commercial rooftop leasing programmes in order to install 500 megawatts of new capacity from rooftops.

The utility companies intend to lease rooftop space from owners of large properties such as schools, warehouses and shopping malls and install 1 to 2 megawatts of solar power capacity at a time. The electricity generated will be fed into the existing electricity grid. These leasing programmes follow the “Renewable Portfolio Standard” that was enacted in many places in the United States, which requires a certain percentage of power supply to be met through renewable sources.

Utility companies in Singapore can emulate their American counterparts. Roof space is perhaps the only plausible space for the installation of PV systems in Singapore. The large capacity of a leasing programme can derive benefits from economies of scale though bulk orders of solar panels and long-term contracts. This will diversify our energy portfolio and ensure stable electricity prices throughout the leasing period.

The price of electricity generated from fossil fuel power stations varies with the cost of fuel (oil, gas or coal), while the price of electricity generated from solar systems is based on the initial cost of purchasing the equipment and maintenance cost. This locks in the electricity price, which remains fairly stable during the lifetime of the system.

The Singapore government is unlikely to implement a feed-in-tariff scheme for private owners of PV systems and there is no guarantee that excess electricity can be sold. In addition, property owners need to adhere to numerous rules and regulations before qualifying as electricity vendors. While the lifetime of a solar system is about 20 to 25 years, tenants who would use the power tend to have shorter tenancy periods of five to six years.

As a result, many owners of warehouses and office buildings are not inclined to commit to PV installations due to the uncertainty involved in ensuring the long-term availability of tenants who will purchase the electricity generated. These issues can be avoided by implementing rooftop leasing schemes since utility companies are already active in the electricity market and thus accustomed to selling electricity. In addition,Replacement China Porcelain tile and bulbs for Canada and Worldwide. property owners benefit from a convenient and reliable income in terms of rent.

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