Changi Airport Group (CAG) has appointed Keppel to design and operate a solar photovoltaic (PV) system on the rooftop areas of Changi Airport. The system will have a combined generation capacity of 43MWp; 38MWp will be installed on rooftops – reportedly making this Singapore’s largest single-site rooftop solar PV system.
The remaining 5MWp of solar generation capacity will come from a solar PV system installed on a 40,000m2 turf area within Changi Airport’s airfield outside of aircraft operational areas. This will be the first solar PV system to be installed on Changi’s airfield. Keppel has been contracted to operate the system for 25 years.
CAG expects that the system will reduce the airport’s carbon emissions by approximately 20,000 tons each year, or about 10% of its consumption in 2019.
Simulation has been undertaken to ensure that the solar panels will not dazzle air traffic controllers and pilots with glint and glare, or interfere with communications, navigation and surveillance (CNS) and meteorological signals. The associated installation and maintenance processes will also need to comply with aviation safety and security requirements, including fire safety code requirements prescribed by the Singapore Civil Defence Force.
The PV system will be integrated with Keppel’s Operations Nerve Centre (ONC) sited within the Keppel Infrastructure @ Changi building, which will offer remote monitoring and real-time reporting of solar generation metrics as well as advanced fault detection and diagnostics for predictive maintenance, all of which will reportedly ensure high system up-time and optimal power generation. Keppel’s ONC also deploys artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms to form adaptable models for better forecasting and energy management to optimize asset performance and operational outcomes.
Koh Ming Sue, executive vice president of engineering and development at CAG, said, “Notwithstanding Singapore’s limitations with renewable energy sources, CAG strives to make Changi a more sustainable aviation hub through reducing carbon footprint on all practical fronts. We have been addressing the airport’s energy demands at its core, which includes upgrading our frontline airport building and systems with best-in-class energy-efficient models and expanding our support for the airport community to switch to cleaner-energy vehicles. Partnering with Keppel in this project, which is Changi Airport’s largest deployment of solar PV systems to date and our first foray into solar PV systems in the airfield, we have taken a significant step forward in our decarbonization journey.
“In parallel, at the back end, CAG has also appointed another partner, SolarGy Pte, to transform our airport maintenance and storage center into a greener facility by installing a 640kWp rooftop solar PV system that will cut the facility’s emissions by around 50%. As technology continues to advance, we look forward to working with innovative partners to further unlock solar potential and other sustainable opportunities at Changi Airport.”
Lim Yong Wei, general manager of the energy-as-a-service infrastructure division at Keppel, said, “We are excited to be the solutions provider for Changi Airport Group’s solarization efforts. When completed, this 43MWp landmark solar project will contribute significantly to making the Changi air hub greener and will be a testament to Keppel’s capabilities and innovation. Going forward, we hope to continue working with CAG to explore more decarbonization and sustainability solutions.”
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