Hello sunshine: Punggol Eco Town to try solar energy till 2013

Panasonic will install photovoltaic systems to supply renewable energy to lifts, water pump and lighting.

According to a release, Panasonic, in partnership with the Housing & Development Board, Energy Market Authority and the Singapore Economic Development Board, announced the commencement of a first-of-its-kind test-bed of total energy solutions in Singapore.

This test-bed project will see Panasonic utilise and integrate its energy creation, storage and saving solutions at an existing public residential building to realise greener lifestyle. The project will commence this year and will run till 2013. The test will be conducted at the Punggol Eco Town, which has been marked as one of the key “living labs” for urban sustainability solutions in Singapore. 

Mr. Fumio Ohtsubo, President of Panasonic Corporation commented at the event, “Singapore, with its excellent infrastructure and talent base, is an ideal living-lab to test-bed our energy solutions. I expect this collaboration to be a pioneer endeavour to contribute towards a greener lifestyle in Singapore and the region with our technology”.

Panasonic will install its photovoltaic systems to supply renewable energy to power common facilities such as the lifts, water pump and lighting, aiming to challenge zero emissions target. Panasonic will also introduce its lithium-ion battery to store excess electricity generated by the solar panels for use at night and to serve as a backup electricity generator.

It also plans to increase energy efficiency in the households by installing its Home Energy Management System (HEMS) in participating units in the block. This helps the households to monitor their electricity, water and gas consumption patterns via in-home display and better manage their energy consumption.

Panasonic will also explore collaborations with EMA in the Intelligent Energy System (IES) pilot. The IES pilot was announced in November 2009 during the Singapore International Energy Week. Through the use of smart meters and smart grid technology, the pilot seeks to test the feasibility of applications which could enhance the efficiency and resilience of Singapore’s power system; and help consumers to better manage their energy consumption through the use of home energy management systems, time-of-use pricing and incentives to encourage peak loads shaving.  

Photo credit: Staydazzled