Debated in Parliament on 11 Sep 2017.
Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked the Minister for National Development whether HDB can prioritise the installation of solar panels in mature HDB estates with a higher population of senior citizens so as to provide additional lighting along common corridors at the doorsteps of these elderly residents at a lower cost to the Town Councils.
The Housing and Development Board (HDB) piloted the installation of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels on the rooftops of HDB blocks in 2009. Since then, such panels have been installed on about 1,000 blocks, with another 1,500 in progress. Solar PV installation is now carried out under the SolarNova programme, which was introduced in 2015 to accelerate the deployment of solar PV in Singapore.
Town Councils with blocks feasible for solar PV installation are being progressively scheduled to participate in SolarNova tenders. The feasibility of solar panel installation is determined by factors, such as the location of each block and its corresponding solar irradiance potential, as well as the availability of roof space. The pace of SolarNova tenders, as well as the grouping of blocks, is based on the solar PV industry's installation capacity and logistical considerations. Installations are generally grouped geographically to reduce overall implementation cost.
Besides the supply of energy using solar PV, energy savings can be achieved through managing the energy demand, for example, through the use of energy-efficient lighting, while ensuring adequate lighting levels. For instance, HDB has been working with Town Councils to carry out the replacement of existing light fittings to light-emitting diode, to reduce the energy consumption for common area lighting.
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