Debated in Parliament on 3 Apr 2024.
Ms Hazel Poa asked the Minister for National Development (a) what are the fixed and recurring costs of each major component of the HDB Green Towns Programme including rooftop solar panels and electric vehicle chargers; and (b) whether residents of these towns bear the costs through higher service and conservancy charges.
The Housing & Development Board (HDB) Green Towns Programme (GTP) is a 10-year plan to make HDB towns more sustainable and liveable by 2030. GTP aims to reduce the energy consumption of HDB towns by 15% from 2020’s level by 2030.
For Solar Photovoltaics (PV) on HDB rooftops, the vendor will finance, install, operate and maintain the solar PV system, at no cost to the Town Councils (TCs). Solar energy generated is first used to power common services in HDB estates, such as lifts and lights. Any excess solar energy will be channeled to the grid. Under this operating model, TCs may be able to reduce their electricity bills as the common services will be partially powered by solar energy.
HDB is also working with the TCs to progressively install Smart LED Lighting in existing estates, which can further reduce energy used by up to 60% compared to conventional LED lighting. TCs will bear the fixed and maintenance costs and the repair or replacement costs for the lighting.
Electric vehicle (EV) charging points are progressively deployed at HDB car parks. EV charging operators bear the installation and maintenance costs of EV chargers, of which these costs are recovered directly from users of the EV chargers and not the TCs.
The GTP initiatives, such as rooftop solar panels and the switch to Smart LED Lighting, not only make our towns more sustainable, but also help to reduce the TCs' electricity bills. The respective TCs are responsible for managing their overall income and expenses and review their service and conservancy charges from time to time to meet long-term financial sustainability.
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