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Thread: Homeowners warm up to solar energy

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    Default Homeowners warm up to solar energy

    http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/...medium=twitter

    SINGAPORE: In recent years, more homeowners are warming up to renewable energy, with the number of solar panel installations increasing nearly four times.

    For those reluctant to fork out the installation costs, there are other options. These include an upcoming crowd-leasing initiative that allows installation without any upfront costs.

    Installing solar panels on your roof-top could set you back S$10,000. For those who baulk at the amount, one company has a solution.

    From late July, SolarPVExchange will match investors with homeowners who want to install solar panels. Investors will pay for the installation costs.

    With the solar panels, homeowners enjoy lower electricity bills. They pay a percentage of the amount they save to the investors for the next 20 years.

    Investors can expect to get a minimum of five per cent return.

    Twenty-nine-year-old Gary Ow is one of the five investors who has signed up. He will be forking out about S$8,000.

    Ow said: "I'm interested in the green movement, I want to save the environment in some small way. Investors in the company or the system, get a regular steady return. It's not going to make anyone phenomenally rich, but if you're interested in regular cash in your pocket every month, it's okay."

    Recognising the market potential, the company also matches suppliers with customers.

    Customers can visit their website to check the viability of installing solar panels and get quotations.

    Another company tapping into a growing interest in solar technology is Sunseap Leasing.

    It now receives about 30 enquiries each month, compared to five per month in 2010.

    Frank Phuan, director of Sunseap Leasing, said: "One reason is because solar panel prices have dropped over the years. Since 2009 till now, the prices have dipped more than half."

    Two years ago, 28-year-old Jeanne Phua spent about S$7,500 to install solar panels on her rooftop.

    She now sees a 10 per cent reduction of about S$80 in her monthly electricity bills and has already recouped the installation cost.

    "If we are going to stay here for a pretty long period of time, we'll be able to enjoy a lot more cost-savings," said Phua.

    With the purchase, her contractor also provides regular maintenance and cleaning services for the panels.

    In 2011, there were only 35 residential solar panel installations islandwide. Two years later, the number has increased to 129.

    As of end 2013, the capacity of the grid-connected solar panels in residential and non-residential properties accounts for only 0.12 per cent of Singapore's overall power generation capacity.

    Despite the technological advancements, many home owners are still reluctant to install solar panels. They felt that there wasn't enough information available on this topic, and that the upfront costs were still too high.

    The government is also encouraging more to use solar power.

    Homeowners can sell excess electricity generated from solar panels back to the power grid. They are paid the energy cost of the electricity they export into the grid. This amount is then offset from their electricity bill.

    As of April 2014, there are 280 landed homeowners and town councils under this credit scheme.

    With more options than ever for homeowners, prospects for solar energy are looking bright but suppliers say they will need to generate more awareness so that more will come on board.

    - CNA/fa

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    http://news.asiaone.com/news/singapo...lls?page=0%2C1

    SINGAPORE - The air-conditioning bill of Ms Jeanne Phua's family was burning a hole in their pocket as they tried to stave off the heat.

    That is until they turned to an unlikely remedy: the sun.

    The 28-year-old bar owner, who lives in a four-storey house in Pasir Panjang with her husband and her parents-in-law, is one of a growing handful of Singaporeans who are tapping solar energy these days to cut their bills.

    Since they installed photovoltaic (PV) panels on their roof terrace last year, the family's monthly electricity bills have fallen from $1,000 to $850.

    "We thought the savings would add up to a lot in the long term," said Ms Phua, adding that they use air-conditioning for almost the entire day.

    They forked out $7,500 for a 2.2 kilowatt-peak (kWp) system after a friend who did the same raved to them about his savings. And neighbours have been clamouring to find out more, she said.

    In total, between 15 and 20 megawatts (MW) of solar power is installed in Singapore today - about five times that in 2010 - according to industry estimates.

    Industry observers whom The Straits Times spoke to expect the figure to double by the year end.

    The spike in interest, as more people are aware of the falling cost of using energy from the sun, has led to some solar energy companies here reporting exponential growth in the past two years.

    Last year, Phoenix Solar connected to the power grid here more than triple the amount of solar power capacity that it did in 2012. And although it is just midway through the year, it has already exceeded the 1,800 kWp that it installed last year.

    Over at Sunseap, which has installed the bulk of the nation's solar power, the 18 megawatt peak (MWp) it has so far installed this year easily dwarfs the 10MWp it did last year and the 3MWp in 2012. Singapore gets more than 80 per cent of its electricity from natural gas and about 18 per cent from fuel oil.

    In March, the Government said that it plans to install 350 MWp of solar energy by 2020, about 5 per cent of electricity demand.

    Despite the growing interest in solar power, commercial and industrial properties still form the vast majority of orders for PV panels. And the overall use of solar energy makes up only a tiny fraction of Singapore's electricity demand.

    Phoenix Solar's managing director Christophe Inglin expects that to change in the years ahead.

    "Cost is no longer a significant barrier," he said, adding that solar energy became commercially viable here last year, making electricity produced from the sun as cheap - or even cheaper than - conventional sources.

    He believes that is why more clients are installing "as much as their roofs can take". They can typically recoup their investment cost in six to 10 years at current electricity prices, said Mr Inglin.

    Despite the potential savings they could enjoy, many private home owners still think that prices are high. A typical system for a landed home now costs less than $30,000 - much more affordable than the $90,000 it would have cost in 2007, he added.

    A Sunseap spokesman said that despite receiving many inquiries, many home owners are still put off by the upfront cost involved and are waiting for solar leasing schemes to become available.

    Educating the public about solar power is one aim of the Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore (Seris). Next year, it will release an online map revealing the solar potential of every rooftop in Singapore, and the cost of installing panels on them.

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    For those reluctant to fork out the installation costs, there are other options. These include an upcoming crowd-leasing initiative that allows installation without any upfront costs.

    Installing solar panels on your roof-top could set you back S$10,000. For those who baulk at the amount, one company has a solution.

    From late July, SolarPVExchange will match investors with homeowners who want to install solar panels. Investors will pay for the installation costs.
    Why will the investors wanna foot the upfront amount?
    If the homeowners have to give the investors the amount they save, then what's the point of installing the solar panels?

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    Figure didn't tally..........

    "...Two years ago, 28-year-old Jeanne Phua spent about S$7,500 to install solar panels on her rooftop.

    She now sees a 10 per cent reduction of about S$80 in her monthly electricity bills and has already recouped the installation cost....
    "

    ($7500 / $80) => 93.75 months => 7.8 years to recoup the cost!
    She hasn't even add in maintenance & repair costs in future if the solar system breaks down before 7.8 years!

    As far as I know, solar cells system is still not as cost efficient as using electricity (generated from gas) directly!

    Quote Originally Posted by princess_morbucks View Post
    Why will the investors wanna foot the upfront amount?
    If the homeowners have to give the investors the amount they save, then what's the point of installing the solar panels?
    Last edited by teddybear; 19-06-14 at 21:29.

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    Quote Originally Posted by teddybear View Post
    Figure didn't tally..........

    "...Two years ago, 28-year-old Jeanne Phua spent about S$7,500 to install solar panels on her rooftop.

    She now sees a 10 per cent reduction of about S$80 in her monthly electricity bills and has already recouped the installation cost....
    "

    ($7500 / $80) => 93.75 months => 7.8 years to recoup the cost!
    She hasn't even add in maintenance & repair costs in future if the solar system breaks down before 7.8 years!

    As far as I know, solar cells system is still not as cost efficient as using electricity (generated from gas) directly!

    Installation cost does not include material or product cost

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    Looks like solar panels still have a long way to go before finding their way to people's home.

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    Solar panel efficiency drop when temperature rises,
    is there some technological break thru in recent years?
    I will be delighted if it does, open up a lot of opportunity.
    What ia a good house?
    It is a good house as long as you love it

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    It is still far from a worthy system.
    Quote Originally Posted by teddybear View Post
    Figure didn't tally..........

    "...Two years ago, 28-year-old Jeanne Phua spent about S$7,500 to install solar panels on her rooftop.

    She now sees a 10 per cent reduction of about S$80 in her monthly electricity bills and has already recouped the installation cost....
    "

    ($7500 / $80) => 93.75 months => 7.8 years to recoup the cost!
    She hasn't even add in maintenance & repair costs in future if the solar system breaks down before 7.8 years!

    As far as I know, solar cells system is still not as cost efficient as using electricity (generated from gas) directly!

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    Quote Originally Posted by Good house View Post
    Solar panel efficiency drop when temperature rises,
    is there some technological break thru in recent years?
    I will be delighted if it does, open up a lot of opportunity.
    it is still an antiquated technology. the good thing is that it doesn't place a burden on the ecosystem. is the energy stored in a capacitor or used directly?

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    What is the point of advocating something like solar cells system that is not cost efficient to the people?

    To be more green, they can achieve this by immediately changing COE to 20 years from 10 years to save on unnecessary pollutions of scrapping cars!

    To go green, they can forgo all PARF tax on hybrid and electric vehicles so that everybody will buy hybrid vehicles to save on petrol and save environment from unnecessary pollutions!

    Quote Originally Posted by princess_morbucks View Post

    SINGAPORE: In recent years, more homeowners are warming up to renewable energy, with the number of solar panel installations increasing nearly four times.

    For those reluctant to fork out the installation costs, there are other options. These include an upcoming crowd-leasing initiative that allows installation without any upfront costs.

    Installing solar panels on your roof-top could set you back S$10,000. For those who baulk at the amount, one company has a solution.

    From late July, SolarPVExchange will match investors with homeowners who want to install solar panels. Investors will pay for the installation costs.

    With the solar panels, homeowners enjoy lower electricity bills. They pay a percentage of the amount they save to the investors for the next 20 years.

    Investors can expect to get a minimum of five per cent return.

    Twenty-nine-year-old Gary Ow is one of the five investors who has signed up. He will be forking out about S$8,000.

    Ow said: "I'm interested in the green movement, I want to save the environment in some small way. Investors in the company or the system, get a regular steady return. It's not going to make anyone phenomenally rich, but if you're interested in regular cash in your pocket every month, it's okay."

    Recognising the market potential, the company also matches suppliers with customers.

    Customers can visit their website to check the viability of installing solar panels and get quotations.

    Another company tapping into a growing interest in solar technology is Sunseap Leasing.

    It now receives about 30 enquiries each month, compared to five per month in 2010.

    Frank Phuan, director of Sunseap Leasing, said: "One reason is because solar panel prices have dropped over the years. Since 2009 till now, the prices have dipped more than half."

    Two years ago, 28-year-old Jeanne Phua spent about S$7,500 to install solar panels on her rooftop.

    She now sees a 10 per cent reduction of about S$80 in her monthly electricity bills and has already recouped the installation cost.

    "If we are going to stay here for a pretty long period of time, we'll be able to enjoy a lot more cost-savings," said Phua.

    With the purchase, her contractor also provides regular maintenance and cleaning services for the panels.

    In 2011, there were only 35 residential solar panel installations islandwide. Two years later, the number has increased to 129.

    As of end 2013, the capacity of the grid-connected solar panels in residential and non-residential properties accounts for only 0.12 per cent of Singapore's overall power generation capacity.

    Despite the technological advancements, many home owners are still reluctant to install solar panels. They felt that there wasn't enough information available on this topic, and that the upfront costs were still too high.

    The government is also encouraging more to use solar power.

    Homeowners can sell excess electricity generated from solar panels back to the power grid. They are paid the energy cost of the electricity they export into the grid. This amount is then offset from their electricity bill.

    As of April 2014, there are 280 landed homeowners and town councils under this credit scheme.

    With more options than ever for homeowners, prospects for solar energy are looking bright but suppliers say they will need to generate more awareness so that more will come on board.

    - CNA/fa

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    actually $1000 electricity bills seems crazy to me.. perhaps if pple are environment conscious, they shd try to reduce consumption instead of looking of alternative source of energy.

    reduce comes before reuse & recycle..
    Ong lai ah!

  12. #12
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    Yes, reduce frequently of car scrapping by changing COE to tenure of 20 years!

    Reduce use of petrol by making hybrid cars cheaper to buy!

    Quote Originally Posted by onglai View Post
    actually $1000 electricity bills seems crazy to me.. perhaps if pple are environment conscious, they shd try to reduce consumption instead of looking of alternative source of energy.

    reduce comes before reuse & recycle..

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