rec’s solar pv system enables a zero-energy non-residential building – a global trend in the building sector and key driver to fight climate change
· 20 years of expertise in the solar industry to be shared in trainings and workshops
rec’s solar pv system at the ssa roof.
steve o’neil, ceo at rec, discusses with singapore’s deputy prime minister, mr. teo chee hean.
from left: steve o’neil, ceo at rec; james ong, solar system solutions manager at rec; karthikan jega jeevan, market intelligence analyst at rec
singapore, june 12, 2017: rec, the leading european brand for solar panels, announces a partnership with singapore’s property developer city developments limited (cdl) and the sustainable energy association of singapore (seas) to launch the singapore sustainability academy (ssa). opening its doors on june 5, 2017, the academy aims to promote a low-carbon economy, resource efficiency, and sustainable practices among businesses, academics and the community, in particular youths.
rec, a member of seas, is contributing in two ways to the ssa project:
first, rec will participate in the ssa education and training module by offering workshops, where rec experts will share their knowledge in renewable energy and especially in solar pv technology. for practical and training purposes, rec has sponsored a 2.65 kilowatt peak (kwp) ground-mounted solar pv installation.
secondly, rec has donated a complete solar pv system of 168 rec twinpeak panels with a total size of 44.5 kwp for the roof of the ssa building. the system will generate over 60,000 kwh of clean energy each year, mitigating 33 tonnes of co2 emissions annually. the solar pv installation is expected to supply all required energy for the building, enabling the zero-energy building concept. this best practice example demonstrates that with the right high-quality solar pv system, even commercial buildings can be operated as zero-energy buildings, helping to increase the property’s value.
“as a global company with a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in singapore, we’re especially proud to contribute in helping singapore to realize their sustainability goals,” says steve o’neil, ceo at rec. “being an island state, the country is especially vulnerable to global warming. what drives our vision is the fact that solar pv technology can be a real economic game changer when it comes to reducing carbon emissions.”
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from rec’s perspective, sustainable architecture of buildings is an important global issue
and zero-energy houses are a key driver for the reduction of greenhouse gases.
approximately one third of the energy consumption is allotted to the building area due to
space heating, room cooling, water heating and lighting. many countries have therefore
already developed and adopted guidelines for minimum requirements for new and existing
private and commercial buildings. for example, the european union requires all new
buildings to be nearly zero-energy by the end of 2020, new public buildings by 2018, as
outlined in its energy performance of buildings directive. in the united states, california
targets all new residential constructions to be net zero-energy buildings by 2020 as outlined
in the statewide energy efficiency strategic plan.
“zero-energy buildings, new constructions and the many existing ones, are critical in fighting
climate change. solar is financially competitive with conventional energy sources in many
regions worldwide already today. a solar pv rooftop installation is therefore significantly
reducing carbon emissions and electricity costs. this is demonstrated by some best-practice
examples using rec panels, including the tiger beer brewery in singapore, ikea in
sweetwater, florida, and the audi a1 production plant in brussels, belgium,” adds o’neil.
