Page 9 - AsiaElec Week 01 2021

AsiaElec NEWS IN BRIEF AsiaElec

Currently, less than 1 per cent of
Singapore’s electricity is generated by solar
panels. But by 2030, Dr Tan said, solar
energy could supply around 3 per cent of the
country’s total electricity consumption.

WIND
China’s Jiangsu Zhongli

to sell 6MW solar plant in
Romania

Chinese group Jiangsu Zhongli has signed an
agreement to sell a 6MW photovoltaic plant
from one year to the next, its decline was DEMAND in Romania to local company Alive Energy for
particularly significant last year because it EUR1.857mn.
The transfer of ownership of the solar
knocked investor confidence. Demand in Singapore falls power plant located in Izvin, Timis county,
in 2020 is in line with the Chinese group’s overall
strategic planning objectives and actual
INVESTMENT Electricity demand in Singapore is expected to business needs for quick optimisation, it said
have fallen by between 2% and 4% in 2020 due in a statement filed with the Shenzen Stock
Business European to the Covid-19 pandemic, but is projected to Exchange.
The sale and purchase agreement was
rebound as the economy recovers and grows.
Commission OKs sale of this happens, but is also taking steps to ensure signed through Talesun Solar Switzerland
Singapore wants to green its energy mix as
AG and Talesun Solar Bucharest, two units of
?EZ Romania to Australia’s electricity supply remains stable and reliable, Jiangsu Zhongli’s subsidiary Talesun Solar.
Romanian company Alive Energy,
said Dr Tan See Leng, Second Minister for
Macquarie Trade and Industry, in Parliament yesterday. established in 2018, is wholly owned by
“We will harness four switches to
businessman Giacomo Billi, according to the
Australia’s Macquarie gets green light to buy transform and diversify our energy supply, so statement.
?EZ’s Romanian assests, as the Czech utility as to achieve our vision of a clean and efficient Zhongli Group, founded in 1988, mainly
group exits Eastern Europe to concentrate on energy future,” he said in response to four engages in manufacturing of optical cables,
the domestic market. MPs who had asked about Singapore’s plans power and communication cables, solar
The European Commission has given to tap renewable energy and import electricity. cells and their components, as well as in
the green light for Macquarie Infrastructure Currently, 95 per cent of Singapore’s the investment, construction and operation
and Real Assets (MIRA), a division of the electricity is generated from burning natural of solar power plants, according to data
Australian Macquarie Group, to complete gas, the cleanest fossil fuel. Dr Tan said this published on Zhongli’s website.
its purchase of the Romanian operations of fuel will continue to be the main source
Czech utility group ?EZ. of energy in the medium term, given that
The deal still needs the approval of the the Republic does not have access to other
Romanian Defence Council, as energy assets renewable energy sources, such as hydro or INVESTMENT
are considered to be of strategic importance. wind power.
The deal, agreed in October 2020, will But the country is taking steps to increase PTT to invest $2bn in
see MIRA buy ?EZ’s integrated energy the proportion of renewables in its energy mix
infrastructure portfolio, comprised of an in the longer term, he said. Myanar gas-to-power
86,665 km regulated electricity distribution For one thing, it will increase the amount
network and an electricity and gas supply of sunshine it harnesses. PTT Exploration and Production, a unit of
business with 1.4mn residential and industrial Dr Tan said solar energy is the most viable Thailand’s state-owned energy conglomerate
connections in the south west of Romania. source of renewable energy in Singapore, and PTT, plans to invest $2bn in the development
The sale also includes a renewable energy pointed to how installed solar capacity has of natural gas fields and power plant
platform of primarily onshore wind farms increased more than a hundredfold over the construction in Myanmar. The move will
generating up to 622 MW, and is part of the past decade, from 3.8 megawatt-peak in 2010, expand the company’s operations in the
Czech group’s strategy to divest its assets in to around 400 megawatt-peak in mid-2020. neighbouring country, which is experiencing
Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey and Poland in “We are accelerating our efforts and we chronic power shortages.
order to focus on the Czech domestic market. will almost quadruple our solar capacity to 1.5 PTTEP received exclusive development
gigawatt-peak by 2025, and to 2 gigawatt-peak rights from the Myanmar government at the
by 2030,” he said. end of December. Based on the agreement

Week 01 06•January•2021 www. NEWSBASE .com P9