EDP advances solar innovation in Singapore with the country's first overhang solar structure
EDP, a global energy player, and JTC Corporation, a statutory board under Singapore’s Ministry of Energy, Trade and Industry, will deploy the country's first overhang solar photovoltaic system, a pioneering pilot project designed to create new opportunities for solar generation in one of the world's most land-constrained markets.
Located at a JTC industrial development in Singapore, EDP will design, build, operate and test the country's first overhang solar photovoltaic system. The project will install up to 455 kWp of solar capacity, with solar panels on a structure spanning the space between multi-store industrial buildings, transforming approximately 4,300 m² of previously unused space into a new source of clean energy production. Once in operation within the first half of 2028, the system will export electricity to Singapore's national grid over a 10-year period.
As Singapore accelerates towards its target of 3 GWp of installed solar capacity by 2030, innovative solutions are becoming increasingly important to overcome country’s space constraints and maximise every available surface for renewable energy generation. Projects like the one now announced will help to complement conventional deployment in sites such as rooftops, vacant land and water bodies.
“Every surface is a potential power source, including the spaces between our buildings. Together with partners such as EDP APAC, we are finding new ways to grow Singapore’s solar capacity. These insights will guide how we scale such solutions across our industrial estates,” says Finn Tay, JTC’s Chief Sustainability Officer.
As a first-of-its-kind installation in Singapore, the pilot will validate the engineering approach and address the technical challenges associated with integrating solar infrastructure between existing buildings. Insights from the project will help determine whether similar systems can be replicated across other industrial developments, unlocking new solar generation capacity without requiring additional land.
For EDP, the project reinforces its position as a leading distributed solar player in Asia-Pacific and highlights its ability to develop innovative solutions tailored to densely built urban environments. Singapore is EDP's largest distributed solar market in the region and the hub of its APAC operations.
The project also builds on EDP's partnership with JTC. In 2020, EDP secured SolarLand Phase 3, of which 51.2 MWp are already operational, demonstrating the successful collaboration between both organisations in advancing renewable energy deployment in Singapore.