Singapore To Build World's Largest Solar Energy Plant

Singapore (AHN) - The world's largest manufacturing plant for making solar energy products will be built in Singapore, it will be the first such plant in Southeast Asia.

The plant is expected to start production of wafers, cells and modules used to generate solar power by 2010. It will be built by leading Norwegian solar energy firm Renewable Energy Corp (REC) in the Tuas View area with space set aside for supporting industries.

The plant will be able to produce products that can generate up to 1.5 gigawatts (Gw) of energy annually. That is enough to power several million households at any one time.

The current largest plant in the world, also run by REC in Norway, has a capacity of 650 megawatts (Mw).

'The project will be a 'queen bee' to attract a hive of solar activities to Singapore - big companies and young start-ups engaged in research and development, manufacturing and innovation, as well as the supplier ecosystem,' said Ko Kheng Hwa, managing director of the Economic Development Board (EDB), which signed the deal with REC earlier this week.

About 3,000 jobs, including 2,000 for skilled staff, will be created at the plant.

REC president and chief executive officer Erik Thorsen said Singapore was chosen after nine months of screening involving 200 possible locations.