Energy firm Sunseap group is all set to build the world’s largest floating solar farm and a power storage system on the island of Batam in Indonesia, according to media reports. The project is estimated to cost around $22 billion and it will be built on the Duriangkang Reservoir in southern Batam island, near Singapore. The construction is scheduled to begin next month and is expected to be completed by 2024.
Sunseap has also signed an agreement with BP Batam, the local investment and developmental authority to develop this project. The floating solar farm will generate more than 2,600 gigawatt-hours of electricity per year, which is likely to produce around 1.8 million metric tons of carbon per year. This is equal to taking around 400,000 cars off the road a year.
The company released a statement saying, “With a volume of 101.2 million cubic meters, it supports more than 50 percent of the freshwater supply to Batam Island.
“The floating solar panels will help to reduce evaporation, thereby retaining more water within the reservoir. Simultaneously, the water will keep the solar panels cool, thereby generating more clean energy and creating a synergistic relationship.”
The energy generated and stored will be used to supply energy round the clock. Some of this energy will be consumed on Batam while the rest could be exported to Singapore approximately 50 kilometers away using a subsea cable. The energy company is also planning to set up an academy in Batam to support the hiring and transferring of skills to more than 3,000 locals to be involved in the project.