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Singapore solar farms - 19th March 2021

Singapore is a small country. But it uses a lot of energy. This is bad for the environment.

Now, Singapore wants to use solar energy. Solar energy is good for the environment.

Solar farms collect solar energy from the sun. But solar farms are very big. This is a problem in Singapore. There isn't much space.

Jen Tan works for an energy company. Her company is putting solar farms on water.

Jen Tan: "So, after exhausting the rooftops, the available land, which is very scarce, the next big potential is actually our water area and we’ve got many reservoirs in Singapore that we can do floating, dual use floating and reservoir at the same time."

This is a new solar farm. It is on the water between Singapore and Malaysia. It has 13,000 solar panels. The solar panels can collect a lot of energy.

There is a plan for another solar farm in Singapore. It will be very big. It will have 122,000 solar panels.

Today, only 0.5 percent of Singapore's energy is solar. But in 2030, it could be 3 percent.

Subhod Mhaisalkar works for a university. He thinks Singapore needs to do more. He says 20 percent of Singapore's energy should be solar.

Subhod Mhaisalkar: "I don’t think Singapore has a choice. Singapore has to consider every possible option for solar cell deployment so that solar photo electricity or solar electricity can contribute anywhere between 10 to 20 percent of Singapore needs in a long-term basis.