Sunseap to build world’s largest floating solar panel farm in Indonesia’s Batam Island

Singapore greentech firm Sunseap has agreed to build a floating photovoltaic system (FPV) and energy storage system (ESS) on a reservoir in Indonesia’s Batam Island in collaboration with Badan Pengusahaan Batam.

Photo credit: Sunseap

Expected to have a capacity of 2.2 GWp (photovoltaic capacity in gigawatts) and span across 1,600 hectares, the FPV is poised to become the largest of its kind. The ESS is also slated to be unrivaled in size worldwide, with an estimated capacity of over 4,000 MWhr (megawatt hours).

Under the memorandum of understanding, Sunseap will develop the systems on Duriangkang Reservoir in the southern area of Batam. Originally a saltwater bay, the reservoir supports over 50% of the island’s fresh water supply.

The floating solar panels reduce evaporation, helping retain more water within the reservoir, according to Sunseap. The water will also keep the solar panel cool, allowing it to produce more clean energy.

Sunseap expects the solar farm to generate more than 2,600 GWh (gigawatt hours) of electricity a year, which is potentially enough to offset over 1.8 million metric tons of carbon per year.

In addition, the company plans to set up a Sunseap Academy in Batam, which will handle hiring and skills sets transfer to more than 3,000 locals who will be involved in building the systems.

The project will be funded through a mix of bank loans and internal resources. Construction is scheduled to run from 2022 to 2024.