CEM initiates Coloane solar energy study

CEM will collect experimental data and conduct feasibility study about solar energy in Coloane CCB Power Plant. It will be done through a pilot project of Grid-connected Photovoltaic System installation.

This project follows the sponsorship to Our Lady of Fatima Girls’ School on the Solar Energy Study Program, and partnership with The International School of Macao, Honeywell and the Clinton Climate Initiative to implement “The Thinking Green Classroom” in TIS.

After opening of a tender, the proposal submitted by Sociedade Industrial Ho Tin S.A.R.L. was selected. Through working with the local supplier Ho Tin, the Companhia de Electricidade de Macau believes it will be a great hands-on learning opportunity to develop local expertise on solar energy study and implementation.

The Grid-connected Photovoltaic System containing 12 pieces of photovoltaic panels will be installed on top of a car park located in the open area of Coloane CCB Power Plant. The system does not contain any battery, thus it will not create any harm to the environment. It is sufficient to generate 2kW of power. The power will be transferred to CEM’s power grid through a grid-tie inverter and consumed by Coloane CCB Power Plant Administration Building.

Besides the demonstration site at Ho Tin Industrial Building and the new building of China Liaison Office, CEM is the first commercial company in Macao installing this photovoltaic system. An add-on ecological benefit of installing the panels on top of the car park is to provide shelter shading for the vehicles. It is particularly useful in the summer time to lower the interior temperature and air-conditioner consumption of the vehicles.

The study will run for one year to investigate the average figures of daylight, efficiency of solar energy, and the feasibility of separate modular system connected to CEM’s power grid.