Solar leasing as a business model in Singapore is a very viable option given our unsubsidized electricity rates and the government’s push for more solar. By taking the lead as one of the  largest adopters of solar PV in Singapore, the government is emphasizing the commercial viability of solar PV and showing how other building owners, developers and companies can  do the same.

 In this context, one of the tracks held at the Asia Clean Energy Summit (ACES) is Solarising Singapore. This session is a one stop shop for adopters to learn about government policies,  technologies available as well as about solar leasing as a business model.

 Industry experts will discuss the benefits, risks, and other solutions to PV systems, thus giving potential adopters an insightful understanding of using solar power to meet their energy  needs. The industry experts will also share how the solar PV system will have little or no impact on regular business operations. The government’s adoption of solar PV shows how the  use of solar PV can be even more embedded in Singapore’s infrastructure with little disruption in Singapore’s well-known efficient system. It is time for more adopters to take a step  towards solar PV adoption and through the Solarising Singapore, an insightful discussion can be expected.

One of the experts speaking at Solarising Singapore is Lionel Steinitz, CEO of LYS Energy, and a SEAS member. SEAS spoke with Lionel about a 3.1MWp project that LYS Energy is embarking on that will help its client, an international aerospace company, generate 3.8 GWh of electricity every year. The solar system will cover approximately 30,000m² of rooftop and parking space, and will help to mitigate over 1,650 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year.

 LYS Energy is an Independent Solar Power Producer, thus it owns and operates the PV system and sells the solar electricity to its client via a Power Purchase Agreement.

 Mr Steinitz explained that their client wanted to reduce the carbon footprint of their business activities, thus decided to embark on using renewable energy sources – in this case, solar power, to power their  operations. They are also implementing energy efficiency technologies in their facility.

 He further added, “LYS Energy is pleased to be working with our client in their efforts to be more environmentally sustainable, and we strive to provide both environmental and commercial benefits for our client”.  This is the goal for many companies because as much as the intent is there to mitigate the effects of climate change, they are a business first and foremost, thus they need to be able to be able to achieve their  business goals". 

Mr Steinitz elaborated how they helped their client, “First, LYS Energy can offer solar energy at a pre-determined price over the long term, providing clear visibility which addresses the price volatility inherent in traditional electricity generation methods. Second, our core business is to offer solar electricity at attractive prices to our clients, and enable them to achieve cost savings on their utility bills. Therefore, without expanding any resources, our client could enjoy lower and more predictable utility costs and reduce their carbon footprint at the same time”.

LYS Energy operates and maintains the solar PV system throughout its lifetime, and they also monitor the systems’ performance in real time, so they ensure that their clients’ systems are operating at their peak performance. This means that their client does not need to worry about the upkeep of their system, and can truly use their PV systems as a power source, not just another machine to maintain.

The trend is for companies to “go green”, and the desire to have good sustainability programmes is also on the rise.

“Since the awareness about preserving our planet becomes increasingly broad, and the Climate Conference in Paris (France) at the end of the year is another testimony of that trend, business leaders are ideally suited to take initiatives and play an active role in the sustainability space. Green initiatives, roll-out strategies and business models are the key”, said Mr Steinitz. Thus more businesses need to step up and give confidence to the larger community about actions being taken to mitigate climate change.

As shown, there are business models for clean energy that are already commercially viable. Being able to contribute to mitigating climate change is another benefit, and it is hoped that more companies, big and small, will follow suit.

Lionel Steinitz will be speaking at Solarising Singapore, part of the Asia Clean Energy Summit. Visit www.asiacleanenergysummit.com for more information.