Presented at the 2nd Meeting of Vietnam Renewable Energy Network, May 6, 2017

1. RE Vietnam II
James HA
Head of Asia PV Quality Assurance Centre
2 June 2017
SERIS – Your Comprehensive
Solar Energy Solution Provider:
From R&D to Industry &
Financial Services

2. 2SERIS is a research institute at the National University of Singapore (NUS). SERIS is sponsored by the National University of
Singapore (NUS) and Singapore’s National Research Foundation (NRF) through the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB).
 Founded in 2008; focuses on applied
solar energy research
 Part of the National University of
Singapore (NUS)
 Rapid growth (now >210 people and
> 6000 m2 of space)
 > USD 30 million investments for labs
 R&D focus is on PV (cells, modules,
systems) and solar buildings
 Specialised in professional services
for the PV industry
 ISO 9001 & ISO 17025* certified
(* PV Module Testing Lab)
SERIS
Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore

3. Covering Solar Energy Value Chain
Materials Cells Modules Systems
Modelling & Simulation of PV Cells, Modules, Systems & Grid
Characterisation
Pilot Lines for Silicon Wafer Solar Cells and
Modules
Tandem Solar Cells on Silicon
Novel Technology
Exploration
Process
Improvements
Module Testing &
Certification
Module
Development
PV System R&D
(on-grid & off-grid)
Solar Thermal Systems
Forecasting & Power
System Management
BIPV
Quality Assurance &
Solarisation

4. 4SERIS is a research institute at the National University of Singapore (NUS). SERIS is sponsored by the National University of
Singapore (NUS) and Singapore’s National Research Foundation (NRF) through the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB).
 Single-cell mini-modules to full-size 72-cell modules
 Optical characterisation of module glass and encapsulants
 Development of PV modules for tropical conditions
 Potential-induced-degradation (PID) study of PV modules
 Development of comprehensive cell-to-module (CTM) loss analysis
PV Modules
Research areas

5. 5SERIS is a research institute at the National University of Singapore (NUS). SERIS is sponsored by the National University of
Singapore (NUS) and Singapore’s National Research Foundation (NRF) through the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB).
 Full tests and partial tests according to
international standards (IEC 61215,
61646, 61730 and UL)
 Customised PV module analysis for
commercial and research purposes
 PV module certification in collaboration
with VDE
 Customised R&D tests
 Testing of materials and components
 Test-to-fail procedures
 SERIS Quality Check (SQC) test to
determine the quality of batches of PV
modules (e.g. 10 modules per batch)
PV Modules
Performance analysis

6. 6SERIS is a research institute at the National University of Singapore (NUS). SERIS is sponsored by the National University of
Singapore (NUS) and Singapore’s National Research Foundation (NRF) through the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB).
Solar Potential & Energy Meteorology Group PV System Technology Group
• 3D modelling and solar
potential analysis of buildings
• Solar irradiance forecasting: short,
medium and long term time scales
• Sky imaging and GPS acquisition
• Weather Research and
Forecasting
• Cloud analysis and forecasting
• Long-term PV module performance
testing and monitoring
• PV system optimization
• World's largest floating PV test
bedding in Singapore
SES
Cluster
PV Grid Integration
• Power system simulations
• Multiple levels of interdependencies
between the distributed generation
• Variability of the resource and demand
• Integrations between grid control, PV
systems and energy storage solutions
Asia PV Quality Assurance
Center
• 3rd-party evaluation of system
design, implementation and
economic variability
• Feasibility studies and full due
diligence evaluations
• National Solarisation Center (NSC)
• The “TruePowerTM Alliance”
SES cluster
Research Groups

7. 7SERIS is a research institute at the National University of Singapore (NUS). SERIS is sponsored by the National University of
Singapore (NUS) and Singapore’s National Research Foundation (NRF) through the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB).
Solar Energy Solutions
For Prospective Clients
Technical/
Financial
Services
Insurance
Development
Banks
Investor
Government/
Regulator
• Solar Potential Analysis
• Regulation advisory
• Compliance
• Strategy & policy
• Incentives
• Detailed assessment on technical risks
• Risk mitigation strategy
• Lender technical advisory
• Feasibility Study
• Due diligence (technical & financial /biz model)
• Sustainability value added

8. 8SERIS is a research institute at the National University of Singapore (NUS). SERIS is sponsored by the National University of
Singapore (NUS) and Singapore’s National Research Foundation (NRF) through the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB).
Project Management
Quality Assurance
Evaluation &
Planning
Preliminary project review
On-site assessment
Geological analysis
PV grid inter-connection
Yield estimation
Initial financial modelling
Assistance tendering process &
evaluation
Installation
& commissioning
Final contract preparation
Construction monitoring
Pre- and Post shipment inspection
Installation supervision
Testing & Commissioning
Confirmation of final acceptance
Certification (optional)
Project Phases
Monitoring &
O&M
Monitoring
Performance ratio (PR)
System Doctor Service
Training

9. 9SERIS is a research institute at the National University of Singapore (NUS). SERIS is sponsored by the National University of
Singapore (NUS) and Singapore’s National Research Foundation (NRF) through the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB).
Project Track Record
Reference list of selected technical due diligence and financial analysis
Activities / Services Project size Project location
Technical advisor, assisting in obtaining PR insurance coverage 900 MWp South Asia
Technical due diligence, owner’s advisory service, owner’s
engineering services and assisting in obtaining debt financing
200 MWp Tamil Nadu, India
3rd-party verification, due diligence 26 MWp Gujarat, India
Technical due diligence 10 MWp Roi Et, Thailand
Technical feasibility study and yield assessment 10 MWp Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Owner's engineer and module verification testing (distributed
PV)
40 MWp Singapore
Feasibility study, 3rd-party verification and owner's engineer Various 1 MWp projects Singapore
3rd party verification of PV system 0.5MWp Singapore
Technical and financial due diligence 10 MWp Singapore
Module verification test 90MWp Nevada, USA
Solar PV economic study with detailed future electricity price
scenario analysis
N.A Thailand
FiT and interconnection study 10MWp Malaysia
Lenders’ technical advisor 1MWp Singapore
Feasibility study, technical advisory & evaluation of tender bids Small scale roof top system Singapore
Lender technical advisor 10.5MWp Singapore
Lender technical advisor 2.6MWp Singapore
Lenders’ technical advisor 70MWp Singapore
Feasibility study, financial and technical due diligence 40MWp Singapore
Testing and commissioning 3.6MWp Singapore
Testing and commissioning Various <1MWp Singapore
9

10. 10SERIS is a research institute at the National University of Singapore (NUS). SERIS is sponsored by the National University of
Singapore (NUS) and Singapore’s National Research Foundation (NRF) through the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB).
Project Track Record
List reference of monitoring projects
Activities / Services Project location
Developed, built and deployed a monitoring network of 25 meteorological
stations across Singapore
Singapore
Developed, built and deployed over 20 photovoltaic installation stations across
Singapore
Singapore
Many commercial monitoring projects, e.g. PV systems monitoring or
meteorological stations:
Inc. 2.6 MWp PV installation on the Coca-Cola factory in Phnom Penh
Singapore, Cambodia, India
Ongoing overseas research + commercial projects, e.g. remote monitoring of
meteorological parameters + PV module / system test stations across Asia-Pacific
Singapore, Australia*, Japan*, China*
10

11. Problem Diagnostics & Solution Services
SERIS Doctor Services
Facilities: Characterization, Testing & Certification
Solar cells PV modules PV systems
Cell doctor Module doctor System doctor

12. 12SERIS is a research institute at the National University of Singapore (NUS). SERIS is sponsored by the National University of
Singapore (NUS) and Singapore’s National Research Foundation (NRF) through the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB).
Implementation
Projection
Outline
Motivation
https://img.clipartfest.com/29f86f005d5b4e91bb0cce64e7f9cb55_mca-partners-with-growing-plant-growth-clipart_1917-1002.jpeg

13. 13SERIS is a research institute at the National University of Singapore (NUS). SERIS is sponsored by the National University of
Singapore (NUS) and Singapore’s National Research Foundation (NRF) through the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB).
Motivation – Push
https://www.nccs.gov.sg/sites/nccs/files/Appendix%20III%20INDC%20Infographic.pdf

14. 14SERIS is a research institute at the National University of Singapore (NUS). SERIS is sponsored by the National University of
Singapore (NUS) and Singapore’s National Research Foundation (NRF) through the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB).
Implementation
Projection
Outline
Motivation
https://img.clipartfest.com/29f86f005d5b4e91bb0cce64e7f9cb55_mca-partners-with-growing-plant-growth-clipart_1917-1002.jpeg

15. 15SERIS is a research institute at the National University of Singapore (NUS). SERIS is sponsored by the National University of
Singapore (NUS) and Singapore’s National Research Foundation (NRF) through the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB).
Singapore’s policy approach
No direct subsidies
government
private sector

16. 16SERIS is a research institute at the National University of Singapore (NUS). SERIS is sponsored by the National University of
Singapore (NUS) and Singapore’s National Research Foundation (NRF) through the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB).
SERIS’ role in SolarNova
Technical advisor for government agencies (e.g. for feasibility studies)
of roofs

17. 17SERIS is a research institute at the National University of Singapore (NUS). SERIS is sponsored by the National University of
Singapore (NUS) and Singapore’s National Research Foundation (NRF) through the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB).
“National Solar Repository” (NSR)
http://www.solar-repository.sg

18. 18SERIS is a research institute at the National University of Singapore (NUS). SERIS is sponsored by the National University of
Singapore (NUS) and Singapore’s National Research Foundation (NRF) through the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB).
Innovative business models (1)
Solar PPA (in Singapore often called “Solar Leasing”)
 Instead of owning and paying for the system directly, the option for
solar leasing is increasingly provided:
Building
owner
Solar
leasing
company
EPC
/O&M
specialist
Financial
institutions
Receives
green electricity
Pays discounted
price for
electricity
Owner of
the system
Installs/maintains
solar system
Helps financing
the system
Pays
Interest
and
amortization
Pays service fee

19. 19SERIS is a research institute at the National University of Singapore (NUS). SERIS is sponsored by the National University of
Singapore (NUS) and Singapore’s National Research Foundation (NRF) through the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB).
Innovative business models (2)
Green electricity retailing
 Instead of owning a suitable roof, green electricity retail products are
increasingly provided:
Interested
client Retailer
Third party
hedging*
Receives green
electricity
Pays green
electricity price
(PPA + margin)
Buys green
electricity
Pays financial
PPA price
*as example through the Futures wholesale power market or with a generation company
Insures future price risk
Pays
premium

20. SERIS is a research institute at the National University of Singapore (NUS). SERIS is sponsored by the National University of
Singapore (NUS) and Singapore’s National Research Foundation (NRF) through the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB).
20
Innovative business models (3)
Selling green attributes
 APX forms the central platform where each 1 MWh produced green
attributes are tracked via individual serial numbers until retirement
Interested
client
TIGRs2)
Registry
(APX)
Renewable
generator
virtual off-site commercial PPA
“retirement”
account
1) Renewable Energy Certificates
2) Tradable Instruments for Global
Renewables, www.tigrs.apx.com
3) Qualified Reporting Entity
agreed quantity and price per TIGR2)
(1 TIGR = 1 MWh green attributes)
APX verifies
assets
3rd Party
Verifier
(QRE)3)
“asset owner”
account
verified
MWh
verified generation“QRE” account

21. 21SERIS is a research institute at the National University of Singapore (NUS). SERIS is sponsored by the National University of
Singapore (NUS) and Singapore’s National Research Foundation (NRF) through the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB).
Implementation
Projection
Outline
Motivation
https://img.clipartfest.com/29f86f005d5b4e91bb0cce64e7f9cb55_mca-partners-with-growing-plant-growth-clipart_1917-1002.jpeg

22. 22SERIS is a research institute at the National University of Singapore (NUS). SERIS is sponsored by the National University of
Singapore (NUS) and Singapore’s National Research Foundation (NRF) through the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB).
Future solar PV potential
Data source:Q2015
Data source: Solar PV Roadmap, https://www.nccs.gov.sg/sites/nccs/files/Roadmap_Solar_20140729.pdf,
Annual electricity demand growth assumption: 2%

23. 23SERIS is a research institute at the National University of Singapore (NUS). SERIS is sponsored by the National University of
Singapore (NUS) and Singapore’s National Research Foundation (NRF) through the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB).
Projection
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/sites/default/files/attachment/2017/02/21/210217_klbudg111.pdf

24. 24SERIS is a research institute at the National University of Singapore (NUS). SERIS is sponsored by the National University of
Singapore (NUS) and Singapore’s National Research Foundation (NRF) through the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB).
Thank you for your
attention!
Please contact us:
james.ha@nus.edu.sg
More information at
www.seris.sg
SERIS.Singapore
Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore

25. SERIS is a research institute at the National University of Singapore (NUS). SERIS is sponsored by the National University of
Singapore (NUS) and Singapore’s National Research Foundation (NRF) through the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB).
25
Installed capacity in Singapore by 2016
Annual statistics
Data source: EMA

26. SERIS is a research institute at the National University of Singapore (NUS). SERIS is sponsored by the National University of
Singapore (NUS) and Singapore’s National Research Foundation (NRF) through the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB).
26
Latest quarterly statistics
Data source: EMA