SolarQuarter ASEAN June-July Issue 2021 by SolarQuarter

Empowering, Insightful, Engaging

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IN CONVERSATION

CONTENT NEWS

04 INSIGHTS

HOW ARE CULTURE, TECHNOLOGY, AND INDUSTRY COMING TOGETHER TO WIDEN ACCESS TO SOLAR POWER IN SOUTHEAST ASIA?

CLEAN ENERGY TO NAVIGATE SOUTHEAST ASIA’S ROAD TO RECOVERY POST COVID

INDONESIA’S NET-ZERO AMBITION: WHAT IS NEEDED TO ACHIEVE THE TARGET?

RISING TANGIBILITY OF SOLAR IN THAILAND

CLEAN ENERGY AS AN UPWARD ESSENTIAL DESPITE PANDEMIC

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TRINA TRACKER

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12 MILAN KOEV Chief Executive Officer, Hexagon Peak

16 ARNFINN UNUM General Manager Malaysia, Scatec

20 ALLEN HIMES Managing Director, Indigo Energy

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ASEAN NEWS Philippines: GREEN HEAT TARGETS TO INSTALL MORE SOLAR PANELS IN PHILIPPINES Green Heat Corp. which is a Philippines based company, is targeting to complete more solar rooftop projects with a capacity of at least 6 megawatts (MW) to as much as 12 MW in the next 5 years. Its latest solar panel project was for SM City Bacoor, which formally switched on its 1.3megawatt (MW) roof-mounted solar power plant. The solar rooftop of the first SM mall in the province of Cavite is the largest of its kind in Bacoor City, reinforcing SM’s commitment to lead the private sector in harnessing clean and renewable energy. Here, the Green Heat-designed system generates a monthly average of 128,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electrical energy, which is enough to power 800 homes consuming an average of 160 kWh a month. SM City Bacoor has maximized the use of its 6,230 square meters of rooftop space with 3,114 solar panels, which can generate an average of 1.13 MW of power a day. This leads to a total savings of P10.3 million in the mall’s annual electricity costs, while reducing its dependence on grid power.

AC ENERGY, CITICORE PARTNER TO DEVELOP 72 MW ARAYAT-MEXICO SOLAR FARM AC Energy and Citicore will work in partnership to develop the 72 MW Arayat-Mexico solar farm in Pampanga. The solar project is a 50-50 joint venture with an estimated development cost of ₱ 2.7 billion and is expected to be commissioned by the 1st quarter of 2022. This will be a critical contribution in Luzon, where the energy industry is working double time to ensure a steady power supply. Both AC Energy and Citicore share the same vision of accelerating renewable energy development and help the country achieve its greenhouse gas emissions target to a 75% reduction by 2030. Once the 72 MW Arayat-Mexico project is completed and operational, the new solar farm will generate enough power to supply clean energy annually to approximately 45,000 homes.

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BLUELEAF ENERGY AND SUNASIA PARTNER TO DEVELOP 1.25 GW SOLAR PROJECTS IN THE PHILIPPINES Blueleaf Energy, a portfolio company of Macquarie’s Green Investment Group, and SunAsia have entered into a partnership to co-develop 1.25 GW of solar projects in Luzon, Philippines. The partnership coincides with the forecast growth of the Philippine’s solar energy market. The country is increasingly focused on renewable energy, and targets the delivery of an additional 10 GW of solar energy by 2030, which would comprise in excess of 20% of its energy mix. The partnership brings together Blueleaf’s financial and deep in-house technical capabilities and SunAsia’s local development experience. Such collaboration is poised to significantly contribute to the achievement of the Philippines' renewable energy goals.

AC ENERGY’S RENEWABLE ENERGY TO POWER PACIFIC SYNERGY PLANT AC Energy Corporation has signed an agreement with Pacific Synergy, a fast moving consumer goods company, to provide its Laguna plant facility with 100% renewable energy during peak hours, eliminating an estimated 1,500 tonnes of CO2e for the duration of their engagement, the equivalent of taking ~324 cars off the road annually. Under the energy supply agreement, Pacific Synergy’s power needs during peak operational hours will be energized by renewable energy from AC Energy’s portfolio of operating wind, solar and geothermal power plants for the next two years, or around 28,913 MWh of renewable energy. This is the first renewable energy power purchase of the company for the electricity supply of its plant operations.

JUNE-JULY ISSUE 2021 | PG 04

GLOBAL BUSINESS POWER CORPORATION (GBP) BEGINS CONSTRUCTION OF 115 MW PEAK SOLAR PLANT IN RIZAL, PHILIPPINES PH Renewables, Inc. (PHRI), a subsidiary of Global Business Power Corporation (GBP), recently celebrated the groundbreaking ceremony of its first solar power plant in Baras, Rizal. With a capacity of 115 MW peak, the project is expected to commence commercial operations in 2022. PHRI’s solar project marks GBP’s entry in the renewable energy market. As a leading power generator in the Visayas and with operations in the fast-growing Mindanao market, the solar plant located within a 135-hectare area inside the Philippine Communications Satellite Corporation’s (PHILCOMSAT) grounds in Rizal allows GBP to finally service the three major islands of the country.

MODERN ENERGY MANAGEMENT COMPLETES DEVELOPMENT ROLE ON AC ENERGY 120MWP PHILIPPINES SOLAR PROJECT Modern Energy Management (MEM), a specialist in developing, building and operating investment grade renewable energy projects in emerging markets, announced that it has successfully completed its role as the Owner’s Engineer for the Solarace 120MW solar project for AC Energy (PSE: ACEN) in the Philippines. MEM is assisted in the project by SIDCORE Consulting, a Philippine based consulting firm that has extensive experience from pre-development to implementation of renewable energy projects. AC Energy has a growing renewable energy footprint in Southeast Asia. The company set a goal to develop a capacity of 5000 MW of renewable energy capacity by 2025, of which almost half is slated to be developed in the Philippines. The Philippines’ overall renewable energy (RE) objective, per the “Renewable Energy Roadmap 2017-2040,' ' is an increase of RE installed capacity to at least 20GW.

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AC ENERGY’S 120 MW ALAMINOS SOLAR FARM IS NOW OPERATIONAL 120 MW GigaSol Alaminos in Laguna, one of the country’s largest solar farms, has started exporting renewable energy into the grid. It is the company’s second solar farm to go online this year, adding a significant contribution to its rapidly expanding renewables portfolio. It is the second largest solar plant in the Philippines, and can generate enough power to supply clean energy to approximately 80,000 homes. Apart from generating sustainable energy that can power approximately 80,000 homes while avoiding 111,034.37 MT CO2e of greenhouse gases, the GigaSol Alaminos solar farm is notable for its pioneering Sustainability Hub where AC Energy has started to integrate the circular approach.

Thailand SHARP TO INSTALL LARGE-SCALE SOLAR POWER SYSTEM ON ROOFTOP OF MAJOR TIRE PLANT IN THAILAND Sharp Energy Solutions Corporation (SESJ) will be installing a roof-mounted solar power system at a plant of one of Thailand’s major tire manufacturers, the Deestone Group. With an output of approximately 4.99 MW-dc, it will be one of the largest capacity plant rooftop solar power installations that SESJ has built in Thailand. The new solar power system will be installed on the rooftop of a passenger vehicle tire plant of Svizz-One Corporation Ltd., a manufacturing base of the Deestone Group located in Nakhon Pathom Province, central Thailand. SESJ will handle the engineering, procurement, and construction of the system. Completion and start of operations are scheduled for the end of March 2022. The system’s annual power-generation capacity is estimated to be approximately 7,293 MWh. Using all of that generated electricity at the plant will equate to a reduction in greenhouse gases of roughly 2,326 t-CO2/year. JUNE-JULY ISSUE 2021 | PG 05

TOTALENERGIES COMPLETES ROOFTOP SOLAR CONSTRUCTION FOR BETAGRO IN THAILAND TotalEnergies has completed the construction for 24 facilities of solar-powered rooftops for Betagro across Thailand. This is one of the largest corporate solar portfolios in Southeast Asia and will be offering clean energy to Betagro through 20-year corporate power purchase agreements (CPPAs). An estimated 38 GWh of renewable electricity per year will be generated by this 25 megawatt-peak (MWp) system which is about 10% of the company’s total power consumption. It will reduce CO2 emissions by 26,000 tons per year, comparable to approximately 4,300 fewer cars on the road. Constructed within 6 months, the solar photovoltaic (PV) system combines more than 62,000 solar panels, equivalent to covering 36 soccer fields. TotalEnergies provided all the capital investment for the project and now provides renewable energy to Betagro through 20year power purchase agreements, allowing the company to operate in line with its purpose while achieving significant savings on electricity.

CONSTANT ENERGY COMPLETES A 514 KWP SOLAR ROOFTOP PROJECT WITH PAKFOOD PCL AHEAD OF SCHEDULE Constant Energy energized one of the 5 corporate PPA projects it executed with Thai Union Group, a world leader in the manufacturing and sale of frozen & canned seafood. The 514.08 kWp solar roof located in Samut Sakhon province was completed 2 weeks ahead of schedule, despite the challenging circumstances caused by the corona pandemic in Thailand. It will support Pakfood in reducing carbon emission as well as substantially cutting electricity costs. This project features the Enhanced Health & Safety and High-Quality features developed by Constant Energy and renowned HSE consultants, enabling among the highest safety levels for work at height and solar roof engineering, construction, and operation.

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THIS IS ONE OF THE LARGEST CORPORATE SOLAR PORTFOLIOS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA AND WILL BE OFFERING CLEAN ENERGY TO BETAGRO THROUGH 20-YEAR CORPORATE POWER PURCHASE AGREEMENTS."

SHARP SETS UP JOINT VENTURE IN THAILAND SELLING SOLARGENERATED ELECTRICITY TO PRIVATE SECTOR Sharp Solar Solution Asia Co., Ltd. (SSSA) has concluded an agreement with Fuyo General Lease Co., Ltd. to establish S-Solar Generation Thailand Co., Ltd., which will sell electricity in Thailand. This is the first time that Sharp Corporation or one of its subsidiaries has entered the business of selling power to private companies. Under a PPA, customer companies signing contracts with the new joint venture will be able to have a solar power system installed with zero initial investment and use solargenerated power at a reduced rate. The new joint venture will install solar power systems on customers’ facilities (building roofs, for example) and sell the electricity generated to the customer at a rate lower than electricity from the grid. SSSA will be in charge of installing and maintaining the solar panels. Operation of a solar power generation system is scheduled to begin in March 2022 at an appliances factory, the first customer of the new joint venture.

THAI UTILITY GPSC ACQUIRES 42% STAKE IN AVAADA ENERGY FOR RS 33.88 BILLION Thai energy producer Global Power Synergy PCL (GPSC) has signed a deal to acquire 41.6% stake in India’s green energy company Avaada Energy Private for Thai Baht 14.82 billion (Rs 33.88 billion). According to the GPSC statement, the company has a total committed capacity of approximately 3,744 MW, of which around 1,392 MW are operational and the rest 2,352 MW are under construction and expected to be operational by 2021-22. GPSC’s subsidiary World Renewable Synergy Firm will purchase the stake in Avaada in a deal which shall be among the many largest within the renewable power area in India. Avaada has a declared aim to build a 10 GW renewable asset base worth $ 5 billion by 2025.

JUNE-JULY ISSUE 2021 | PG 06

Singapore SUNSEAP TO BUILD ROOFTOP SOLAR FOR 3 SCHOOLS IN SINGAPORE

NAKHON RATCHASIMA SOLAR PROJECTS COMPLETES ITS LAST DEBT PAYMENT TO KRUNGTHAI BANK Constant Energy’s very first solar project in Thailand; Nakhon Ratchasima Solar (NRS) farm completed its last debt payment to their lender Krungthai Bank (KTB). KTB is the largest Stateowned bank in Thailand, operating for more than half a century. Nakhon Ratchasima Solar (NRS) plant has been developed, built, and asset managed by Constant Energy Solar (Thailand) Co., Ltd. since 2011. The total capacity of this solar farm is 7.49 MW. Due to limited factory access during the COVID-19 pandemic situation in Thailand, the virtual ceremony was held to celebrate the final paycheck and a long-term partnership between Constant Energy, Sinar Mas Mining, SUN Energy, CKPower, and Krungthai Bank. Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP has also joined as a legal advisor in the transaction via Zoom meeting.

Sunseap Group said that three schools in the northeastern part of Singapore have begun to tap electricity generated from rooftop solar systems it had installed at the end of April 2021. The three schools are Horizon Primary School, Compassvale Primary School and Edgefield Primary School, and their rooftop solar systems will generate 397.44 kilowatts peak (kWp), 190.44 kWp and 389.16 kWp of energy, respectively. Combined, they are enough to power 297 four-room Housing & Development Board (HDB) flats. The installations, which began in November 2020 are part of the fourth solar leasing tender awarded to Sunseap under the HDB’s SolarNova programme (SolarNova 4) in 2019. Under the tender, Sunseap will install more than 170,000 solar panels across HDB blocks and government sites between 2020 and 2022.

HG METAL PARTNERS WITH LYS ENERGY FOR ROOFTOP SOLAR PROJECT IN SINGAPORE HG Metal Manufacturing Ltd, a leading steel distributor and fabricator based in Singapore, has entered into a Power Purchase Agreement (“PPA”) with LYS Energy Group, to build and operate a rooftop grid-tied solar photovoltaic (PV) system at the Group’s premises located at 28 Jalan Buroh. The 936.84kWp solar power plant, made up of 2,059 JA Solar Modules, is estimated to achieve an average annual output of 1,031.5MWh over the next 20 years and is expected to be completed by Q3FY 2021. Based on the current production output and business activity of the Group, the energy generated by the solar power plant is expected to account for 60% to 70% of the Group’s annual energy consumption requirements, significantly reducing the Group’s reliance on conventional electricity. With rising electricity tariffs, the switch is expected to result in cost-savings up to S$3.1M over the project duration of 20 years.

THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT SHARP CORPORATION OR ONE OF ITS SUBSIDIARIES HAS ENTERED THE BUSINESS OF SELLING POWER TO PRIVATE COMPANIES." ASEAN

JUNE-JULY ISSUE 2021 | PG 07

SEMBCORP MARINE AND SP GROUP PARTNER TO INTEGRATE SOLAR ENERGY AT TUAS BOULEVARD YARD

THE SEMBCORP TENGEH FLOATING SOLAR FARM IS NOW OFFICIALLY OPEN Sembcorp Floating Solar Singapore, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sembcorp Industries (Sembcorp), and National Water Agency PUB, have officially opened the Sembcorp Tengeh Floating Solar Farm at the Tengeh Reservoir. With 122,000 solar panels spanning across 45 hectares (equivalent to about 45 football fields), the 60 megawatt-peak (MWp) solar photovoltaic (PV) farm is one of the world’s largest inland floating solar PV systems. The electricity generated from the solar farm will be sufficient to power Singapore’s five local water treatment plants, offsetting about 7% of PUB’s annual energy needs and reducing PUB’s carbon footprint. This is equivalent to powering about 16,000 four-room HDB flats and reducing carbon emissions by about 32 kilotonnes annually, the same as taking 7,000 cars off the roads.

Sembcorp Marine and SP Group (SP) signed a partnership agreement to enhance the sustainability credentials of Sembcorp Marine’s flagship Tuas Boulevard Yard (TBY or Yard). To lower Sembcorp Marine’s carbon footprint, SP will be commissioned to deploy 4.0 MWp of solar energy across seven rooftops at TBY. The solar energy generated will be integrated and optimised via SP’s Green Energy Tech (GETTM) to provide intelligent and reliable energy management to realise significant energy savings. With the additional rooftop solar installation, TBY’s new solar power capacity of 8.5 MWp will deliver up to 10,400 MWh of electricity annually – enough to power more than 2,300 four-room flats per year. The GETTM smart energy management solution leverages Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (A.I.), sensors and advanced metering infrastructure to manage the generation, and monitor the usage and storage of the solar power. The system optimises the Yard’s energy consumption for greener operations, resulting in significant utilities savings. The integrated energy solution is expected to effectively provide close to 60% of electricity consumed by TBY’s steel fabrication facility at peak load and avoid annual carbon emissions by more than 4,200 tonnes, equivalent to taking approximately 1,300 cars off the road.

THE SOLAR ENERGY GENERATED JTC CORPORATION AND SHELL TO DEVELOP SEMAKAU SOLAR FARM IN SINGAPORE JTC Corporation (JTC) and Shell Singapore have signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding supported by the National Environment Agency (NEA) and Energy Market Authority (EMA) to jointly explore developing a solar farm on part of Semakau Landfill, south of the Singapore mainland. If successful, the solar farm would reduce the country’s carbon emissions and meet its growing clean energy needs. The solar farm will also be the first large-scale solar project in Singapore where a sanitary landfill is also used for clean energy generation. This project is aligned with Singapore’s target to increase solar deployment to at least 2GWp by 2030. The solar farm is expected to take up an area of 60ha and have a capacity of at least 72MWp, sufficient to reduce CO2 emissions by 37,000 tonnes a year. The energy produced can power up to 17,500 households for a year.

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WILL BE INTEGRATED AND OPTIMISED VIA SP’S GREEN ENERGY TECH (GETTM) TO PROVIDE INTELLIGENT AND RELIABLE ENERGY MANAGEMENT TO REALISE SIGNIFICANT ENERGY SAVINGS."

JUNE-JULY ISSUE 2021 | PG 08

ENVISION DIGITAL WITH ST ENGINEERING TO CO-DEVELOP NET ZERO CARBON DIGITAL BUILDING INNOVATIONS, CONTRIBUTING TO SINGAPORE GREEN PLAN 2030 Envision Digital International Pte Ltd (“Envision Digital”), a global net zero partner and Artificial Intelligence of Things (AIoT) technology leader with headquarters in Singapore, and ST Engineering have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to jointly build an end-to-end net zero carbon urban infrastructure solution for the public and commercial sectors. The collaboration will see the two companies combine their strengths in digitalisation, AIoT and smart urban solutions to contribute to the Energy Reset initiative under the Singapore Green Plan 2030, from enabling greener commercial and industrial buildings to more sustainable towns and districts. As part of the MOU, both companies will commit to six months of joint development to build a cloud-based, Integrated Net Zero Carbon Digital Building Suite that connects and facilitates real-time data flows across ST Engineering’s smart digital building solutions. These include connected IoT sensors for smart lighting and indoor daylight harvesting, integrated security management systems, smart car park platforms, advanced crowd detection systems and data-driven facility management systems.

Vietnam VIETNAM’S GIA LAI APPROVES INVESTMENT PLAN FOR SOLAR FARM The Vietnamese Central Highlands province of Gia Lai has approved the investment plan for the KN IaLy-Gia Lai solar power project. Gia Lai province borders Andong Meas and O’Yadav districts in Cambodia’s Ratanakkiri province. The project has a total investment of more than 9.55 trillion dong ($416 million). This solar farm project covers 533ha of water surface of Ia Ly hydropower reservoir and 5ha of land in Ia Ly commune, Chu Pah district. It will be designed to avoid impacts on farming and tourism activities as well as the local waterway traffic system and the operations of Ia Ly hydropower plant. Having a designed capacity of 500MW, the work will begin in the second quarter of next year and is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2023. Its operation duration is 50 years.

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MAINSTREAM RENEWABLE POWER EXPANDS INTO VIETNAM; ACQUIRES 80% OF SOLAR PORTFOLIO Mainstream Renewable Power, the global wind and solar company, has signed an agreement to acquire an 80 per cent shareholding in Technology and Development Joint Stock Company Limited (D&T), which is developing a 405 MW portfolio of solar projects in the Dak Nong province of central Vietnam. The portfolio of three projects, which is included in the Vietnam Government’s Power Development Plan 7 (PDP 7) has been in development since 2019 and is expected to reach financial close in 2022. This deal marks the latest indication of Mainstream’s continued role as an enabler of renewable electrification in Vietnam.

EDPR MARKS ITS ENTRY INTO VIETNAM WITH ACQUISITION OF 28 MWAC SOLAR PV PROJECT EDP Renewables (Euronext: EDPR), the fourth largest renewable energy producer in the world, has reached an agreement with Trina Solar, the world leading PV and smart energy total solution provider, to acquire a 28 MWac (35 MWdc) Solar PV project for a total consideration of $36m. The Trung Son Solar PV project is located in the Khanh Hoa Province, Vietnam, and is in operation since Dec-2020. The project has a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) signed with Vietnam Electricity (EVN) under a 20-year Feed-in Tariff (FiT). The entry in Vietnam is within the context of EDPR Business plan 2021-25 and represents a first step towards the establishment of EDPR’s presence in Asia, in which EDPR expects to invest part of the c.5% allocated to other geographies within the 20 GW growth plan until 2025, providing diversification and growth optionality and further reinforcing EDPR’s worldwide leading position in renewables. JUNE-JULY ISSUE 2021 | PG 09

Malaysia: CLEANTECH SOLAR COMPLETES ROOFTOP PV PROJECT FOR KOTRA PHARMA IN MELAKA Cleantech Solar, celebrates the completion of a solar PV system for Kotra Pharma (M) Sdn Bhd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kotra Industries Bhd, which is listed on the main board of Bursa Malaysia. The solar project was awarded to Cleantech Solar under a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) where Cleantech Solar would be responsible for funding, building, operating and maintaining the system across the term of the agreement. The solar system retrofitted on the facility is a great addition to Kotra Pharma’s world-class manufacturing and research plant. The plant, which is the hub for Kotra Pharma’s R&D and manufacturing activities, is designed with state-of-the-art technology as well as advanced pharmaceutical process equipment. The 600 kW solar system is expected to generate about 790 MWh electricity in the first year.

SOLARVEST WON CONTRACT FOR COMMENCEMENT OF A LSSPV PLANT IN KEDAH Solar photovoltaic clinched its second consecutive contract win worth RM87.5 million to undertake the main engineering, procurement, construction, and commissioning (“EPCC”) works for a 20.76megawatt (“MW”) large scale solar photovoltaic plant (“LSSPV Plant”) in Kulim, Kedah. The contract was secured from Energy ES Sdn. Bhd. (“Energy ES”), a consortium of Savelite Engineering Sdn. Bhd., Moderntent Development Sdn. Bhd., and Frasers Construction (M) Sdn. Bhd. With this contract win, Solarvest’s total order book for EPCC works under the LSS4 program now stands at RM130.4 million.

RISEN ENERGY TO SET UP SOLAR PV MANUFACTURING PLANT IN MALAYSIA Risen Energy which is a Solar PV manufacturing company is set to establish its first production facility in Southeast Asia as part of its strategic plan for the region. It has plans to invest $13.35 billion over 15 years in a new solar PV cell and module manufacturing hub in Malaysia. This will be a 3GW manufacturing facility in Kedah, in Malaysia’s northwest region. Malaysia is already home to production bases for some of the world’s largest PV producers including JinkoSolar, Longi Solar, Hanwha Q Cell and First Solar. The construction at the Kulim Hi-Tech Park will be completed by the end of this year, while commercial activities are expected to begin in Q1 2022. This new facility is likely to contribute an annual production capacity of 3 GW for the first five years.

MALAYSIA MARINE AND HEAVY ENGINEERING HOLDINGS BERHAD (MHB) BECOMES SOLAR POWERED WITH ROOFTOP INSTALLATION Malaysia Marine and Heavy Engineering Holdings Berhad (MHB) is a globally trusted energy and marine solutions provider for a wide range of heavy engineering facilities and vessels. It has announced that its operation yard, namely MMHE West, in Pasir Gudang, Johor is now powered by solar. This is following the completion of rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) panels installation by M+ by PETRONAS, the solar solution brand of PETRONAS, where the agreement will run for 21 years until 2042. The installation of this 8.3 megawatt peak (MWp) solar rooftop at MMHE West represents the largest rooftop solar installation in a single compound within Malaysia. The 18,720 units of solar PV panels with a total size of 440,496 square feet (sq ft) will provide energy for 8 buildings at MMHE West. These panels collectively generate an estimated 10,000-megawatt hours (MWh) of clean energy each year. This subsequently translates to a reduction of an approximate 6,286 tonnes of carbon emissions into the atmosphere annually. This amounts to 132,000 tonnes of carbon emissions reduced throughout the 21 years which is equivalent to planting 2 million trees.

THE INSTALLATION OF THIS 8.3 MEGAWATT PEAK (MWP) SOLAR ROOFTOP AT MMHE WEST REPRESENTS THE LARGEST ROOFTOP SOLAR INSTALLATION IN A SINGLE COMPOUND WITHIN MALAYSIA."

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JUNE-JULY ISSUE 2021 | PG 10

GOVT’S SOLAR SCHEME SEES SWIFT 100% UPTAKE AMID PANDEMIC, KAWAN FOOD INVESTS RM7M IN RENEWABLE ENERGY Despite the pandemic, the Net Energy Metering (NEM3.0) NOVA scheme, an initiative to increase solar adoption for the commercial and industrial sectors, has already seen a 100% uptake just three months after its launch in April 2021. One such business is food manufacturer Kawan Food who took the leap of faith to invest in a solar project early in the pandemic in 2020, which was recently completed in 2021. The renowned Asian food specialist invested RM7.28 million in a solar photovoltaic (PV) installation at their headquarters in Pulau Indah Selangor Halal Hub. The sum invested also included an Energy Performance Management System (EPMS) developed by Plus Xnergy. Kawan Food’s investment includes an energy performance management system (EPMS) called SOURCE by Plus Xnergy, which uses the Artificial Intelligence of Things (AIoT). It manages a building’s energy demand, ultimately translated into better business decisions to optimise energy savings.

THE COMPANIES ARE JOINTLY DEVELOPING THE SOLAR POWER GENERATION BUSINESS IN INDONESIA THROUGH PT ATW ALAM HIJAU. PT ATW ALAM HIJAU WILL INSTALL AND MANAGE A TOTAL OF 4.2MW OF ROOFTOP SOLAR POWER PLANTS AT A TOTAL OF 13 FACILITIES."

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Indonesia SHIZEN ENERGY AND ALAMPORT BEGIN CONSTRUCTION OF 4.2MW ROOFTOP SOLAR POWER PLANTS IN INDONESIA Shizen Energy Inc. (“Shizen Energy”) and Alamport Inc. (“Alamport”) announced that we started the construction to install rooftop solar power plants (total of 4.2 MW) at 13 locations including factories and shops in Indonesia in April 2021. Shizen Energy and Alamport established a local subsidiary, PT ATW Alam Hijau, in collaboration with the ATW Group, which is the local partner engaged in the engineering, procurement, and construction of solar power plants. The companies are jointly developing the solar power generation business in Indonesia through PT ATW Alam Hijau. PT ATW Alam Hijau will install and manage a total of 4.2MW of rooftop solar power plants at a total of 13 facilities. 13 facilities as written above include: (1) two pharmaceutical factories of PT Bintang Toedjoe, the subsidiary belongs to one of the largest pharmaceutical groups (Kalbe Farma Group) in Southeast Asia; (2) nine vehicles dealer showrooms of PT Agung Automall, the exclusive distributor of Toyota vehicles in some regions in Indonesia; and (3) two timber factories of PT Sumber Graha Sejahtera under brand SAMPOERNA KAYOE, which exports mainly to Japan and Europe. The electricity generated will be supplied directly to each facility.

INDONESIA’S PLN HOPES TO ACHIEVE CARBON NEUTRALITY BY 2060 Recent announcements by Indonesia’s state-owned utility company Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060 must be met with caution and scrutinized as the numbers don’t stack up, according to a new report from the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA). In May this year, PLN announced that it hopes to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, in addition to Indonesia’s target of 23% renewables by 2025. This will begin with a series of conventional steam plants’ retirement starting from 2030 with the last one by 2056.

JUNE-JULY ISSUE 2021 | PG 11

INCONVERSATION

Milan Koev Chief Executive Officer,

Hexagon Peak SolarQuarter ASEAN had an exclusive conversation with Mr. Milan Koev - Chief Executive Officer, Hexagon Peak and got insights on the company’s offerings in the region and future growth plans. He highlighted the importance of floating solar and also storage systems in the South East Asian solar market.

PLEASE TELL US ABOUT YOUR ESTEEMED COMPANY HEXAGON PEAK'S SOLAR OFFERINGS IN SOUTH EAST ASIA.

Hexagon Peak is a C&I project developer in Southeast Asia. We are headquartered in Singapore and in addition run operations in Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines and Japan. We have developed around

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60 MW of private PPAs in the region, with the strongest presence in Vietnam, where we are working with leading multinational conglomerates like Foxconn, Meggitt and others.

JUNE-JULY ISSUE 2021 | PG 12

TELL US A BIT ABOUT THE RECENT TECHNOLOGY AND COST TRENDS IN THE SOUTH EAST ASIAN SOLAR MARKET.

From a technology standpoint there is quite a lot happening. We start seeing more and more very high efficiency panels being installed on the roofs. Right now efficiency of over 21% is already an industry standard for C&I applications. The inverters are getting smarter as well. Inverters communicating directly with the O&M suppliers on the O&M schedule, sending reminders and recommendations is what I find super cool. Southeast Asia is a C&I market, except for Vietnam, where we are working on a utility scale project for the upcoming DPPA program. But apart from that, there is no utility scale development at the moment with the pending FiT 3 in Vietnam and the next LSS in Malaysia. So from the cost perspective we haven’t seen much change really in the C&I segment. The overall growth of panel prices of up to 10-15% has increased the project CapEx by something like 4-6%. I believe the prices will now stabilize for a while, however in the mid- and long-term the equipment cost (especially panels) will continue to drop. So it’s really a small bump on the road instead of a real price trend. And even despite these supply chain uncertainties, despite COVID, travel restrictions and lockdowns, the industry will account for a net growth again this year.

HOW DO YOU THINK FLOATING SOLAR CAN CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS ATTAINMENT OF THE SOUTH EAST ASIA REGION'S RENEWABLE TARGET?

Solar will be the biggest source of renewable energy in Southeast Asia. In fact globally solar is the biggest source of new energy capacity added. Floating solar will solve land issues in some countries in SEA, such as Singapore. So floating will overall play a role, particularly in reservoirs and lakes, but I think in order for floating solar to really pick up and catch up with the significance of off-shore wind as comparison, we will need to see much more capital deployed in open sea solar, essentially becoming an off-shore solar industry. Project financing remains an obstacle today for such industry to pick up, with lack of data on the effect of sea salt corrosion, exposure to strong current and the environmental impact of sea life. I am optimistic that with maturity of such projects, lenders will take a less conservative position and will enable more investments into the space.

PROJECT FINANCING REMAINS AN OBSTACLE TODAY FOR SUCH INDUSTRY TO PICK UP, WITH LACK OF DATA ON THE EFFECT OF SEA SALT CORROSION, EXPOSURE TO STRONG CURRENT AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF SEA LIFE."

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JUNE-JULY ISSUE 2021 | PG 13

YOUR COMPANY IS INTO SOLAR STORAGE SYSTEMS AS WELL. PLEASE TELL US THE SIGNIFICANCE AND BENEFITS OF COMBINING STORAGE WITH SOLAR.

In Southeast Asia the presence of storage systems remains insignificant unfortunately. The still high CapEx for batteries makes such systems applicable for geographies with high cost of retail on-peak electricity, which is not really the case in SEA countries. However the improvements of technology, battery life cycle, charging capacity and most important – cost, would enable solar storage systems for solving a variety of grid issues, most important of which – curtailment. Off-grid storage systems are still not happening at scale. Countries like Indonesia and Philippines with issues on the grid availability on remote clusters of inhabited islands should be a no-brainer for off-grid storage, however governments are not yet making the effort to push the industry forwards. So essentially government policies for solar storage would bring in more capital to the segment.

SOLAR WILL BE THE BIGGEST SOURCE OF RENEWABLE ENERGY IN SOUTHEAST ASIA."

HOW DO YOU SEE HEXAGON PEAK CONTRIBUTING TO THE SOLAR SECTOR IN THE COMING FUTURE?

On our roadmap we have 4 more countries to enter and because solar markets are so dynamic, it is really a miracle to come up with a long-term geographical strategy in our industry, so we play by ear really. We are now working on a project called suncrowds, which will be the first global crowdfunding platform for solar projects. Very exciting project and I promise you another interview when we have launched the platform. Right now we are finalizing the developers platform, which will offer project owners the opportunity to sell their assets through the platform and we will be very generous in evaluating those projects if the sellers commit to use the proceeds for developing new projects – with the aim to create a sort of circular economy.

COUNTRIES LIKE INDONESIA AND PHILIPPINES WITH ISSUES ON THE GRID AVAILABILITY ON REMOTE CLUSTERS OF INHABITED ISLANDS SHOULD BE A NO-BRAINER FOR OFFGRID STORAGE, HOWEVER GOVERNMENTS ARE NOT YET MAKING THE EFFORT TO PUSH THE INDUSTRY FORWARDS."

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LAUNCHED NEW EXCLUSIVE PUBLICATION for Middle East Solar Industry

EMPOWERING HIGH GROWTH ASIAN MARKETS

For Advertising Opportunities, Contact: Smriti Singh, Mob: +91 7718877514, Email: smriti@firstviewgroup.com For Editorial Participation, Contact: Sangita Shetty, Mob: +91 88505 69133, Email: editorial@firstviewgroup.com

INCONVERSATION

Arnfinn Unum General Manager Malaysia,

Scatec

SolarQuarter ASEAN magazine had an exclusive conversation with Mr. Arnfinn Unum - General Manager Malaysia, Scatec and got insights on how the year is faring for the company. He also spoke about the challenges in the Malaysian market along with the company’s future projects and growth plans.

PLEASE TELL US HOW IS THE YEAR 2021 PROGRESSING FOR SCATEC WITH THE PANDEMIC SCENARIO?

Scatec is having a good 2021, with full production, no interruptions and with clients paying as forecasted for the energy production. As a global company working with an international matrix network, we are well positioned to take advantage of the new normal. We will continue to invest in our great staff, so that we can build on the

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good track-record we have in Malaysia. Despite the challenges of meeting face to face with partners and local developers of new projects, we have recently (2nd quarter this year) added around 1,5 GW of new projects into our backlog. Quite impressive taking today’s business environment into consideration.

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WHICH HAVE BEEN THE MAJOR SOLAR PROJECTS EXECUTED RECENTLY BY YOUR ESTEEMED COMPANY IN MALAYSIA?

We currently have 4 operating solar plants with 247 MW DC production capacity, representing a total investment of around 1,6 bill MYR. The first plant reached commercial operation 2 years ago, the last one 9 months ago, with a 5th project targeted.

AS A DEVELOPER, WHAT KEY CHALLENGES DO YOU FACE TODAY IN THE MALAYSIAN MARKET? HOW DO YOU MITIGATE THEM?

There are many challenges, but I can mention some of the most important ones: To find attractive and competitive land is quite difficult. You need to work hard over long time and establish relations to get to the best opportunities. To get the right design and accurate costing of civil works, flooding mitigation works and foundations for the solar panel structures can be quite demanding as it is not always straightforward to get the necessary site

investigations and consequently the following quality engineering done before a bidding. To avoid surprises, it is necessary to plan and invest upfront. Some competitors fail to do so, and damage the market place by bidding too low without proper pricing. It can be quite challenging to understand the tax incentive offerings, and to some degree we have experienced that the framework can change after our investments. This is unfortunate as clarity and predictability is key for investment decisions everywhere, including Malaysia. To find the right partners can also be challenging. Scatec is a long term player in Malaysia, and wants to earn credibility through our work processes and achievements. We do that through partnerships and investing in local know-how, as we believe it adds crucial value to make correct decision making processes and strategies for long term success and understanding of Malaysian way of doing business. We would like to see some more transparency in the LSS program, as we are of the impression that rules were changed during the course of the bidding process. Despite polite requests for more information, it has not been forthcoming. Finally we would like to see more investment opportunities outside of the LSS programs. Scatec believes there is great potential for larger scale projects across the RE technologies with mutual benefits for Malaysia, the individual states and our consortiums with local partners. And we have the financial and technological muscles to make it happen.

SCATEC BELIEVES THERE IS GREAT POTENTIAL FOR LARGER SCALE PROJECTS ACROSS THE RE TECHNOLOGIES WITH MUTUAL BENEFITS FOR MALAYSIA,"

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WHAT IS YOUR COMPANY'S GROWTH PLAN FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS? PLEASE TELL US ABOUT SOME OF YOUR UPCOMING PROJECTS AS WELL.

Scatec has recently become a full-fledged renewable energy company by adding hydro power generation, wind generation, floating solar and battery solutions to our traditional solar generation capability. By adding these technologies, we believe we can become a base load vendor of renewable energy and we look forward to combining such technologies for both the Malaysian and the wider SEA market. We are targeting to find partnerships both with the Malaysian states and other stakeholders to facilitate such projects utilising a wider RE platform, and we are ready to assist both with our competence and our financing strengths together with local partners. With our concept named Release We also can offer rented or leased renewable energy (RE) plants, potentially suitable for corporate RE offerings as an alternative to traditional long term offtakes with a plant investment at a fixed location (i.e. we own redeploy able assets in a company that rent it out for shorter or longer time periods) So our growth ambitions are big, our impatience to get the next steps going is high and we look forward to putting Malaysia on the map as a facilitator of good RE projects.

WE ARE TARGETING TO FIND PARTNERSHIPS BOTH WITH THE MALAYSIAN STATES AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS TO FACILITATE SUCH PROJECTS UTILISING A WIDER RE PLATFORM, AND WE ARE READY TO ASSIST BOTH WITH OUR COMPETENCE AND OUR FINANCING STRENGTHS TOGETHER WITH LOCAL PARTNERS." ASEAN

HOW DO YOU SEE THE MALAYSIAN SOLAR MARKET EVOLVING POST PANDEMIC/IN NEAR FUTURE?

We hope to see a market with a gradual opening for use of the grid for direct supply to corporate consumers. This could be for export as well. Import could also be considered if the ASEAN grid network can be operated smoother across the borders. In addition hybrid projects can be developed to create base load energy by combining hydro power, solar power and batteries. We also hope and think that a merchant market will develop to support an optimal use of hybrid based RE and combining long term fixed PPA’s with merchant trade and storage (of for instance water and battery capacity). We also believe that the states should be given the opportunity to develop their own projects, securing local activities and paybacks in all states, not only the ones with the best irradiation and best land areas that would normally win an LSS bid. We b e l i e v e t h e L S S p r o g r a m s h o u l d c o n t i n u e , b u t w e have some experiences saying that the RE platform and framework should be expanded to the benefit of Malaysia reaching its RE goals and attract investments to help doing so.

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SCATEC HAS RECENTLY BECOME A FULL-FLEDGED RENEWABLE ENERGY COMPANY BY ADDING HYDRO POWER GENERATION, WIND GENERATION, FLOATING SOLAR AND BATTERY SOLUTIONS TO OUR TRADITIONAL SOLAR GENERATION CAPABILITY."

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INCONVERSATION

Allen Himes Managing Director,

Indigo Energy

In an exclusive interview with SolarQuarter ASEAN magazine, Mr. Allen Himes - Managing Director, Indigo Energy talks about the evolution and journey of Indigo Energy and their unique offerings. He also speaks about their major projects in the South east Asian region and project performances.

SINCE THE INCEPTION OF INDIGO ENERGY IN 2012 PLEASE TELL US HOW HAS THE JOURNEY BEEN? WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE SO FAR?

I came to Myanmar in 2012 to explore the possibility of developing renewable energy projects. While I looked through a number of potential opportunities including large scale wind farm development and biomass gasification, Indigo Energy invested early in the Myanmar electricity sector by developing, designing, building, and operating some solar microgrid pilots in Ayeyarwaddy Division in 2013. Even though Indigo Energy at that time was a small

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organisation - just five foreign and local employees plus an intern, Indigo Energy successfully piloted the microgrid projects. However, on the other hand, it was early to the market for micro-grids in Myanmar. As such, investors were not comfortable with the early stage risk and Indigo Energy was not able to raise money to scale the operations. So, I wouldn’t say there’s been any real windfall on the way, the journey’s been pretty tough going.

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Following these micro-grid projects, I focused on consulting projects in the solar and infrastructure space, both locally and in the region. In early 2017, Indigo Energy refocused on rooftop solar projects for C&I customers. Now, Indigo Energy has completed 35+ projects and has been able to offer various kinds of services with two business models not only in Myanmar but also around the globe. To reach these global clients, we had to pivot the business to focus on outsourcing our solar engineering skills and knowledge to international customers. When the political shift happened here in February of this year, we knew that the coup would disrupt the local market drastically. As a result, we knew that we could not rely on local projects only, so we began to focus on exporting Myanmar solar engineering to the rest of the world. There are two main challenges that I met here in Myanmar. One of the main challenges that I have faced has been human resources. Finding people who understand what we’re doing and have the capability to pitch in and contribute to the company has been very difficult. The education system here was basically dismantled in the 1980s and hasn’t really been restored so it’s been a struggle to get passionate, educated staff. We have spent a lot of time creating a process to find good people.

WHAT FIRST GOT YOU INTERESTED IN SOLAR POWER? COULD YOU BRIEF US ABOUT YOUR PRODUCTS OFFERINGS & SERVICES?

found my way to starting the business when I was reading a book about John D Rockefeller. After reading that book I am really confident to start my own business. When I arrived in Myanmar, three out of four (75%) people here do not have access to electricity and those of us who do suffer from frequent blackouts, even in the biggest city, Yangon. I’ve not traveled outside the commercial heart of Myanmar, but people tell me that power is even less reliable. When I arrived, I held the idea that Myanmar could skip the dirty power sources (natural gas, coal) the same way they will be able to skip land-line telephones. Unfortunately for renewables, coal, natural gas, and petroleum based fuel supplies are still too cheap, abundant, scaleable, and quicker to market than cleaner sources. I do believe that renewable energy projects will be viable here in the medium to long term and at a village/community level. For a solo entrepreneur, the other options such as wind power are much more expensive than what we are doing right now. And finally, I chose solar, which also seems a natural fit for Myanmar. There are three business areas in Indigo Energy. 1. Engineering Services 2. Engineering, Procurement, and Construction of Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Systems 3. Project Development. We provide these services for various industries such as factories, hospitals, resorts, offices. residential buildings and schools under the diverse sectors of Commercial and Industrial Rooftop Solar, Mini-Grids, Residential and Utility Scale Solar.

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PLEASE TELL US ABOUT YOUR RECENT SUCCESSFUL CONTRIBUTIONS IN TERMS OF MAJOR PROJECTS TO THE SE ASIA REGION?

IN EARLY 2017, INDIGO ENERGY REFOCUSED ON ROOFTOP SOLAR PROJECTS FOR C&I CUSTOMERS. NOW, INDIGO ENERGY HAS COMPLETED 35+ PROJECTS AND HAS BEEN ABLE TO OFFER VARIOUS KINDS OF SERVICES WITH TWO BUSINESS MODELS NOT ONLY IN MYANMAR BUT ALSO AROUND THE GLOBE."

We have installed a 372.4 kWp solar PV system on the rooftop of the well-known Junction Square car park area located in Yangon. Despite the Covid-19 Global pandemic and technical challenges in installation due to the rainy season, Indigo Energy managed to deliver the project to the owner in time. This is our biggest accomplishment in 2020. The solar system will reduce costs for both the backup diesel generator and the existing grid. We have expanded our business model to offer engineering services to regional solar developers due to the political situation in Myanmar. We have human resources who are capable of doing design work for solar projects and we apply our proficiency in a different business model. Now, we have shifted our focus on Engineering Services and done a number of projects around South East Asia in rooftop and utility scale engineering.

HOW HAVE YOUR PROJECTS PERFORMED, FINANCIALLY AND TECHNICALLY? HAS THE ROI BEEN UP TO YOUR OWN EXPECTATIONS?

Technically speaking, our projects have performed well, sometimes even surpassing expectations. We take care of the operations and maintenance for our projects and have fewer technical problems than a n t i c i p a t e d i n o u r f i n a n c i a l m o d e l s . F i na n c i a l l y speaking, the electricity price has increased in Myanmar in the last couple of years, so the return for our clients is even better than anticipated. Since the technical output is correct, our clients enjoy significant reductions in their electricity bills.

INDIGO ENERGY INVESTED EARLY IN THE MYANMAR ELECTRICITY SECTOR BY DEVELOPING, DESIGNING, BUILDING, AND OPERATING SOME SOLAR MICRO-GRID PILOTS IN AYEYARWADDY DIVISION IN 2013."

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TELL US ABOUT HOW BETTER AND SMARTER TECHNOLOGY IS MAKING ITS WAY INTO THE MYANMAR SOLAR INDUSTRY?

The electrification rate of Myanmar is still low compared to neighboring countries and solar can fulfill the needs of Myanmar people. Nowadays, the prices of solar panels decrease and the solar module efficiencies increase. More people and b u s i n e s s o w n e r s c a n i n s ta l l s o l a r p r o j e c t s a n d reduce their electricity bill. That’s why, I believe that the Myanmar solar industry seems to become brighter because of better and smarter technologies.

DESPITE THE COVID-19 GLOBAL PANDEMIC AND TECHNICAL CHALLENGES IN INSTALLATION DUE TO THE RAINY SEASON, INDIGO ENERGY MANAGED TO DELIVER THE PROJECT TO THE OWNER IN TIME. THIS IS OUR BIGGEST ACCOMPLISHMENT IN 2020."

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INSIGHTS HOW ARE CULTURE, TECHNOLOGY, AND INDUSTRY COMING TOGETHER TO WIDEN ACCESS TO SOLAR POWER IN SOUTHEAST ASIA?

Back in January, I explored some of the positive impacts that have come out of the worldwide lockdowns. Millions of people across Southeast Asia are taking a fresh look at their energy needs. With so many now working from home, it’s making more and more sense to introduce solar to the household energy mix. Increasing consumer interest, advancing technology, and lowering upfront costs are all encouraging signs. Low-carbon societies are within our grasp, but how do we make them a reality? Let’s examine the opportunities helping the region overcome its sustainability challenges.

THREE BIG CHANGES ARE DRIVING THIS. FIRST, THE HOME WORKING NORM MEANS MILLIONS ARE NO LONGER RESTRICTED TO LIVING IN THE CRAMPED METRO CITIES."

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A CHANGING RENEWABLE ENERGY CULTURE

THE IMPORTANCE OF LEADERSHIP

Working on the ground in Southeast Asia, it’s easier for me to see the cultural trends underpinning the uptake of solar. Our PV market here began with utility scale and now pushing onto commercial and industrial segments which led the way in installing building-mounted PV modules. Compare that to somewhere like Australia, where widespread residential PV installation took off earlier than commercial and industrial moving later to utility scale.

Cost used to be the biggest traditional barrier to adopting solar. That’s far less of a problem now; a maturing market and better distribution models are cutting prices. No longer are PV installers 100% reliant on China for components. In fact, BayWa r.e. is one of the leading companies giving them more options than ever.

In the recent months however, we have seen increasing demand for residential solar installation in Southeast Asia. Three big changes are driving this. First, the home working norm means millions are no longer restricted to living in the cramped metro cities. Anecdotally, I’m seeing many people embrace remote work and move out to less populated areas. That’s going to make it easier to find, convert, or even build a property which can support residential PV installations. Then there’s storage technology. We’ve made rapid advances in that area; homes which do embrace solar are less reliant on the grid than ever before. If each of those families inspires two others, we’ve got a community-led solar revolution on our hands. That brings us to our third big change, awareness. People are simply more informed about their carbon footprint. The positive environmental impact of fewer cars on the road last year was felt so keenly here, sustainability has remained in the public conversation. We in the industry need to carry on that conversation. We’ve got to show off our shiny tech and find new ways to help people adapt their homes.

NO LONGER ARE PV INSTALLERS 100% RELIANT ON CHINA FOR COMPONENTS. IN FACT, BAYWA R.E. IS ONE OF THE LEADING COMPANIES GIVING THEM MORE OPTIONS THAN EVER."

Junrhey Castro Managing Director, BayWa r.e.

So yes, solar is getting cheaper, but there’s still more work to do. Government incentives to further help out with costs and cut bureaucracy would significantly speed up the rate of adoption. Likewise, the finance industry should reflect on what they can do to assist. Bank loans to help with the upfront cost of installing PV modules would be a welcome addition to any range of financial products. As it stands, loans for cars are readily approved while those for solar panels are subject to all kinds of scrutiny and red tape. That has to change. But in many areas, things are improving fast. Particularly in terms of investment in national grids. In places like Thailand and Vietnam, the move towards smart grids is going to make it much easier for people to switch to solar. The goal of $1.2 trillion in investment across Southeast Asia by 2040 to fully modernise the grid looks achievable with our current leadership.

DEVELOPING SOLAR SKILLS TO DRIVE BUSINESS Ultimately, solar needs to become synonymous with good business. The contributions we could make to our recovering post-covid economies have the potential to be enormous. That is, of course, if we can develop the industry and provide access to training. BayWa r.e. has spent many years taking European expertise and applying it with local Southeast Asian know-how. As mentioned, we’ve helped technicians break away from having to buy everything directly from one manufacturer. But we’re also focusing on helping them develop their skills and their businesses. Solar is only one piece of the sustainability jigsaw. But in an industry, that’s so robust and self-aware, it only gets easier to find new ways to collaborate and embrace world-changing opportunities.

Solar Systems Corporation (Philippines)

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INSIGHTS CLEAN ENERGY TO NAVIGATE SOUTHEAST ASIA’S ROAD TO RECOVERY POST COVID Southeast Asia took the high road to growth and development before the breakout of the COVID-19 pandemic. The region’s industrial as well as economic growth was splendid, all industries from manufacturing to servicing flourished! Dealing and recovering from the effects of the pandemic may seem to be a long and time-consuming process. Considering the increased benefits of clean energy, increased investments in the same may help Southeast Asian countries restart their economic recovery and progress the region' s clean energy transition.

SOUTHEAST ASIA REQUIRES A GREEN RECOVERY FROM COVID-19 FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS The COVID-19 pandemic, for starters, has demonstrated the close relationship between the environment and public health. According to a new study, practically every known pandemic, including COVID-19, is caused by animal germs that spread to people through interaction with wildlife and cattle. Southeast Asia' s rapidly expanding cities, as well as the region' s escalating deforestation and forest degradation, render it particularly vulnerable to future pandemics. Second, the region must resume its fight against climate change, which was disrupted by the pandemic. A green recovery strategy would address the severe and worsening effects of climate change in Southeast Asia, as well as dwindling biodiversity. In the region, heat waves, droughts, floods, and tropical cyclones have become increasingly intense and common. The loss of biodiversity could have a significant influence on economic production due to its impact on company operations, supply chains, and markets.

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Third, green stimulus programs can create far more jobs than fossil-fuel-related spending. For every $1 million spent on energy efficiency, 7.7 full-time employment opportunities are created, which is much greater than the 2.7 jobs created by the same amount of investment in fossil fuels. Investing in nature-based solutions can also result in a job-rich, robust economic rebound, as well as a multiplier effect in reaching the region’s Sustainable Development Goals. Fourth, a green recovery can help Southeast Asia maintain its long-term competitiveness in a global market that is increasingly requiring green practices and products. Developing green practices would enable governments to comply with increasingly demanding environmental rules. Furthermore, switching to green products will help Southeast Asian manufacturers to capitalize on rising demand for low-carbon technology and products including smart grids, solar photovoltaics, and energy storage.

BENEFITS OF THE GREEN TRANSITION

ELECTRICITY ACCESS TO ALL PEOPLE The energy transformation will enable the Southeast Asian area to reach 100% electrification. Despite the fact that millions of new customers have acquired access to energy since 2000, 45 million people in Southeast Asia remain without power. Through lowcarbon and flexible energy systems, far-flung communities can benefit from better healthcare and education services, improving their quality of life and widening access to opportunity in general.

REDUCED ELECTRICITY COSTS Global coal and oil prices have been high even during the times of the pandemic. Electricity prices have always touched great heights in Southeast Asian countries. This contradiction can be partially resolved by changing the industry model and energy mix, that is, by transitioning away from huge power plants fueled by fossil fuels and toward distributed energy generation utilizing local, renewable sources.

A GREEN RECOVERY STRATEGY WOULD ADDRESS THE SEVERE AND WORSENING EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE IN SOUTHEAST ASIA, AS WELL AS DWINDLING BIODIVERSITY." ASEAN

IMPROVING ENERGY SYSTEM RESILIENCE The electric power systems of Southeast Asian countries currently follow the early twentiethcentury model of centralized power generation, with huge generation facilities supplying end customers via transmission and distribution networks. However, in an area where typhoons, earthquakes, and volcanoes frequently damage transmission and distribution networks, this has caused issues for ensuring a reliable electricity supply. The distributed renewable energy systems are perfect for Southeast Asian countries as they are concise, modular and small which reduces the need for long transmission lines that tend to get damaged in natural calamities.

REDUCING HEALTH RISKS Southeast Asia is the perfect example to portray the situation of increase in the number of deaths due to the vicious cycle of fossil fuels increasing air pollution leading to health risks. Moreover, air pollution and its effects can increase the intensity and the adversity of the COVID-19 disease. Efforts to reduce air pollution are part of a healthy pandemic recovery strategy. The move to a low-carbon or green energy system is a step toward cleaner air and a greener future.

CONCLUSION The pandemic has been nature’s way of telling us that it is now time to look out for green and renewable solutions for a healthy and efficient economy. With the enactment of appropriate sustainable policies by the government, Southeast Asia could be back on the path of growth and recovery. By reinvesting in clean energy today, we can ensure a successful and progressive future for all. JUNE-JULY ISSUE 2021 | PG 27

INSIGHTS

INDONESIA’S NET-ZERO AMBITION: WHAT IS NEEDED TO ACHIEVE THE TARGET?

One of the world' s largest emitters of greenhouse gases, Indonesia, has proposed a plan to reach netzero emissions by 2070. According to the government, it is Indonesia' s most ambitious and feasible goal. This established target to achieve carbon neutrality by 2070 has two different angles to it. Given that China, the world' s largest emitter, has a net-zero deadline of 2060, environmentalists and experts argue the government can do much more, much sooner. Despite widespread acknowledgement of coal' s role in climate change, they challenged the government' s strategy for continuing to rely on coal as a primary component of the national energy mix in the next decades. The government was also chastised for failing to set a more ambitious emissions reduction target in

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response to the increasingly dismal climate change forecasts. While on the other hand, the government stands firm on its belief that 2070 is a realistic aim after considering the country’s economy and population. Policymakers say that it is necessary to examine both national development and the size of the population to maintain the economic growth that ranges within 5-7%. The good news is that even in the short period after announcing the net-zero by 2070 goal, the Indonesian government has recognized that setting the bar even higher could lead to greater chances. However, recent advancements imply that, with international cooperation, Indonesia could achieve its net zero goal by 2060, or perhaps sooner.

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WHAT IS NEEDED TO ACHIEVE THE TARGET? The debate about Indonesia reaching its net zero emissions level is ongoing. The government is trying hard to acknowledge its revised commitments. This section of the article includes how Indonesia will achieve its target and all that the government of the state is proposing to do. Accelerating energy sector decarbonisation is critical to raising and enabling Indonesia' s net zero targets. Energy planning today will have farreaching implications for decarbonisation development not only in Indonesia but also in the Southeast Asian region and globally. The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources of the state is actively designing electricity and utility strategies to satisfy the upcoming demand of 1,600 TWh in a carbon-neutral way by 2045, coinciding with Indonesia' s centennial. Other scenarios, aimed at 2050 (‘moderate' ) and 2060 (‘pessimist' ), are also being prepared. Given the increasing emissions from energy and transportation, initiatives to link the two sectors are urgently needed. By 2025, the goal is to have 2.1 million e-bikes, 2200 e-cars, and 10% of public e-bus fleets on the road. Recently, an all-encompassing plan was released that aggregates electric vehicle adoption promises and targets from both state-owned organizations and businesses. Indonesia plans to have 27,408 electric vehicles, 715,694 electric motorcycles, and 8264 electric buses on the road by 2025, according to the roadmap. This is in line with Indonesia' s objectives to strengthen its manufacturing capabilities in the battery industry, leveraging its nickel and bauxite assets. The government has mandated the formation of a battery holding corporation. The electric battery is one of five national clean energy research priorities identified by the Ministry of Research

and Technology. Electricity supply, particularly from renewable sources, must keep up with the rising demand from an expanding number of electric vehicles. Because there will be less need for biofuels as more EVs are sold, it will be easier to produce them responsibly. Decarbonizing the transportation sector is linked to the number of electrified transport modes, that is, tying transportation and energy decarbonization together. Indonesia has also devised a strategy to boost biofuel production in order to satisfy its renewable energy targets. Indonesia currently has a B30 biodiesel regulation, which means that 30% palm oil is combined with diesel fuel. B30 biodiesel generated one-third of renewable energy in the energy mix as of the first semester of 2020. Apart from deforestation, relying on biofuel to satisfy renewable standards exposes Indonesia to carbonbased technologies, putting stranded assets such as infrastructure or built-environment objects that are obsoleted by new technology at risk.

CONCLUSION By continuing to plan for privatizing the transmission system, decentralizing the power system, allowing for renewable energy deployment and circular energy systems, and continuing to couple decarbonisation in energy supply and the transport sector with substantial electrification of the passenger vehicle fleet, Indonesia’s energy sector can be transformed from a dependency on fossil fuels to a net zero system.

THE ELECTRIC BATTERY IS ONE OF FIVE NATIONAL CLEAN ENERGY RESEARCH PRIORITIES IDENTIFIED BY THE MINISTRY OF RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY." ASEAN

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INSIGHTS

RISING TANGIBILITY OF

SOLAR IN THAILAND T h e u s e a n d d e p l o y m e n t o f s o l a r a r e o n t h e u p s w i n g , w h i c h i s g o o d n e w s f o r r e n e w a b l e s . S o l a r e n e rg y is t h e e n e r g y t h a t i s o b t a i n e d f r o m t h e s u n a n d t h e n t u r n e d i n t o e l e c t r i c i t y o r t h e r m a l e n e rg y . B y 2 0 2 5 , re n e w a b l e e n e r g y i s p r e d i c t e d t o o v e r t a k e c o a l a s t h e d o m i n a n t s o u r c e o f e l e c t r i c i t y , w i t h s o l a r e n e rg y l e a d in g t h e c h a r g e . S o l a r e n e r g y i s c u r r e n t l y t h e c l e a n e s t a n d m o s t a b u n d a n t e n e r g y s o u r c e a v a il a b l e , a s w e l l a s t h e cheapest in most countries.

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RECENT PROJECTS

REASONS OF THE RISE The use of solar can expect a stable growth in numbers due to numerous reasons. A few of the reasons are briefly talked about in the following section of the article.

FALLING COSTS Solar PV is currently cheaper than new coal or gas-fired power plants in most countries, thanks to mature technology and support mechanisms, as well as the emergence of a solar industry ecosystem that has reduced financing costs for major solar PV projects. This is one of the biggest reasons for the rise of solar in Thailand. The drastically reduced costs supplemented with the added benefits make an extraordinary combination. FAVOURABLE GOVERNMENT POLICIES Besides reducing costs, one of the key drivers for the expansion of the solar energy market is the important part played by government initiatives and legislation. In countries like Thailand, policies such as feed-in tariffs have been key forces behind the development of solar energy. A feed-in tariff is a regulatory tool that encourages renewable energy providers to invest in their technologies by giving long-term contracts. The increase and decrease in the investments greatly depend on the changes in the rate of these tariffs.

MARKET OVERVIEW During the projection period of 2019–2024, Thailand' s solar energy market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 9.14%. The solar energy market in Thailand is predicted to be driven by factors such as substantial government support for solar power development in the form of feed-in tariffs and the falling costs of solar PV systems during the forecast period. According to the latest Power Development Plan, Thailand is expected to draw 35% of its energy through non-fossil energy sources.

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The government of Thailand is trying to take appropriate measures in framing and promoting solar-related policies. Thailand is nearing completion on one of the world' s largest floating hydro-solar hybrid projects on the surface of a dam. Over the following 16 years, Thailand' s state-run Electricity Generation Authority (EGAT) plans to reproduce this at eight other dams. Workers are installing 144,417 solar panels on a reservoir in the northeast province of Ubon Ratchathani, where the last of seven solar farms spanning 300 acres (121 hectares) of water is being completed. With this, the Thai government also says that for the state, a hybrid system can also be very useful as it allows constant electricity generation. As a result, solar energy is likely to increase significantly in the next few years, with a number of utility-scale solar power and hydropower projects in the planning and building stages.

WHAT LIES AHEAD By 2037, Thailand aims at getting 35% of its energy from non-fossil fuels. Thailand' s solar industry is booming, as the government works to meet its Paris Climate Accords target of 30% renewable energy by 2030, while private companies compete for green investors by matching aggressive emissions reduction targets. Thailand wants to raise solar energy production to 6,000 megawatts (MW) by 2036, accounting for 9% of total electricity generation, up from 4% in 2014. Solar power has firmly established itself on the energy map of the country, with the private sector planning to invest at least $2 billion in solar power over the next five years. With governmental support and appropriate policies, renewable energy can even reach some of the poorest parts of the country. One factor that should be kept in mind is that solar energy is intermittent. The sun does not constantly shine, and the cost of storage alternatives such as lithium-ion batteries remains high. This is an actual issue that the solar industry must address if it is to attain its full potential. However, if history is any indication, solar power will play a key role in accelerating the transition to a carbon-free future.

CONCLUSION The solar sector is continually evolving due to quick technological developments, improvements, and inventiveness. Just as some of the most developed nations, Thailand is not far away from taking the road of renewables. The future of solar in Thailand is bright and with innovations and developments can reach great heights.

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INSIGHTS CLEAN ENERGY AS AN UPWARD ESSENTIAL DESPITE PANDEMIC

OPPORTUNITY

INSIGHTS ON THE ENERGY LANDSCAPE THROUGH THE MALAYSIAN LENS

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Clean energy has evolved in terms of adoption and investment all around the world, where it is now the cheapest form of electricity in the history (Carbon Brief, “Solar is now ‘cheapest electricity in history’, confirms IEA) and will double globally over the next five years and exceed that of both gas and coal(Carbon Brief, “IEA: Wind and solar capacity will overtake both gas and coal globally by 2024.”) Globally, policymakers and industry leaders have advocated for solar energy as it is an affordable and useful form of power in this pandemic, providing a source of sustainability for organisations, lowers electricity costs and adopting the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles. Based on solar energy’s global expansion, coming from the lens of a clean energy solutionist in Malaysia, we have observed thought-provoking trends within business owners that will apply to countries within the Asian-Pacific region. Malaysia’s geographical location is close to the equator, determining her supply and irradiance. The industry has evolved due to support from higher public awareness, reduction of solar modules prices, as well as clean energy policies and tax allowances of up to 48% for businesses who invest. We have seen the high adoption of solar within business owners following the full uptake of the Net Energy Metering Net Offset Virtual Aggregation (NOVA) scheme for commercial and industrial buildings, just three months after its’ launch in April. While the pandemic has delayed the demand of clean energy, we believe the clean energy will expand past solar, in terms of application, accessibility and generation. Based on research, experience and work with our clients, clean energy will evolve in the following forms:

THE INDUSTRY HAS EVOLVED DUE TO SUPPORT FROM HIGHER PUBLIC AWARENESS, REDUCTION OF SOLAR MODULES PRICES, AS WELL AS CLEAN ENERGY POLICIES AND TAX ALLOWANCES OF UP TO 48% FOR BUSINESSES WHO INVEST."

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SOLAR FINANCING AT $0 UPFRONT COST The upfront cost that comes with the solar photovoltaic (PV) system has been seen as a hefty price tag although the average cost of a solar panel has dropped by 90% from 2010 to 2020.(Bloomberg Green, “Solar Is Dirt-Cheap and About to Get Even More Powerful.”) Businesses that struggle with cash flow during recurring lockdowns can benefit from Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) as they can gain recurring and reduced electricity tariffs at no upfront capital expenditure (CAPEX), over a 15–20-year lease-to-own tenure. Once mature, they can take full ownership of the systems and its benefits. As this option emerges, green PPA has been adopted by big names such as Facebook, Google and more (Power Technology, “US tech giants to lead renewable energy business in the next five to ten years: Poll”) in the effort to expand their renewable energy footprint.

AIOT FOR SMARTER BUILDING ENERGY CONSUMPTION As buildings and building construction sectors are responsible for over one-third of the global energy consumption(IEA, “Buildings”) , solutions are needed to minimise the use of energy, while making use of the building’s energy data for better business decisions. Most commercial and industrial buildings operate at certain energy efficiencies, making it challenging for business owners to know if the building is at the peak energy efficiency or in an optimized energysaving condition. AIoT solutions have been proven in Malaysia to not only ease the tedious process of energy managers, generate data in real-time, but also enable companies to gain up to 25% of energy savings. To drive Malaysian businesses towards digitalisation, the Smart Automation Grant (SAG) was launched by the government that was awarded on a matching basis or 50% of total eligible expenditures of up to maximum grant cap of RM1mil per company. The SAG qualifications include meeting one of the committed deliverables such as reducing man hours, an increase in production volume and more. Companies can take advantage of this grant, reduce its overall energy consumption, avoid Maximum Demand (MD) charges and increase business productivity, as well as performance.

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BATTERY STORAGE TO BECOME MORE LIBERALISED Battery storage systems store energy produced by a commercial building or residential property to offer integrated energy conversion. Investors can not only reduce Maximum Demand (MD) charges, lower overall energy bill, but provide back-up supply in the event of a black out and improve the effectiveness of the microgrid. The systems store excess power that can be used whenever you need it, especially on days when there is a sudden surge in your load demand. For consumers that are getting electricity supply on peak or off-peak tariff, they can even store the energy during the off-peak period and utilise the stored energy during the peak period. While the application of battery storage is not widely utilised in Malaysia, we foresee its growth especially with the availability of the tax allowance of 24%.

CONCLUSION While solar financing at $0, AIoT and battery storage are emerging sustainable energy options, they are proof that solar is just the beginning. Not only will the evolution of clean energy take place in these forms in Malaysia but expand, bringing higher value and impact to the community, pushing the public and private sector to collaborate to make the energy future cleaner, smarter and better.

Ko Chuan Zhen Group CEO, Plus Xnergy Holding Sdn Bhd

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Empowering High Growth.

launched new exclusive publication for Energy Storage Industry

PRODUCT FEATURE

As a global leading provider for photovoltaic (PV) modules and smart energy solutions, Trina Solar delivers PV products, applications and services to promote global sustainable development.

FEATURED PRODUCT: Ultra-high Power Module for the Ultimate 600W + Era Trina Solar Vertex series modules, with a module conversion efficiency over 21%, boasts of a power output up to 600 W. Incorporating 210mm cells, the new Vertex series modules are designed for utility and large commercial & industrial projects and come in two versions -the bifacial double-glass modules and monofacial back sheet modules.

Technology Specifications Trina Solar has initiated the development of modules based on 210mm-size cells and has started the mass production of the 500W+ Vertex modules as of March, 2020. Based on Trina Solar's superior multi-busbar technology, the Vertex module incorporates an innovative design that integrates half-cut, nondestructive cutting and high-density interconnect technologies. By virtue of low-voltage and higher module string power output, the new Vertex series unlocks huge potential for further reducing balanceof-system costs.

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210mm silicon wafer brings the highest power output The 500W+ Vertex module employs cells based o n 2 1 0 m m si l i c o n w a f e r s , w h i c h i s t h e l a r g e s t possible wafer size provided by the semiconductor industry and brings the highest power output.

NDC technology brings best cell performance at chip level N o n - d e s t r u c t i v e cu t t i n g te c h n o l o g y i s a d o p t e d to achieve the best cell bending strength and section appearance, resulting in the best performance for the minimum cell unit.

MBB technology leads to 0.4%-0.6% increase on module effi ciency M u l t i - bu s b a r , w i t h t he c a p a b i l i t y t o i n c r e a s e l i g h t absorption, perfectly matches the large-area cell. Technology integration enables the Vertex series modules to achieve higher power and power generation capacity per watt.

High density interconnection technology optimizes module effi ciency B y f la t te n i n g c e l l c o n n e c t i o n a r e a s o f w e l d i n g tape, the cell spacing is reduced to 0.5mm to optimize power output and efficiency, which will leave a certain gap to reduce yield risk, microcracks and damage to the modules. JUNE-JULY ISSUE 2021 | PG 36

T ri n a Solar’s Vertex bifacial dual monocrystalline module, DEG20C.20

TECHNOLOGY ADVANCEMENTS 12-year product warranty

warranty,

30-year

glass

power

Up to 30% additional power gain from rear side in different installation environments Better temperature coefficient (-0.34%), lower working temperature result in more generated power Excellent IAM (Incident Angle Modifier) and low light performance, validated by 3rd party certifications Enhanced frame structure to achieve better reliability Mechanical performance up to 5400 Pa positive load and 2400 Pa negative load

Targeted/ Benefitted Customer Segment Trina Vertex 600W high power designed for utility-scale projects.

modules

are

T r in a S o l a r ’ s V e r t e x b a c k s h e e t m o n o c r y s t a l l i n e module, DE20

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COMPANY FEATURE

Founded in 1997, Trina Solar is the world leading PV and smart energy total solutions provider. The company engages in PV products R&D, manufacture and sales; PV projects development, EPC, O&M; smart micro-grid and multi-energy complementary systems development and sales, as well as energy cloud-platform operation. In 2018, Trina Solar launched its Energy IoT brand, established the Trina Energy IoT Industrial Development Alliance together with leading enterprises and research institutes in China and around the world, and founded the New Energy IoT Industrial Innovation Center. With these actions, Trina Solar is committed to working with its partners to build the energy IoT ecosystem and develop an innovation platform to explore New Energy IoT, as it strives to be a leader in global intelligent energy. In June 2020, Trina Solar listed on the STAR Market of Shanghai Stock Exchange. For more information, please visit

WWW.TRINASOLAR.COM.

VISION: L e a di n g global energy transformation with standardized and high-value PV smart energy solutions

MISSION: S ol a r e n e r g y f o r a l l

BUSINESS GOALS & OBJECTIVES: T h r o u g h c o n s t a n t i n n o v a t i o n , T r i n a S ol a r c o n t i n u e s to push the PV industry forward by creating greater grid parity of PV power and popularizing renewable energy. The company’s mission is to boost global renewable energy development around the world for the benefit of all of humanity.

BUSINESS STRATEGY: A s o f D e c . 2 0 2 0 , T r i n a S ol a r h a s d e l i v e r e d m o r e t h a n 70 GW of solar modules worldwide, ranked “Top 500 private enterprises in China”. In addition, our downstream business includes solar PV project development, financing, design, construction, operations & management and one-stop system integration solutions for customers. Trina Solar has connected over 5GW of solar power plants to the grid worldwide. In 2018, Trina Solar first launched the Energy IoT brand, and is now aiming to be the global leader of smart energy.

TRINA SOLAR STATE KEY LABORATORY OF PV SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

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COMPANY’S PRODUCTS & SERVICES As a global leading provider for PV modules and smart energy solutions, Trina Solar delivers PV products, applications and services to promote global sustainable development.

BUSINESS COMPETITIVENESS In 2014, Trina Solar realized the milestone of shipping over 1GW in one quarter. The company also broke the solar cell efficiency world record 7 times that year. To date, Trina Solar’s State Key Laboratory of PV Science and Technology has broken 21 world records on solar cell efficiency and module power. Trina Solar leads the industry in research and development with over 1300 solar PV patents filed to date. The unmatched level of innovation and technological capabilities of Trina Solar have allowed the company to become global leaders by setting industry benchmarks for both quality and efficiency.

QUALITY POLICY OF THE COMPANY: P h o t o vo l t a i c p r o j e c t s r e l y o n h i g h q u a l i t y p r o d u c t s that stand the test of time for inputs ranging from engineering design to financing and more. Trina Solar’s products have always maintained high reliability and solid performance based on its commitment to the quality-first policy. In the company’s upstream business model, Trina Solar tightly controls quality over every step of the manufacturing process, from silicon crystallization to module deployment in the field. The company guarantees the quality of its products with an industry-leading 25-year lifetime warranty.

I n i t s d o w n s t r e a m b u s i n e s s m o d e l , T r i n a S ol a r f o l l o w s strict compliance with national regulations and industry standards, including Chinese National Standards GB 50797 "Photovoltaic Power Station Design Specifications,” GB 50794 "Photovoltaic Power Plant Construction Specifications,” GBT 50866 “Design Code for Photovoltaic Power Station Connection to Power System and GBT 19939 "photovoltaic system Grid technology requirements,” among others. With an innovative solar design team, rigorous procurement procedures and experienced construction and operation team, Trina Solar has more than 15 years’ worth of hands-on expertise in PV project development.

SERVICE PLEDGE: Trina Solar ensures the highest quality standards for its PV products across the entire supply chain. This mitigates risks and increases return on investment. Because of the company’s dedication to delivering high-quality PV products, Bloomberg New Energy F i n a n c e ( B N E F ) n a m e d T r i n a S ol a r a s a t o p b a n k a b l e module supplier, five times in a row since 2016. Trina Solar is the only module manufacturer to be rated as fully bankable for five consecutive years by 100% of the experts participating in the BNEF survey. As part of Trina Solar’s commitment to quality and reliability in its own products and across the solar industry, Trina Solar has partnered with third-party testing groups, including TUV Rheinland Group, China General Certification Center, China Quality Certification Center and UL. In 2012, Trina Solar became the first solar PV company to obtain UL’s Client Test Data Program certification after undergoing a rigorous inspection and audit process. In 2017, Trina Solar received the first CQC’s witnessed Manufacturer’s Testing certification in the Solar Industry.

OWNERSHIP STRUCTURE A s a s o l a r p i o n e e r , T r i n a S ol a r h e l p e d c h a n g e t h i s solar industry, rapidly growing from one of the first PV enterprises in China to become a world leader in solar technology and manufacture. Trina Solar reached a milestone in 2020 when it was listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange. Mr. Jifan Gao, Chairman and General Manager of Trina Solar, founded the company in 1997. At Trina Solar, the team is tackling the world’s energy challenges. The global community at Trina works passionately to bring smarter solar energy solutions to the world, ranging from modules to balance systems to full power plants for its partners.

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