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SINGAPORE: The Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore (SERIS) has settled into a new 4,800-square-metre home at the National University of Singapore (NUS) and it will tie up with the international solar industry to conduct research and development.
Jointly supported by the Economic Development Board (EDB) and NUS, SERIS will look into tapping industry-generated revenue. As it grows, it also expects to employ more than 100 researchers by 2012.
Operations at the institute started just over a year and a half ago, and it is expected to have some S$130 million to spend over the next five years. The core funding from EDB originates from the National Research Foundation as part of the clean energy strategic programme.
Industry watchers have said that the price of solar technology is hindering it from becoming a full-fledged commercial energy option, and this is one issue that SERIS is looking to tackle.
Joachim Luther, CEO of SERIS, said: "I think the prices will be brought down by industry, not by R&D, but R&D can help. We have done this analysis and we are working together with the industry... we can guarantee this, and this will happen in the next three years.
"This will create grid parity, where the cost of solar energy produced in solar energy installation will equal the price at which utilities sell electricity, and this will be another breakthrough in the market of solar energy. If we have a breakthrough, the market will increase even more and this will bring down the cost of solar."
SERIS has also established a certification and testing centre that offers a full suite of solar module testing. The centre covers more than 900 square metres of laboratory and testing facilities, and is located at the International Business Park.
The centre will begin operations at the end of this year.
- CNA/so
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