According to the article “Go-Ahead Singapore rolls out
6-month trial of public buses with solar panels”(2021), Go-Ahead Singapore
executed a 6-month long trial on 2 buses that had 1.6mm thick, pliable and
toughened solar panels fitted on their rooftops. Equipped with these panels
that weigh less than 20kg, they are expected to save 1400 litres of diesel
annually. This amounts to around 3-4% of the usual fuel consumption which
translates to carbon emissions being reduced by 3.7 tonnes per individual bus.
The panels used to charge the battery on the buses will take the
load off the vehicle’s alternator, thus reducing strain on the engine. The
trial aims to assess the performance of the solar panels as well as appraise
their efficiency and tolerance.
Singapore’s sunny climate makes the usage of solar panels more viable. The
managing director of Go-Ahead Singapore hopes to install them on more buses
with the help of LTA. This is a more environmentally-friendly way to increase
the efficiency of diesel buses.
Being 3 times thinner than traditional solar panels makes them
ultra-thin and more lightweight. The panels have gone through meticulous safety
assessments followed by weekly inspections in the first 2 months. A more
suitable schedule will then be decided in the following months.
Go-Ahead Singapore estimates that within 4 years, they will
recover their initial costs from the savings made from reducing fuel
consumption.
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