Stop Renting Diesel. Start Owning Your Power. | SolarWarehouse Pte Ltd

Industry Insight  ·  Construction & Industrial

Solar + BESS:
Stop Renting Diesel.
Start Owning Your Power.

Singapore’s construction and industrial sites burn millions in diesel every year. With site lease balances of 5–10 years, solar + BESS pays back in under 2.5 years — and for zero-capex clients, SolarWarehouse will finance the whole system.

Solar Warehouse Marketing Team|May 2026|8 min read|www.solarwarehouse.sg

SGD 3.50Current diesel price per litre

2.5 yrsPayback — no grants needed

SGD 0Upfront capex — lease option

Table of Contents

01The Diesel Cost Problem Is Bigger Than You Think02Singapore Land Leases: 5–10 Years Is More Than Enough03How a Solar + BESS Hybrid System Works04Two Ways to Finance: Purchase or Zero-Capex Lease05This Model Is Already Proven in Singapore06Aviation-Grade Validation: Changi Airport Precinct07SCDF Fire Code 2023: The Compliance Path Is Clear08Why Partner with SolarWarehouse Pte Ltd

If your site runs on diesel generators, you already know the pain: fuel deliveries, price spikes, generator maintenance, and carbon tax exposure creeping upward. Singapore diesel now sits at SGD 3.50 per litre, and government carbon prices are heading toward SGD 50–80/tCO2 by 2030.

The alternative — a solar PV array paired with a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery energy storage system (BESS) — has reached the point where the economics are undeniable. The technology is proven, the financing is flexible, and the regulatory path is clear.

01

The Diesel Cost Problem Is Bigger Than You Think

A mid-scale construction site running 100 kVA by day and 50 kVA overnight burns 360 litres of diesel every 24 hours. At today’s rate, here is what that costs:

SGD 1,260Per day · 360 L @ SGD 3.50/L

SGD 37,800Per month · ongoing fuel obligation

SGD 459,900Per year · before servicing & carbon tax

And that is before factoring in diesel delivery logistics, generator maintenance, spill management, and Singapore’s rising carbon tax. A 100 kVA diesel site emits approximately 352 tCO2 per year — an escalating liability. Over a 5-year site contract, unchecked diesel spend totals SGD 2.3 million.

02

Singapore Land Leases: 5–10 Years Is More Than Enough

“We only have a few years left on this lease” is the most common objection to solar investment. When the payback is 2.5 years, a 5-year lease balance generates two full cycles of net profit before you hand the keys back.

JTC Corporation

3–30 yrs

Temporary Occupation Licences up to 3 years for industrial land tender sites[1]; standard industrial leases 20–30 years. Renewals now available 10 years before expiry per March 2025 enhancements.[2]

SLA — State Land

<10 yrs

Temporary Occupation Licences for periods of less than 10 years on state land — covering construction staging areas and temporary site works.[3]

URA — Development

Site-specific

URA grants planning authorisation for temporary-use developments on state land rented by SLA, JTC, and HDB — including site power infrastructure.[4]

Key insight: Most active construction and industrial sites in Singapore carry a residual lease balance of 5 to 10 years. With a 2.5-year payback, that leaves 2.5 to 7.5 years of pure net returns — on a system that simultaneously eliminates carbon liability and reduces fuel risk.

03

How a Solar + BESS Hybrid System Works

The system does not try to eliminate diesel overnight. It displaces it — the generator becomes emergency backup that fires only when solar output and battery reserves are both exhausted.

01

Solar PV — Primary Source

Panels generate DC power whenever the sun is up. Singapore averages 4.5 peak sun hours daily — enough to power significant daytime loads directly.

02

BESS — Second Layer

The LFP battery absorbs surplus solar and discharges during peak demand or nights — extending diesel-free hours well beyond sundown.

03

Genset — Emergency Only

The built-in diesel generator auto-starts only when both solar and battery are exhausted. Same reliability. Dramatically lower fuel burn.

Real-World Performance — 100 kVA Site (10× MPMC GB-10, 130 kWp Solar, 261 kWh BESS)

496 kWhGenerated daily from 130 kWp solar

34%Diesel reduction via solar displacement

5.2 hrsBattery autonomy at 40 kW night load

121 tCO2Carbon emissions avoided per year

04

Two Ways to Finance: Purchase or Zero-Capex Lease

Not every site operator has SGD 395,000 sitting idle. SolarWarehouse offers both routes — and the economics work under either model.

Monthly Diesel Saving+SGD 13,201

34% of annual diesel bill — saved every month regardless of financing model

Lease Monthly PaymentSGD 9,133

Option B: fixed 60-month lease, SGD 0 upfront — bankable Singapore companies

Net Monthly Benefit — Option B+SGD 4,068

Positive cashflow from Day 1. No capital deployed. No payback period to wait for.

Parameter	Option A — Purchase	Option B — Lease (5 Yrs)
Upfront Capital	SGD 395,000	SGD 0 — Zero Capex
Monthly Payment	None after CAPEX	SGD 9,133/month
Cash-Positive From	Month 31 (post-payback)	Month 1 — Immediately
Annual Diesel Saving	SGD 158,410	SGD 158,410
5-Year Net Position	+SGD 397,050	+SGD 244,070
Ownership	Immediate full ownership	SolarWarehouse owns; buyout at term end
O&M	Client (add-on)	Included in lease
Balance Sheet	Capital asset (depreciation)	Operating expense (off-balance-sheet)
Best For	Sites with capital and 3+ yr lease	Budget-first; zero-risk entry; bankable clients

Who qualifies for the lease? Singapore-registered companies with audited financials and a demonstrable site lease commitment. SolarWarehouse structures agreements matched to your tenure and load profile. Positive cashflow from month one.

05

This Model Is Already Proven.
Singapore Construction Sites Are Doing It Now.

The rental and lease model for BESS at Singapore construction sites is established and growing — major operators have already displaced diesel generators across active projects island-wide.

Ampd Energy + Aver Asia (Sumitomo) · Oct 2023

Singapore Construction BESS Rollout

Partnership launched to displace thousands of diesel generators and cut carbon emissions at active Singapore construction sites.[5]

City Developments Limited (CDL)

Six Residential Projects, Singapore

CDL adopted mobile BESS across six private residential construction projects in Singapore — validating the model at enterprise scale.[5]

Aver Asia — Singapore & Indonesia

Dedicated BESS Rental Business

Aver Asia operates dedicated battery energy storage rental services for construction clients across Singapore and Indonesia.[6]

SolarWarehouse Pte Ltd

The Solar Hybrid Advantage

SolarWarehouse adds the solar PV generation layer — converting a pure battery rental into a diesel-displacing hybrid that generates positive ROI, not just cost-shifting.

06

Proven in Singapore’s Most Demanding Environment

If solar passes the most rigorous aviation safety scrutiny in the world, it is proven technology for your construction site.

11

PV arrays assessed across airport-adjacent rooftops near Singapore Changi Airport

6

Active Changi runway flight paths and approach corridors fully modelled

0 min

Total glare on any flight path or ATC tower — full-year, 1-minute-resolution simulation

Proprietary technical studies conducted by the Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore (SERIS) at NUS — assessing large-scale solar PV near Changi Airport under FAA Interim Policy 78 FR 63276 glint and glare standards. Finding: zero glare of any category on all flight paths and both ATC towers. Changi Airport Group accepted solar PV under these conditions. If solar is safe and approved at one of the world’s most demanding airports, it is unambiguously proven for Singapore construction sites.

The referenced study is a confidential technical report. High-level methodology and findings are cited for illustrative purposes only. No client-identifying details are disclosed.

07

SCDF Fire Code 2023: The Compliance Path Is Clear

Under SCDF Fire Code 2023 Clause 10.3.1, a Threshold Stored Energy of 20 kWh determines when formal ESS requirements apply for LFP batteries. For commercial-scale systems above the threshold, compliance is a managed process — not a barrier — especially with outdoor ISO container units.

1

Engage a Qualified Person (QP)

Structural and fire safety endorsement of the system layout and outdoor siting plan. SolarWarehouse coordinates QP engagement as part of project delivery.

2

Outdoor ISO Container Siting

MPMC GB-10 units are fully weatherproof ISO containers. Outdoor placement removes most onerous compartment-room requirements under Cl.10.3.1.

3

CORENET Submission with Certification Package

QP submits ESS drawings via CORENET (SGD 160/item). SolarWarehouse supplies UN38.3, MSDS, and CE certification documents — no client procurement required.

4

SCDF Review — Typically 6–10 Weeks

SolarWarehouse tracks submission status and liaises with SCDF’s ESS division. Direct contacts: Randy Tan DID 6848 1461 | Tan Yi Yang DID 6848 1734.

5

Installation and Commissioning

Equipment lead time: 8–12 weeks ex-factory. On-site installation: 2–3 weeks. Full handover with O&M briefing and remote monitoring activation.

SCDF FSM Seminar (July 2025): “Requirements are not applicable to ESS where total stored energy is below the Threshold Stored Energy.” For systems above 20 kWh, the outdoor container approach + LFP chemistry = the most compliance-efficient path available.

08

Why Partner with SolarWarehouse Pte Ltd

We are not a general electrical contractor that added solar to a catalogue. Our entire capability is built around solar + BESS hybrid systems for real-world Singapore environments.

Turnkey

Single-Point Delivery

Equipment, solar PV, switchgear, paralleling panels, cabling, installation, and commissioning. One contract. No multi-contractor coordination.

GB-10

MPMC Specialists

Modular hybrid power station with built-in LFP storage and auto-start genset — scalable from 10 kVA to 100+ kVA in parallel.

SCDF

Regulatory Documentation

UN38.3, MSDS, CE certificates supplied. QP engagement coordinated. We have walked the SCDF submission process and we guide you through it.

Aviation

Aviation-Grade Technical Validation

Access to SERIS/NUS-level glint and glare studies for proximity-sensitive sites — same methodology used for Changi Airport precinct approvals.

Flexible

Purchase or Lease

Outright purchase or structured 5-year lease — both deliver positive returns within a standard Singapore site contract window.

Local

Singapore-Based Team

Local team for site surveys, SCDF liaison, on-site support, and post-installation monitoring. No offshore project management delays.

2.5 YearsTypical payback — no government grants required

+SGD 397,050Net 5-year saving vs. running diesel alone

Ready to Cut Your Diesel Bill?

Free site survey and full financial model — purchase and lease options — within 3 working days. No obligation, no pressure.Get Your Free Site Survey

Sources & References

1. JTC Corporation — Temporary Occupation Licence Tender. https://www.jtc.gov.sg/find-land/land-for-temporary-use/tol
2. JTC / MTI — Enhancements to the Industrial Land Lease Framework, March 2025. https://www.jtc.gov.sg/about-jtc/news-and-stories/press-releases/mti-committee-of-supply-2025-enhancements-to-the-industrial-land-lease-framework
3. Singapore Land Authority — Temporary Occupation Licence. https://licensing.gobusiness.gov.sg/licence-directory/sla/temporary-occupation-licence
4. Urban Redevelopment Authority — Circular dc17-04. https://www.ura.gov.sg/Corporate/Guidelines/Circulars/dc17-04
5. Ampd Energy — Partners with Sumitomo’s Aver Asia, October 2023. https://www.ampd.energy/news/ampd-energy-partners-with-sumitomos-aver-asia…
6. Aver Asia — BESS Equipment Rental, Singapore. https://averasia.com/equipment/rental-equipment/battery-energy-storage-system-equipment-rental/

Solar Warehouse Pte Ltd  ·  www.solarwarehouse.sg1769 Geylang Bahru, #01-01, Singapore 339703  ·  contact@solarwarehouse.info