Total – December 2019

Powering future horizons

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Total Solar: powering future horizons DECEMBER 2019

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T O TA L S O L A R D I S T R I B U T E D G E N E R AT I O N ( S E A )

How Total is supporting the growth of the distributed generation of solar power across Southeast Asia, bringing the independence of sustainable energy to thousands of new customers

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otal Solar Distributed Generation (DG) was formed in 2018, drawing on a decade-long commitment to solar power

stretching back to 1972, when parent company Total set up Total Énergie Développement (TED), 04

which engineered its first solar panels. Total Solar is now the leading provider of solar solutions for commercial and industrial customers with $2bn deployed worldwide and services customers that include global firms such as Siemens, Google, Toyota, Ford, Microsoft, FedEx and Walmart.

Spearheading the company’s efforts to advance its global footprint in Southeast Asia, Total Solar Distributed Generation’s CEO (SEA) Gavin Adda brings a decade of experience in the industry from a previous role working on major projects for Samsung. “I could see big potential for the future here in Southeast Asia,” recalls Adda. “There are many islands with complicated terrain where it’s difficult to put a grid down. You’ve got great solar resources - and the exciting thing is that you can co-locate it and put solar where the usage is.

DECEMBER 2019

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1919

Year founded

100,000 Number of employees

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T O TA L S O L A R D I S T R I B U T E D G E N E R AT I O N ( S E A )

“ What’s happening with solar, especially on the rooftop side of the business, is that we’re flipping the model round. That disruption is the revolution that’s 06 happening in power” — Gavin Adda, CEO, Total Solar Distributed Generation (SEA)

Instead of building a big solar plant in the middle of the desert and then arranging transmission and distribution before retail to a customer, you can put solar right on top of somebody’s roof, and cut costs and ease grid congestion at the same time.”

Indonesia has more than 17,000 islands, and the Philippines over 7,000, in a part of the world where diesel is an expensive solution for generating power. Adda realised what a great opportunity this was to start a rooftop solar business. “When I got here, no one was doing this,” he remembers.

“I created a startup which was merged into Total in 2017, and that has become Total Solar Distributed Generation, Southeast Asia.”

Innovation has played a big part in Adda’s journey of developing a solar offering in Southeast Asia. “When I was joining the business, major companies such as BP, Shell and ourselves were taking a good look at renewables,” he reveals. With the core elements of businesses like these changing, it was important for Total to add new capabilities and become nimble in its approach.

“I’d seen the same thing happening in

DECEMBER 2019

CLICK TO WATCH : ‘TOTAL, COMMITTED TO SOLAR ENERGY’ 07 the US with companies that had been

Adda notes a shift from a B2G

very successful at selling power to a

(Business to Government) to a B2B

utility or to a government,” he explains.

model boosting the number of custom-

“If you’re going to sell power in places

ers and requiring a new approach;

like Indonesia and Vietnam, you’ve

comparable to a phase the IT industry

only got one choice, sell to that one

went through 20 years ago when the

entity. There could be hundreds of

scope of the market grew for the likes

different developers trying to sell to

of Oracle and SAP. “I was part of that

that company, so that company gets

process of helping IT companies build

to push everyone’s price down. But

B2B capabilities,” he recalls. “It was

what’s happening with solar, especially

the same at Samsung building B2B in

on the rooftop side of the business,

the consumer electronics. We have

is that we’re flipping the model round.

the same dynamism at Total Solar DG;

That disruption is the revolution that’s

the passion to build a new business

happening in power.”

model as a startup with extraordinary w w w.so l a r.to t a l. com

T O TA L S O L A R D I S T R I B U T E D G E N E R AT I O N ( S E A )

CLICK TO WATCH : ‘TOTAL SOLAR COMMITTED TO BETTER ENERGY’ 08 resources. Bringing that passion, drive

Bollore, Renault-Nissan and Danone

and focus has been really important for

think twice before signing up to a long-

our expansion in Southeast Asia.”

term contract with a firm that’s only

Adda points out this is something

two years down the track; there’s no

Total has been doing with power assets

chance that this company is going to

for the past century, and says it is

be around in 20 years, they’re going

what sets the company apart from

to be bought and sold multiple times.”

the newcomers. “We are, in our DNA,

Adda warns that while a solar system

a developer and operator of energy

can save 10-20% on your power bill

power assets,” says Adda. “Companies

over the contract lifetime, you really

are jumping into solar but they don’t

need a long-term partner to help build

actually have any power experience.

a safe system . “We build systems that

They’re not going to be around for 20

are safer and perform better for longer;

years; and most of our contracts are for

you really need to have somebody that

20 years. That’s why companies like

you can trust on your roof.”

DECEMBER 2019

Adda believes that solar generation

market, we see the opportunity for

is just the beginning. “Storage, energy

discounts between 10-30% and

efficiency and exciting new things are

then this drives a meaningful impact

coming that will enable independence

on our carbon footprint. We’ve done

for our customers.” Along with that

one project for a Total affiliate in

independence comes the chance to

Singapore with a 1.2MW rooftop,

create a sustainable model for power

which will be equivalent to them

generation, but to do that it has to be

planting 8,000 trees a year for 20

economically viable, Adda urges. “It will

years. That’s a massive impact and

be a sustainable business if it makes

among many interesting ventures for

sense. And for us that’s really about

Total. We’re now implementing solar

cost reduction,” he explains. “Most of

systems on 5,500 facilities around

our customers are focused primarily

the world, including more than 4,000

on investing in solar. Depending on the

service stations.”

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E XE CU T I VE PRO FI LE

Gavin Adda Gavin Adda began his career in the early days of internet startups where he learned the value of a nimble approach to business. Experienced in tech, his previous sales roles at Oracle and Samsung underpin his skills in the B2B space. “I’m capable of taking a business, making sure that it’s reaching out, and making the right connections with corporate, commercial and industrial companies,” he confirms. Adda appreciates the power of digitisation as a transformative catalyst for business.

A decade spent working in Solar for Samsung, solar panel manufacturer REC, and his own startup CleanTech Solar, leaves him well placed to improve Total Solar DG’s operations across Southeast Asia while driving the innovation that makes solar energy a commercial and sustainable proposition for the future.

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T O TA L S O L A R D I S T R I B U T E D G E N E R AT I O N ( S E A )

Solar energy solutions for a greener earth SolarGy Pte Ltd is one of the leading professional system integrators of solar PV systems based in Singapore. We have over twenty years of experience in electrical installations and building architecture.

Learn More

11 Total Solar DG also supports the

to realise its ambitions and are, says

Total Carbon Neutrality Ventures

Adda, the “fundamental bedrock” upon

(TCNV) fund - a $400mn initiative

which the business is being built.

aimed at reducing carbon footprint

Among these, SolarGy, based in

with clean/green energy. “We’re work-

Singapore is a veteran of the industry

ing with some of our partners on hybrid

working on a wide range of different

solar battery projects and passing

projects for the Singaporean govern-

them through the Ventures team to

ment. “We’re seeing more customers

help them with investment,” reveals

keen to make power purchase agree-

Adda. “It’s exciting that TCNV is aim-

ments (PPAs) rather than buy a solar

ing to bring on board companies with

system,” says Adda. “We’re work-

disruptive new technologies that we

ing with SolarGy to implement that

can implement in our own projects.”

approach and attract new customers.

Local partnerships in countries across

We are also exploring several partner-

Southeast Asia are vital for Total Solar

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T O TA L S O L A R D I S T R I B U T E D G E N E R AT I O N ( S E A )

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Total’s commitment to Solar “Over the next 20 years, electricity demand will increase faster than the demand for energy as a whole. In order to meet this growing need, tackle the challenges of climate change and comply with the International Energy Agency’s 2°C scenario, we have made it our ambition for low-carbon businesses to account for nearly 20% of our portfolio in 20 years. We are already actively

DECEMBER 2019

participating in the development of renewable energies, especially solar. With operations spanning the manufacture of highefficiency photovoltaic panels, ground-based power plants, decentralised systems, storage solutions and marketing to end-customers, we are present across the entire value chain and fast-tracking the deployment of solar technology.”

by Total, that supplies batteries to the transport and aviation sectors.”

Adda laments that awareness of the fact that the cost of power from solar is cheaper than the grid is still low, but adoption is gathering pace. “We’re seeing the penny drop for companies in the US and Europe, and they’re now starting to implement through their supply chains too, leading to some very large projects. Across Southeast Asia, large projects are happening in one go. Previously, you would see maybe a $500,000 project happen, now we’re dealing with $30mn portfolios.”

Working with Chandra Asri, the biggest petrochemical company in Indonesia, has been a real breakthrough for Total Solar DG. “It was the first rooftop PPA in the country. Up until then everyone was buying their power from the utility PLN,” says Adda.

“We were up and running within three months and it shows what’s possible in Indonesia. The fact that we were able to find a solution for a plant with such sensitive machinery shows the capabilities of solar to make a difference to our industrial customers.” The company has also recently signed a contract to w w w.so l a r.to t a l. com

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T O TA L S O L A R D I S T R I B U T E D G E N E R AT I O N ( S E A )

supply the biggest single-rooftop solar array in Thailand for a 7MW project.

Elsewhere, in Cambodia, a solar storage hybrid project is underway on Koh Rong Sanloem island. “We will be taking that island off diesel, and providing clean power, to various resorts, leisure companies and surrounding villages,” he confirms.

Total Solar is also providing rooftop solar systems for three shopping malls operated by Gaisano Capital in Luzon and the Visayas in the 14

Philippines. “We’re reaching out and growing awareness around the impact solar can have across a much wider community,” says Adda. With a combined capacity of 1.2MW, the resulting

“ We build systems that are safer and perform better for longer; you really need to have somebody that you can trust on your roof” — Gavin Adda, CEO, Total Solar Distributed Generation (SEA) DECEMBER 2019

carbon footprint reduction is equivalent to planting 3,500 trees each year.

The photovoltaic systems are expected to cover over 30% of Gaisano’s power needs and will slash its energy bill by more than 15%.

Southeast Asia provides one of the fastest growing global solar markets for Total, where the company is committed to providing cleaner, greener and cheaper power. Adda’s team is also

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looking at Japan, Australia, Myanmar

into growing the people, the platform

and Vietnam - potentially huge markets

and the relationships that enable us

with growing populations and massive

to build a multi-billion-dollar business,

demand. “The challenge will be to

move the needle and make a positive

scale the business as quickly as the

impact with solar and renewables.”

market is scaling and develop our battery storage portfolio,” says Adda.

“We’re expecting to double in size for the next four years, just to keep up with that growth. Total can make these long-term bets, and put the investment w w w.so l a r.to t a l. com

Total Solar Distributed Generation (SEA) 182 Cecil Street, 27-01 Frasers Tower 069547 T +65 9624 6074 www.solar.total.com