Powering future horizons
02
Total Solar: powering future horizons DECEMBER 2019
03
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 )
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
T
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
05
1919
Year founded
100,000 Number of employees
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 )
“ 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.”
09
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.
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 )
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
ships with Saft, a company owned 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 )
12
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
13
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
15
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