Second Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, Grace Fu, highlighted the global need for cleaner sources of energy, and how
Singapore is responding to the challenges of being "a small city-state with very little natural resources". She opened the Asia Future Energy Forum and Asia Smart Grid 2012 this morning. The former makes its debut under the auspices of the Singapore International Energy Week, a yearly energy event under the Energy Market Authority.
(Picture credit: EMA)
Ms Fu, who also serves as Minister in the Prime Minister's Office and Second Minister for Foreign Affairs, told delegates: "With tight resource supply coupled with high extraction costs, there is real value for businesses and society at large to embark on a road of energy conservation, efficiency and diversification.
The Minister explained that "despite our alternative energy-disadvantaged position, 80 percent of Singapore's fuel mix is natural gas--currently the cleanest fossil fuel available. In comparison, the world's average take-up of natural gas is about 20 percent". She went on to emphasise that a key strategy of the country is to improve energy efficiency.
The strategy includes grant schemes to encourage R&D and the adoption of energy-efficient technologies. Effective 2013, a recently-passed Energy Conservation Act that mandate large energy consumers to implement energy management practices.
Ms Fu pointed to the significance of the 2007 establishment of Singapore's Energy Innovation Programme Office, which focuses on building talent and R&D expertise.
"Today, we have established research institutes such as the Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore (SERIS), Energy Research Institute @ NTU and the Experimental Power Grid Centre. Several universities such as MIT, UC Berkeley, Cambridge, Technical University Munich and Peking University have also set up centres in Singapore to carry out research in clean energy and sustainability," she said.
The Minister also described Singapore as "well-placed to serve as a living laboratory to test and pilot innovative solutions in real-world settings." Among those already underway are the Intelligent Energy System pilot and the Electric Vehicles Test-Bed.
The Minister emphasised the role of Singapore's consumers and the importance of providing them with "information to make informed choices on their purchases, and encourage energy-efficient behaviour".
The country's Mandatory Energy Labelling Scheme for household appliances and Mandatory Energy Performance Standards--which encourage businesses to sell only the most energy-efficient appliances--have had a significant impact.
Ms Fu said: "I was told that 70 percent of air-conditioners and 90 percent of refrigerators sold in Singapore last year were the more energy-efficient models. In 2013, the standards will be further tightened to spur greater energy savings amongst households."
Overall, she said: "The move towards a more energy-sustainable future will require the collaboration of all stakeholders. Policymakers will need to set the right policies, create the right infrastructure and support innovation and R&D. Businesses will need to be motivated to take a long-term view on the sustainability of their operations,and consumers must be able to make informed choices on their purchases and behaviour." skilled talent and expertise in R&D.
Today, we have established research institutes such as the Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore (SERIS), Energy Research Institute @ NTU and the Experimental Power Grid Centre. Several universities such as MIT, UC Berkeley, Cambridge, Technical University Munich and Peking University have also set up centres in Singapore to carry out research in clean energy and sustainability. The National Innovation Challenge on Energy Resilience for Sustainable Growth, developed by the National Research Foundation, aims to develop cost-competitive energy solutions. Taken together, we are harnessing these R&D capabilities to develop solutions to address the challenges we face with energy.
BY : EMA staff, additional reporting by Tan Teck Hao