Minister Iswaran taking a 'we-fie' with students at In Dialogue with Youth
Speakers at the In Dialogue With Youth session at Singapore International Energy Week 2015 challenged the audience of 300 young people to play a more active role in securing the energy future they envision.
“It’s very easy through social media to voice a negative opinion about something,” Laurent Maillefer, ABB’s head of solar power conversion for Southeast Asia, said at the event on Wednesday. “We count on you young people to push older people to change their minds a bit and move away from the traditional approach.”
Students from the Institute of Technical Education College Central and the National University of Singapore presented proposals for integrated green buildings, the use of electric buses for public transport and ways to shift towards sustainable and safe nuclear power in Singapore.
“The world is truly your oyster,” said Goh Swee Chen, chairperson of Shell Companies in Singapore.
Minister for Trade and Industry (Industry) S. Iswaran, Maillefer and Goh participated in a panel discussion on the results of a snap poll at the start of the session about the attendees’ thoughts on energy consumption, diversification and careers.
“We need to keep our options open. No single energy source is absolute. That’s why we call it an energy mix,” said Iswaran. “The three elements of economic competitiveness, environmental sustainability and energy security must come together.”
Iswaran presented three students with the Energy-Industry Scholarship. Recipients Lim Jun Kiat, Clarence Kee Rong Hui and Zhu Jianzong will go on to join Senoko Energy, Singapore LNG Corporation and Singapore Power, respectively, upon completion of their studies.
“Think beyond the borders of Singapore,” said Maillefer. “With an interconnected grid, we can leverage on shared resources across the region. ASEAN needs to do more in this regard.”
About Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW)
In its 8th edition, Singapore International Energy Week is the premier platform in Asia for energy insights, partnerships and dialogue, bringing together the world’s leading conferences, exhibitions and roundtables in one week and one location. SIEW enriches the global energy conversation by convening political, business, academic and energy industry thought-leaders to define and advance the world’s energy challenges, solutions and actions across the spectrum of oil and gas, clean and renewable energy, and energy infrastructure financing.
Please visit www.siew.gov.sg for more information.
About the Energy Market Authority
The Energy Market Authority (EMA) is a statutory board under Singapore’s Ministry of Trade and Industry. Our main goals are to ensure a reliable and secure energy supply, promote effective competition in the energy market and develop a dynamic energy sector in Singapore. Through our work, we seek to forge a progressive energy landscape for sustained growth.
Please visit www.ema.gov.sg for more information.