During SIEW Energy Insights, ENGIE delivered a comprehensive overview of the company’s R&D strategy in Asia-Pacific towards carbon neutrality—as well as updates on the REIDS initiative in Singapore. By Kheng Hiang.
Thomas Baudlot, Chief Executive Officer of ENGIE South East Asia, started the session with his observation that COVID-19 revealed to us that there is an existential threat of climate change that mankind had to address.
However, there are reasons to be optimistic. Renewables are poised for growth at scale worldwide—even in non-subsidised environments. For example, Malaysia and the Philippines will be installing an additional renewable capacity of 20MW by 2030.
Mr Baudlot highlighted that ENGIE aims to accelerate the transition towards a carbon-neutral world through reduced energy consumption and more environmentally friendly solutions. He cited the ENGIE Lab in Singapore as a good example of the company’s commitment, with the development hub centred around building expertise in smart grid, smart cities, cooling systems and data centres.
Advancing sustainable and affordable energy access
Using the REIDS-SPORE platform as a case study, Loïc Villocel, Director of ENGIE Lab Singapore, demonstrated how the platform is dedicated to designing, demonstrating and testing solutions for sustainable and affordable energy access in Southeast Asia.
Some of the existing R&D pilots in Singapore are:
- Skycool: A demonstration pilot in Singapore to validate its performance in the tropical environment for such passive cooling technologies.
- Cryogenic cogeneration: ENGIE Lab Singapore collaborated with NTU in developing the concept and prototypes of the technologies as well as conducting a techno-economic study for its market in green data centre.
- Renewable Energy Integration Demonstrator – Singapore (REIDS-SPORE) platform: A multi-fluid (electricity, hydrogen) and multi-topic (electrical, hydrogen, water, wind, solar, cyber security) platform built on Pulau Semakau in Singapore.
Developments to promote carbon neutrality
Dr Peng Xiaoyang, ENGIE R&D Program Manager for Smart Grid Program @ ENGIE Lab Singapore, further explained how the REIDS-SPORE platform project can help promote a carbon neutral economy.
First announced in 2016, the REIDS-SPORE initiative has since evolved from an off-grid microgrid into a multifluid microgrid, and a multipurpose/multitopic platform today.
On Pulau Semakau, ENGIE is studying the integration of power from wind turbines, diesel gensets, photovoltaic panels, battery energy storage systems, hydrogen electrolysers and hydrogen refilling stations in Singapore. ENGIE plans to use it as a living lab for integrating new renewable solutions and serve as an educational or professional training centre for the future.
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