Dr Tan See Leng, Minister for Manpower and Second Minister for Trade and Industry, unveils the final two key “ingredients" in Singapore's recipe for clean energy success.
In his Opening Address at the 10th Asia Clean Energy Summit (ACES), Dr Tan highlighted the need to build not only a dynamic and resilient grid, but also a skilled workforce in the energy sector.
Building a dynamic and resilient grid
Singapore is preparing for a future characterised by diverse decentralised energy sources, including power plants, solar panels, and Energy Storage Systems (ESS). To thrive in this evolving landscape, the country is building up its grid capabilities to accommodate integrated and multi-directional energy flows.
Dr Tan shared that Singapore Power (SP) and the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) are developing a Digital Asset Twin for the grid, utilising sensors and Artificial Intelligence to enhance the accuracy of predicting equipment failure. If this proves cost-effective, the solution could be applied across Singapore’s 12,000 substations.
Additionally, SP has initiated a pilot programme for a Distributed Energy Resource Management System (DERMS) to better manage small-scale Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) such as solar and electric vehicles. Once fully developed, DERs will help ensure system reliability and control costs, reducing the risk of grid congestion.
Recognising households' crucial role in grid resilience, Dr Tan announced that the Energy Market Authority (EMA) and SP will partner to introduce the Residential Demand Response (R-DR) pilot programme next year. The initiative will incentivise households equipped with smart meters to reduce electricity consumption during periods of high overall system demand.
Upskilling our workers
As Singapore advances towards a greener future, this also generates new job opportunities for Singaporeans. Dr Tan emphasised the need to invest in skills development "to enable our workers to seize these opportunities".
In 2024, EMA will partner with government agencies, training providers, and the Union of Power and Gas Employees (UPAGE) to establish a comprehensive set of core competencies in clean energy. This initiative will equip workers for emerging sectors such as solar energy and ESS.
Dr Tan acknowledged that the path to a clean energy future will be challenging. He highlighted that the "five ingredients"— (i) making cross-border electricity trading a reality; (ii) maximising
domestic deployment of renewables; (iii) leveraging R&D to support innovation; (iv) building a resilient and dynamic grid; and (v) upskilling our workers—will be pivotal to decarbonising Singapore's power sector and realising its net zero ambitions by 2050.
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