The 17th Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW) commenced with a call for global collaboration in addressing the world's pressing energy challenges. Themed "A Connected and Sustainable Energy World", the event opened with Welcome Remarks from Mr Puah Kok Keong, Chief Executive of the Energy Market Authority, on this year's SIEW theme.
This led the way for Mr Gan Kim Yong, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry, to reaffirm Singapore's proactive stance to achieving net zero emissions by 2050. In his Singapore Energy Lecture, he said: "We will peak our emissions before 2030 and achieve net zero by 2050".
This long-term ambition is central to the country's energy strategy and critical to its growth as a competitive, sustainable economy. He also emphasised the importance of innovation, regional collaboration, and pragmatic solutions that drive resilience and sustainability in Singapore's energy future.
Strengthening regional collaboration and IEA Centre launch
DPM Gan also highlighted Singapore's leadership in fostering regional collaboration. A key milestone was the official inauguration of the International Energy Agency (IEA)'s Regional Cooperation Centre in Singapore —the first outside its Paris headquarters. He further noted that this is the first energy-focused international organisation that Singapore is hosting.
The Centre will serve as a hub for Southeast Asia, offering technical assistance, capacity building, and policy guidance. These services will help accelerate the deployment of renewable energy and improve cross-border energy trade.
The launch reflects Singapore's commitment to strengthening regional energy security and promoting sustainable energy initiatives in ASEAN and beyond. By enabling better coordination across countries and fostering closer ties, the centre will play a pivotal role in advancing regional decarbonisation and ensuring energy resilience.
Advancements in low carbon technologies
DPM Gan underscored Singapore's continued investment in low carbon technologies as essential to the nation's decarbonisation strategy. Key to this effort are technologies such as carbon capture and storage (CCS) and hydrogen. These offer practical solutions for reducing emissions in hard-to-abate sectors like power generation.
Singapore's CCS Grant Call invites power generation companies to conduct feasibility studies on CCS pathways. The pathways include both post-combustion and pre-combustion technologies. These initiatives will allow Singapore to use existing natural gas infrastructure while reducing emissions in the power sector, marking a significant step in the country's decarbonisation efforts.
Enhancing grid capabilities and Virtual Power Plants
While low carbon technologies play a crucial role in Singapore's energy transition, equally important is the enhancing of grid capabilities to support these technologies. Towards this end, DPM Gan emphasised the importance of future-proofing Singapore's electricity grid to meet growing energy demands while advancing towards a more sustainable future.
As part of this, Singapore is progressing on the Future Grid Capabilities Roadmap, which focuses on integrating Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) such as solar photovoltaics (PV), Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), and electric vehicle (EV) charging stations into the grid. These resources will play a crucial role in enhancing the grid's flexibility and resilience, as Singapore increases its reliance on renewable energy.
To address the complexities introduced by these new energy sources, the roadmap includes the development of digital tools such as a grid digital twin and a Distributed Energy Resources Management System (DERMS). These innovations are designed to improve grid stability by optimising the management of energy flows, reducing manual processes, and enabling real-time adjustments to the grid.
Additionally, the roadmap will be supported by Virtual Power Plants (VPPs). In collaboration with SP Group, EMA is validating the potential of VPPs to function as reliable generation sources by aggregating DERs across various locations. By operating as a single generator, VPPs can provide energy and ancillary services to the grid. This approach will unlock new ways to balance energy supply and demand, significantly improving the overall efficiency of Singapore’s power system.
The Future Grid Capabilities Roadmap, set to launch later this year, will outline strategies to fully integrate DERs, enhance grid management, and address emerging system needs. These initiatives are pivotal to building a resilient, flexible, and sustainable energy system for Singapore.
Investing in energy storage technologies
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DPM Gan highlighted the vital role of Energy Storage Systems (ESS) in ensuring grid resilience as Singapore ramps up its renewable energy capacity, particularly solar energy. To support this, Singapore has allocated $7.8 million in grants to drive the development of advanced battery technologies like sodium-ion and vanadium-flow battery systems. These systems offer potential advantages over traditional lithium-ion batteries in terms of cost-effectiveness and space efficiency.
The opening of SIEW 2024 emphasised the need for stronger global collaboration, setting the stage for discussions on tackling the world's energy challenges. Under the theme, "A Connected and Sustainable Energy World", Singapore showcased its leadership in driving innovative solutions, from the launch of the IEA Regional Centre to pioneering investments in low carbon technologies and grid enhancements.
Through its commitment to net-zero emissions by 2050, Singapore not only addresses its own energy challenges but also contributes to the broader global fight against climate change. As Singapore continues to strengthen regional collaboration and deploy cutting-edge technologies, SIEW 2024 stands as a pivotal platform, driving dialogue and action towards a sustainable, interconnected energy future in Asia and beyond.
Stay tuned as the conversation evolves throughout the day. Follow @SIEW_sg on Telegram and Twitter for key insights, as we navigate Day 1 together.