Singapore's gas technology and smart grid innovation get S$27m boost

PLANS to use cold energy released in the process of regasifying liquefied natural gas (LNG) for other purposes could see new momentum, after the government on Friday awarded S$27 million in research grants to 13 projects looking into this and other areas.

LNG is stored at a temperature of minus 163 deg C, and when converted back into gaseous states releases cold energy that in most places around the world is not harvested. Singapore had been looking into making use of the cold energy as early as 2010, when the Singapore LNG terminal was still under development.

Two separate projects, led by National University of Singapore professors Neal Chung Tai-Shung and Praveen Linga respectively, will be looking into using the generated energy for seawater desalination.

Six other projects receiving the research grants will focus on gas technology, such as monitoring gas pipelines in real time for damage and increasing the energy efficiency of the LNG terminal.

Five will focus on enhancing the security of Singapore's electricity grid against cyber-attacks, managing the impact of intermittent solar energy generation on the stability of the grid, and developing smarter energy systems.

Said Energy Market Authority (EMA) CEO Ng Wai Choong: "EMA works closely with the industry and research community to catalyse innovations in the energy sector. The 13 projects have the potential to make a real difference in enhancing the efficiency and reliability of our electricity and gas systems."