France's Engie opens first Asian research lab in Singapore

FRENCH energy giant Engie on Monday opened its first Asian research centre focusing on green energy in Singapore, as the group, formerly known as GDF Suez, shifts towards renewable energy in a three-year strategy.

Engie Lab Singapore will focus on three areas it identified as key challenges for the South-east Asian region: decentralised energy systems, including micro-grids, industrial energy efficiency and gas technologies.

This is especially as South-east Asia comprises many small islands which use diesel for power generation; the industrial sector in Singapore and the region also has a big carbon footprint, said lab director Etienne Drouet.

The Singapore lab will be part of a global network of 12 research centres which hire 1,100 researchers and experts. These centres come under Engie Tech, the "new businesses factory" the group created just last month.

This comes as Engie, which recorded sales of 70 billion euros (S$104 billion) last year and hires 154,950 employees worldwide, embarks on a three-year transformation plan to focus on low-carbon activities.