Singapore wants to repeat its water success story with energy: Chan Chun Sing

SINGAPORE is looking to replicate its water success story in the realm of energy, by investing in infrastructure, tapping green energy and acting as a test-bed for innovative solutions here and abroad.

"Just like how Singapore has successfully diversified our supply of water over the years, our next ambitious goal is to enhance our energy resilience to ensure that we are never dependent on any single source of supply," said Minister for Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing on Tuesday at the opening of Singapore International Energy Week at Marina Bay Sands.

He announced new projects and initiatives ranging from ramped-up solar production to greater support for the energy storage systems that will enable Singapore to better use solar production.

Leading the push for solar energy, JTC will expand its solar generation capacity by 100 times through its SolarRoof and SolarLand initiatives.

From a total installed capacity of 1 megawatt-peak (MWp) today - enough power for 250 four-room Housing Board flats for a year - the government agency aims to achieve 100MWp by 2030.

JTC's SolarRoof programme allows power to be pumped into the national grid from solar panels on the rooftops of the agency's buildings. It lets consumers buy this electricity even if the buildings they occupy are not equipped with solar panels.

SolarLand installs solar panels on vacant land as an interim use.

Mr Chan said: "As the energy sector undergoes transformation, all of us - consumers, companies and countries - stand to gain from the deployment of new technologies.

"With better production, management and consumption of energy, we can ensure a high quality of life and a vibrant economy for our people through greater access to cleaner, more affordable and more reliable energy."

THE STRAITS TIMES