OCBC sponsors S$1 million for new solar-powered electric cruisers at Gardens by the Bay

A FLEET of 15 solar-powered electric cruisers started plying their routes at Gardens by the Bay on Oct 23.

OCBC sponsored the eco-friendly vehicles to the tune of S$1 million. They can generate close to 70 per cent of their operational power through solar energy.

Helen Wong, the bank’s group CEO, said: “Gardens by the Bay has been a strategic partner of ours since OCBC Skyway opened there in 2012... We therefore were quick to make up our minds when (they) approached us with a proposal to further enhance their sustainability efforts.

“This initiative is also... in line with OCBC’s climate action initiatives, which seek to move us towards a low-carbon world.”

This collaboration is the latest on the bank’s list of climate action initiatives, and follows its partnership with the National Parks Board in Singapore’s first seagrass restoration project.

Felix Loh, CEO of Gardens by the Bay, said that the electric cruisers “are expected to save almost 22,000 kilowatt hours annually”.

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Koh Ching Ching, head of group brand and communications at OCBC, added: “The amount of (electricity) saved over a year can power close to 60 four-room HDB flats for one month.”

Though this is a small step, it is a tangible one, she said, adding that she “hopes that this will spur more conversations among corporates regarding the use of renewable energy”.

The electric cruisers were unveiled at the eighth edition of Gardens by the Bay’s Race to Sustainability! event, which aims to raise awareness of environmental issues and climate change among students.