Is there a role for geothermal energy here? Singapore calls for study
SINGAPORE’S Energy Market Authority (EMA) has issued a request for proposal (RFP) to study the Republic’s potential to use geothermal energy for power generation.
The non-invasive geophysical study will assess the country’s deep geothermal resource potential at depths of up to 10 km, said the statutory board on Monday (Sep 4).
Given the limited options for renewable energy here, EMA said it is exploring indigenous energy options other than solar to “further diversify and decarbonise Singapore’s energy sources”.
Doing so would support the nation’s international climate commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, while also improving the country’s energy resilience.
To this end, a holistic study is required to determine the overall geothermal potential and the scalability of geothermal power across Singapore, said EMA.
“The comprehensive study under the request for proposal will provide additional data to assess geothermal energy as a potential source of renewable energy, and identify suitable locations for the potential deployment of geothermal power plants in Singapore.”
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The information from the study will also be used to assess the potential for subsurface geologic carbon sequestration in the country.
Geologic carbon sequestration involves injecting carbon dioxide deep underground into geological formations for long-term storage to mitigate climate change.
The RFP follows exploratory studies conducted in northern and eastern Singapore. These areas have been identified to hold geothermal potential based on their higher surface temperature measurements, it added.
Past studies also indicated that the country lies in a region of high subsurface heat flow and could potentially possess heat resources deep underground.
One such instance was an exploratory study conducted by the Nanyang Technological University in July this year, which found that heat generated from a depth of 4 km to 5 km in the Admiralty area could be suitable for power generation.
Interested parties are invited to provide their submissions via the Gebiz portal by 4 pm on Dec 8, 2023.
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