The National Climate Change Secretariat (NCCS) and the National Research Foundation (NRF) recently commissioned a series of six Technology Primers, which were presented at the NCCS-NRF Symposium on ‘Energy Resilience for Sustainable Growth’ on 4 Aug.
The Technology Primers bring together research experts in Singapore to explore the potential of various technologies that can help Singapore improve its energy efficiency and security, and reduce its carbon emissions.
Each Technology Primer summarises the state of the technology and its feasibility for Singapore, and also includes current research activities and possible research goals.
The six Technology Primers are available for download from the NCCS website:
- Air-con System Efficiency
- Biorenewables
- Carbon Capture and Storage/Utilisation
- Energy Storage
- Smart Grid
- Solar Energy
Here are some excerpts from the Primers:
For Air-con System Efficiency
The authors recommend that areas of R&D for air-conditioning efficiency for Singapore should include:
a. Desiccant cooling technologies, such as sorption dehumidification and desiccant materials;
b. Control systems, such as sensor network platforms; and
c. Innovative air distribution schemes
For Biorenewables
…the authors recommend that one of the R&D focus for Singapore on biorenewables should be to increase the energy density of photosynthetic algae.
Other areas of R&D that the authors recommend that Singapore should focus on for biorenewables include research in:
a. Bio-oil upgrading technology as it is still in its infancy stage and that the R&D efforts in Singapore are almost on par with its international competitors;
b. Biomass pre-treatment, e.g. by improving microbes through genome shuffling;
c. Developing cost-effective and sustainable biorefineries.
For Carbon Capture and Storage/Utilisation
The authors assess that, owing to major mismatches in scale, CO2 utilisation will become an attractive option for Singapore, if significant advances in technologies, or global markets for CO2 derived products become a reality. In particular, the authors recommend that Singapore can explore potential synergies within its refining and petrochemical industry to exploit opportunities for carbon utilisation from concentrated CO2 streams that already exist in Jurong Island.
For Energy Storage
Among the current battery options, the authors recommend that lithium-ion batteries are the most promising…
The authors recommend that mid-scale distributed energy storage may be more suitable in Singapore for the following applications:
a. Integration of distributed renewable energy generation such as solar photovoltaics;
b. Ancillary services such as frequency regulation, i.e. Regulation of the instantaneous frequency of the Alternate Current supply in Singapore to be stabilized at 50 Hz, to prevent load-shedding and blackouts.
c. Application of renewable energy for off-grid island application.
For Smart Grid
Smart grid technology research and test-beds in Singapore will enable the implementation of:
a. Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) and demand response as key enablers of consumer-focused grid management;
b. Integration and control of Distributed Generation and renewables into the grid; and
c. Integration of EV charging infrastructure into the grid.
For Solar Energy
The authors recommend that Singapore’s R&D efforts targeted at PV applications in Singapore could focus on high efficiency low cost PV cells and modules.
Source and Image: National Climate Change Secretariat (NCCS)
