Email:secretariat@saeng.sg
Championed by:
Fellow Chou Siaw Kiang
Executive Director
Energy Studies Institute
National University of Singapore
Singapore Singapore aspires to be a climate-resilient global city that is well positioned for green growth. At present, Singapore is on track to meet our unconditional emission reduction pledge of 7-11% below business-as- usual (BAU) levels by 2020 and is further prepared to reduce our emissions by 16% from the 2020 BAU level, if there is a global agreement on climate change.
Our commitments would require concerted efforts across sectors in order to go beyond early mitigation actions and considering challenges in switching to alternative forms of clean energy. In 2013, there were a number of new measures that came into force to reduce Singapore’s Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions. Building owners are now required to step up efforts to improve energy efficiency under the Building Control Act. The Energy Conservation Act stipulates energy management practices for large energy users and the Carbon Emissions-based Vehicle Scheme is expected to produce a higher take-up for low-emission cars and taxis. Despite these efforts, clean and alternative energy remains the key barrier to Singapore’s mitigation potential.
Thus, the proposal was tabled to set up a Resource Centre for Clean Energy (RECCE) to address the need to engage the community, the public and private sectors, and the institutions of higher learning. RECCE will be the platform to showcase innovations and practical solutions and to launch programmes to enthuse the young to take an interest in energy efficiency and clean energy. It is hoped that RECCE can help seed long-term interest among the young on environmental concerns and direct them towards developing innovative solutions to reduce the gap in clean and alternative energy so as to enable Singapore to meet our emission reduction pledges and contribute to the action on climate change. RECCE will also serve as a resource databank and an active forum to promote alternative energy and energy efficiency towards achieving a culture for sustainable living in a city state.
Therefore, the proposed RECCE will:
To realise these goals, the proposal outlines a multipronged action strategy involving schools, institutes of higher learning, and agencies. The proposal also calls for the creation of strategically located kiosks across the country to facilitate information dissemination, encourage public debate and involvement in community projects, and promote habits on a low-carbon culture. Industry, business start-ups and social enterprises are to be engaged to fund, implement and promote clean energy demonstration projects.
After adoption by SAEng Executive Committee, the proposal was circulated to members for comments and expression of interest.
Project proponents:
Melissa Low
Research Associate, Energy Studies Institute (Leader)
Kamalakannan s/o Soundararajan
Energy Analyst, Energy Studies Institute
Augustin Boey
Energy Analyst, Energy Studies Institute
Chenfei Fu
President, Energy Carta, National University of Singapore
Darrell Zhang
Co-Founder, Intraix
Bryan Lee
Co-Founder, Intraix