Singapore’s energy R&D sector gets S$100m funding boost

SINGAPORE — The Government will pump in S$100 million to fund two initiatives in energy research and development (R&D), specifically in building energy efficiency and research on green data centres, the Energy Research Development and Demonstration Executive Committee announced today (July 30).

Ms Yong Ying-I, the committee’s co-chairperson, said the first initiative, the Building Energy Efficiency Research Development and Demonstration Hub, will be implemented and managed by the Building and Construction Authority (BCA).

The second, the Green Data Centre Research Hub Programme, will be managed by the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA), she added.

The announcements were made at the first Energy Technology Roadmap Symposium, where five national energy technology roadmaps were revealed. They are in the areas of solar panel research, carbon capture and storage or utilisation, green data centres, building energy efficiency and industry energy efficiency.

The first four roadmaps have been completed, while an interim update on the Industry Energy Efficiency roadmap was presented at the symposium.

Two more technology roadmaps are also being worked out — in the areas of e-mobility and solid waste management, said Ms Yong, who is also the Permanent Secretary of the Public Service Division and National Research and Development.

The National Climate Change Secretariat (NCCS) and the National Research Foundation, which jointly organised the symposium, said these areas will guide Government agencies in formulating their technology master plans and funding. CHANNEL NEWSASIA