‘Get Singapore on the test-track’
Neo Chai Chin Today Online 4 Nov 08;
THE road for hybrid cars in Singapore has not been smooth, with a mere 1,300 of them on the streets — but if the urging of a panel of international experts is heard, the island could one day serve as the test-track for revolutionary vehicle technology.
The experts think there is “significant opportunity” for electric transport here, given Singapore’s compact size and the economic potential in the sector, among other things.
At the inaugural meeting of Ministry of Trade and Industry’s International Advisory Panel on Energy, one of the nine panelists,Mr Peter Schwartz, noted in the next 20 years, almost all newvehicles would be powered by electric motors.
“The interesting question is what produces that electricity — is it a fuel cell, battery, a turbo generator?” said Mr Schwartz, co-founder and chairman of scenario consultance Global Business Network.
Therein lies the potential economic windfall in serving as a test bed.
Indeed, developing technologies such as electric vehicles is one area that could see part of the $25 million in funding set aside by the Government for the next five years.
This Energy Research and Development Fund, unveiled last night at the launch of the annual International Energy Week, can be tapped by parties involved in research and development into new energy solutions for Singapore.
For instance, with the imminent arrival of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), research needs to be done into what kind of supporting infrastructure — for such cars to be charged — would work in Singapore’s housing estates.
For now, the country has not seen high take-up rates for hybrid cars because of their high prices, and lack of awareness and refuelling options. But Mr Schwartz believes the island’s compact size — and the shorter distances travelled — is ideal for an electric car.
At a media briefing yesterday chaired by Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry S Iswaran, the international advisory panel gave its strong support for Singapore’s market-based approach to the energy industry.
It agreed energy should be priced to reflect its true cost to end-users — including environmental costs — as subsidies would only lead to wasteful consumption.
‘Don’t dismiss nuclear option’
The panel also agreed that Singapore’s import of liquefied natural gas was the right step towards diversifying natural gas resources and adopting a cleaner fuel for power generation.
But some members felt the city-state should not dismiss the use of nuclear power in the future. Last year, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had said it was not feasible for densely-populated, compact Singapore because it lacked the minimum 30km safety distance for evacuation in case of fallout.
While Dr John Deutch of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology felt its long-term costs, and safety and waste management issues had to be studied, “nuclear power should not be taken off the table, especially since it may become more prominent in the region”.
The panel also urged Singapore to explore how to adapt its grid infrastructure to spur innovation for a more optimal energy supply.
Meanwhile, there could be a silver lining for Singapore’s energy industry in this current financial crisis.
Mr Schwartz predicted that a number of energy companies could face financial problems in the “not-too-distant” future, and Singapore could be well-placed to“either capture the value of those companies or their technologies”.
The Republic could serve as a “magnet” for companies seeking financing, and serve as a test bed, and research and development base for them. While in Singapore, the panel had separate discussions with the Prime Minister and the Minister Mentor.
