Should Singapore begin to consider wind energy, too?

More than just hot air ...
Ong Dai Lin and Esther Ng, Today Online 31 Oct 08;

A SUNNY island, a built-up city — perfect for solar power, but not so for wind energy. That is the conventional belief about Singapore.

Indeed, the prospects are growing brighter for solar power here, with companies beaming in investments and research. But as the Republic goes into clean energy in a big way, should it begin to consider wind energy, too?

There is a long way to go but wind energy seems to be making its first inroads into Singapore. Vestas Wind Systems of Denmark, one of the biggest manufacturers of wind power systems in the world, is opening its research and development office for Asia in the new Fusionopolis at Buona Vista.

The Economic Development Board told Today it is “actively looking” at wind energy, along with biofuels, tidal energy, energy efficiency and carbon services as part of a clean energy push that centres on solar power.

The big question, though, is whether it is possible for Singapore to harness wind power not just for research but as an alternative source of energy.

That question will soon be tested.

A Taiwanese energy company is looking for a distributor for its wind turbine — one which it says is suited for urban use, as it has been designed to start spinning even at low wind speeds of less than 1m per second.

Unlike conventional turbines, which have blades like a fan and can turn only if there is a dominant wind direction, the company says its vertical axis design allows the turbine to collect wind from all directions to spin and generate electricity.

“We have made some breakthrough ... our vertical axis wind turbines are light and safe because the blades are made of composite polymer materials. The wind turbines also do not generate any noise when in use,” Cell Power chief executive officer Tony Lin told Today at the JEC Composites Asia Show held at Suntec Singapore last week.

According to Cell Power, its wind turbines are already in use along highways and in office and university buildings in Malaysia. Taiwan, France and South Africa. Depending on the size, the company’s turbines cost between US$2,000 and US$30,000.

But with Singapore’s space limitations and wind speeds of only 6-8m per second during the monsoon periods, most environmental experts Today spoke to say wind energy is not cost effective here.

Dr Jiang Fan, senior lecturer at Singapore Polytechnic’s School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, where he also manages its Clean Energy Technology Centre, said: “Generally, small wind turbines are not an economic option compared to megawatt wind generators (WG). It’s difficult to say yes or no to Cell Power’s products unless we have their testing results certified by some authority or test them in Singapore.”

He added that vertical axis turbines would probably work better along the coastline or on tall buildings where wind speeds are higher. But even in the latter case, the results of early studies have been inconsistent.

“HDB has been exploring the use of renewable energy. We had conducted R&D studies on wind turbines and found the power generated to be inconsistent. Wind turbines require an intensity of wind speed that is lacking in most parts of Singapore,” an HDB spokeswoman told Today.

While it is clear that wind energy will not be a huge energy contributor, a point that Singapore Environment Council executive director Howard Shaw noted, he also believes that “it can play a part”.

He said: “Applications for wind turbines in Singapore should be explored further.”

As with all technology, improvements could offer new possibilities. And while even Cell Power does not envision large-scale use of wind energy here, its senior officer Henry Shan believes the point is to take small steps in using clean energy. He said: “Wind energy may not be necessarily for everyone to use. But it helps to provide a source of green energy to the city and helps to promote the image of the government by showing that Singapore pays attention to green energy.”