Green drive will see widespread use of renewable energy sources: Expert
Jessica Cheam, Straits Times 16 Feb 10;
RENEWABLE sources of energy such as wind, solar and biomass are expanding rapidly in Asia but the region could eventually see nuclear power emerge as a key source, said a visiting industry leader.
Mr Kenji Uenishi, president of energy giant GE Energy Asia Pacific, told The Straits Times last week that there is 'massive potential for nuclear energy in this region', noting that Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore have all announced feasibility studies on the issue.
The next decade could see the spread of technology from northern Asian places such as Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, which already use nuclear energy, towards countries in South-east Asia.
'These places have been using nuclear for a long time and that experience can be shared,' said Mr Uenishi.
But there are still hurdles to cross before nuclear energy is adopted on a massive scale, primarily due to public concerns over safety and security, added the 57-year-old.
He said that while there may not be a global deal on climate change yet, GE Energy believes the pressure on companies to reduce their carbon footprint is here to stay.
The urge to be greener and the recovering global economy are set to give the clean energy industry a boost this year.
While investments in the sector had suffered in the financial crisis, clean power remains the company's fastest growing business unit, said MrUenishi.
GE Energy, part of the General Electric conglomerate, has spent about US$850 million (S$1.2 billion) on research and development in renewable energy since it went into the business in 2002.
The company, which supplies technology for power generation and energy delivery, generated a global revenue of US$37.1 billion last year.
It set up an Asia-Pacific headquarters for commercial decision-making in Singapore in 2007, and counts Sembcorp, Singapore Power and PUB among its local clients.
It employs 5,000 staff in the region, and more than 900 in Singapore.
Tokyo-based Mr Uenishi, who was in Singapore for a regional meeting last week, said electricity demand is set to increase this year as economies recover, and so will demand for energy-related products and services.
GE Energy is aggressively expanding into 'smart grids', which monitor and distribute electricity more efficiently.
The company is in talks to participate in the Energy Market Authority's multimillion-dollar pilot project on smart grids, said Mr Uenishi, who took over the reins of GE Energy Asia Pacific in 2008.
GE Energy manufactures smart meters, which provide detailed information on energy usage, and software systems that help companies monitor the distribution of electricity in the grid.
Mr Uenishi, a 20-year veteran of the company, said GE Energy is committed to driving down the costs of cleaner, more efficient technologies so that it can be adopted on a wider scale.
The company is also focused on developing a new technology that will allow countries such as Indonesia and the Philippines to tap geothermal energy on a commercial scale, he added.
Such a project could enable Singapore to access renewable energy sources in the region - a possible area of exploration recently suggested by the Economic Strategies Committee.
'With Asia's emerging economies and growing energy demand, there are so many opportunities to develop new technologies which can contribute to society. This is what makes it exciting to be in this region now,' he said.
