Enya Lim Business Times 19 May 11;
A SURVEY by General Electric (GE) Singapore has revealed that over 90 per cent of Singaporeans have a positive view of renewable energy (RE).
Carried out less than a month ago, the poll randomly surveyed more than 350 adults from various sections of society, and found that among Singaporeans' top environmental concerns are global warming, air pollution and water pollution, amid other issues such as flora and fauna extinction, noise pollution and overuse of biodegradable products.
Those surveyed also displayed a healthy understanding of what causes air pollution, correctly stating the burning of fossil fuels for generating power as a leading cause of air pollution. In addition, survey results showed that more than 80 per cent of Singaporeans believed in the necessity of RE to conserve the environment - although only two in three rightly identified RE sources without help.
Solar energy ranked first as the source of RE that respondents were most aware of, while wind and hydro-energy occupied second and third spots respectively.
Not surprisingly, almost three-quarters of participants were convinced that installing RE systems would be expensive, though a majority believed that their subsequent maintenance fees would serve effectively in the long term.
Venkat Kannan, energy services leader for GE Energy, Asean, expressed pleasure that 'Singaporeans view RE positively'. He said: 'Although Singapore is somewhat limited in size, RE technologies are critical for lessening Singapore's almost complete reliance on fossil fuel, and can be developed for export to larger markets like Indonesia or China.'
Edwin Khew, chairman of the Sustainable Energy Association of Singapore, said: 'I think this level of public awareness is a positive start to Singapore's plans to develop a Clean Energy Hub. It indicates that Singaporeans may be receptive to greater detail on sustainable development, such as energy-efficiency projects and next-generation electric vehicles.'
