$17m set aside for green transport drive

So far, $4.6m has been spent on four projects, including emission test lab
Christopher Tan Straits Times 13 Apr 13;

THE Government has set aside $17 million for green initiatives in the transport sector.

So far, $4.6 million has been spent on four projects, two of which have already been found to be not feasible.

In responding to queries from The Straits Times on the $17 million sum, which was stated in this year's Budget, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said the money is for supporting "ongoing and possible future initiatives and research towards improving energy efficiency and reducing emissions in land transport". Projects completed or under way include a $500,000 trial on the feasibility of retrofitting older diesel vehicles with particulate filters, which would cut the amount of black soot emitted.

The year-long trial, involving 38 vehicles, ended last January. It found that such filters would result in a 99 per cent reduction in soot emission, but the high cost of installation (about $17,000 per vehicle) and maintenance (about $2,400 yearly) were deterrents. Also, the majority of such vehicles could not be retrofitted.

Another expenditure, of $664,050, was for a feasibility study of diesel-hybrid buses. The trial involved two SBS Transit buses. Findings revealed a 25 per cent fuel saving, which the LTA deemed "not sufficient to offset the cost of such buses", which were more expensive than conventional ones.

One big-ticket item was the co-funding of an emission test laboratory which public-listed vehicle inspection company Vicom installed.

The cost of the lab was $5.8 million, of which the Government funded $2.9 million. The only one of its kind in South-east Asia, it opened in 2009 and has tested about 150 vehicles so far.

Another ongoing project is the electric vehicle (EV) test bed, which is costing the LTA $522,500. The money is used for building charging stations, and is part of a $20 million test-bedding exercise led by the Energy Market Authority. Close to 50 charging stations have been erected since the EV trial started over two years ago. They are used by more than 70 trial vehicles here.

The cost for the four projects comes to about $4.6 million.

The LTA would not elaborate on what the remaining $12.4 million will be used for, except to say that the EV test bed is likely to have a second phase.

Commenting on the green transport initiatives, Asian Clean Fuels Association executive director Clarence Woo said the retrofitting of diesel particulate filters should be reconsidered.

He said: "There have been international studies on the health impact of diesel particulates. The US and also China are putting a lot of effort into retrofitting of diesel particulate filters."

About 70 per cent of Singapore's 178,000 goods vehicles and buses do not meet the Euro 4 emission standard, which was implemented here in 2006. Of that, about half do not even meet the ancient Euro 2 standard.

Meanwhile, the Government is also tackling another type of pollution: noise.

It is spending $8.2 million to erect MRT noise barriers along tracks that run close to residential blocks in Tampines, Jurong East, Bishan and Toh Guan.