Singapore tests alternative energy investments costing over S$30m

WONG PEI TING Today Online 25 Oct 16;

SINGAPORE — Frequent users of the Tuas Checkpoint may have noticed something unusual going on at Tengeh Reservoir recently – rows and rows of floating solar panels. Singapore now hosts the world’s largest floating solar test-bed atop a hectare of waters at Tengeh Reservoir, and it will be feeding energy from the sun to the national power grid from as soon as December.

Over at Semakau Island, an area the size of eight soccer fields had been cleared to make way for a microgrid system that can consolidate power generated from multiple renewable energy sources – solar, wind, tidal, diesel, and power-to-gas technologies – to power the island’s operations.

When the S$11-million floating solar photovoltaic testbed and S$20-million microgrid system projects ripen by next year, they will collectively produce four megawatts of electricity – enough to power up to 1,000 four-room flats at any one time.

These two multi-million projects were announced by Environment and Water Resources Minister Masagos Zulkifli at the opening of the Asia Clean Energy Summit on Tuesday (Oct 25), as he outlines Singapore’s ambition to play its part in addressing climate change and to contribute to the Association of South-east Asian Nations’ (ASEAN) renewable energy goals.

With the Paris Agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions set to come into force on Nov 4, he said: “Clean energy solutions will play a crucial role as countries work towards a carbon-constrained future. There is vast potential for growth and innovation in this space, and countries and cities must ready themselves to ride this wave of opportunity.”

He added that such clean energy test-beds “allow Singapore to develop a leadership role in renewable energy development in the region”.

POWERING OPERATIONS IN SEMAKAU

In the region, with 20 per cent of South-east Asia’s population lacking access to electricity, microgrids is looked upon as a viable alternative power infrastructure, and Singapore aspires to achieve regional leadership in this area – hence the deployment of a microgrid test-bed at Semakau Island to develop and demonstrate microgrid technologies.

The initiative by the Nanyang Technological University’s (NTU) Renewable Energy Integration Demonstrator-Singapore is testing how well different energy sources can operate well together. The first of four microgrid facilities have just been deployed at Semakau Landfill, which will power the National Environment Agency’s infrastructure on the island as well as fish hatcheries and nurseries there.

This involves the installation of over 3,000sqm of photovoltaic panels – to generate 400kW peak of power – as well as a large-scale energy storage system. “A large challenge will be how (we can) accommodate more intermittent sources like wind and solar energy in energy storage, as we want to consume the energy as it suits us,” said Prof Hans Bjorn Puttgen, senior director of the NTU’s Energy Research Institute.

Work to build the other three microgrids will start at the end of this year, and they are projected to be operational by the third quarter of next year. The wind turbines and tidal machines to harness the energy from the waves will be introduced later in 2018.

Being only a one-megawatt system, Prof Puttgen emphasised that the “key application” for the microgrid system is not in local use, but that the hybrid microgrid can possibly become a model for “isolated villages and islands” and “remote areas that are not connected to a regular major power station” in neighbouring countries.

For example, REIDS is looking into developing its offshore microgrid projects at two islands in the Philippines that only gets eight to 10 hours of electricity a day, so that it can extend the hours of available electricity to 16 hours a day and more, Prof Puttgen said. “A good range of power is 500kW to a megawatt (to make that happen).”

CLEAN ENERGY FOR LOCAL USE

The floating solar system at Tengeh Reservoir, although three years late in becoming operational, is part of Sustainable Singapore Blueprint 2015 to plan for the Republic’s next phase of sustainable development until 2030.

Over the past five months, nine different systems from seven companies – including three local start-ups: Sunseap, SolarGy, and BBR Greentech – were installed at Tengeh Reservoir. The last one by Italy’s Enel Green Power is projected to be installed by December.

Once the 10 systems are hooked up to the national grid, they will be pitted against one other to see which system would be most economically viable under the same amount of sunlight. Besides energy yield and cost, they will also be judged by their temperature (cooler solar panels are more energy efficient), movements on water (to see if they are drifting too far or sinking), and environmental impact (evaporation rate, water quality and interference with wildlife).

The Solar Energy Institute of Singapore (SERIS) at National University of Singapore is managing the scientific evaluation of the test-bed led by the EDB and the PUB.

After about six months, two most efficient systems will be selected for deployment 10 times their current size at one-megawatts each for further tests.

Floating panels have been identified by EDB as a major area of focus in Singapore’s “urban solar” approach to complement the SolarNova efforts to deploy solar systems on rooftops and help address the lack of space for solar deployment. Furthermore, a test in Malaysia have found that the cooling effect of water can improve energy generation by 20 per cent. To prove this further, SERIS had installed conventional rooftop solar panels on the testbed’s substations for reference.

SERIS is also testing how the system might degrade over time, so the test could last as long as three to six years.

When asked about the three-year delay in getting the test-bed up and running, the Economic Development Board’s (EDB) executive director of Greentech Goh Chee Kiong cited the logistical and technical complexities involved, including the difficulty in securing the “sensitive location” and the need to ensure that there are substations big enough to accept huge electrical loads.

Public Utilities Board’s (PUB) Chief Sustainability Officer Tan Nguan Sen said there were “hiccups” in connecting the generated solar power to the national grid. “This is something new that is done for the first time in Singapore,” he said. “It was a learning process we had to go through unfortunately.”

“Floating (photovoltaic panels) have caught on in the past one to two years, we have seen developments in Japan, China, Europe, America, Australia and even India. So what this means is that it is a highly exportable knowhow, highly exportable sector that we want to groom, and we are seeing that by the strong interest by the various companies wanting to participate in the testbed in Singapore… (even) energy giants,” said Mr Goh.

“The selling point is that we want them to establish their business hub in Singapore. After which then they will export the knowhow from Singapore.”


Tengeh Reservoir to host world's largest solar panel testbed
Chan Luo Er, Channel NewsAsia and Liyana Othman 25 Oct 16;

SINGAPORE: The world's largest floating solar panel testbed will be operational in Singapore by the end of the year, Environment and Water Resources Minister Masagos Zulkifli said on Tuesday (Oct 25).

Mr Masagos said the pilot test of 10 solar energy - or photovoltaic - systems at Tengeh Reservoir is the largest globally in terms of how much power it can produce and the number of systems being tested. He was speaking at the Joint Opening Ceremony of the 3rd Asia Clean Energy Summit and the 26th Photovoltaic Science and Engineering Conference.

The testbed can produce a maximum one-megawatt of energy, enough to power 250 four-room HDB flats for a year.

The pilot aims to determine what works best for Singapore, and to study the environmental impacts of such technologies on water infrastructure, Mr Masagos explained. "Given our geography, solar photovoltaic systems are a key technology is Singapore's efforts to harness renewable energy.

"Floating photovoltaic systems, those installed over our water bodies, not only help to overcome land constraints, but also have the potential to reduce evaporative losses from our reservoirs," he added.

The efficiency of solar panels can also be improved if they are installed over water as the cooling effect will allow them to yield more energy compared to solar panels that are too hot, the Minister said, adding that authorities will explore a wider deployment of such systems, should this pilot prove to be economically viable and environmentally sustainable.

A control solar panel installation on land is also set up on a nearby roof.

Economic Development Board Executive Director for Cleantech Goh Chee Kiong said that Singapore has been observing the various developments around the world and floating photovoltaics has caught on globally in the last one to two years.

"We are seeing developments in Japan, China, Europe, the Americas as well, Australia and even India. What this means is that it is highly exportable know-how, highly exportable sector that we want to grow and we are seeing that though the strong interest by various companies wanting to participate in the floating photovoltaics testbed in Singapore."

Eight companies are involved in the testbed, including large corporations from countries such as Japan and Italy and local small- and medium-sized enterprises.

"The starting point is that we want them to establish their business hubs in Singapore after which then they will export the know-how from Singapore, from doing the innovation right in Singapore," Mr Goh said.

- CNA/mz

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Malaysians losing their taste for shark fin soup, says WWF

OLIVIA MIWIL New Straits Times 24 Oct 16;

KOTA KINABALU: Though Malaysia is one of the world’s top consumers of shark fin soup, the popularity of the dish fell by almost fifty per cent over the last six months, and the downward trend is expected to continue in the coming year, said World Wildlife Fund Malaysia (WWF) marine head Dr Robecca Jumin.

"In the past six months, there was a 44 per cent decline in consumption of shark fin soup, which might be driven by (a number of factors, including) more effective shark protection, greater awareness among the public, environmental concerns, and a change in dining culture.

"According to WWF’s 2015 survey (of average consumers), respondents said (their change in attitude towards shark consumption was self-driven), but social media and environmental non-governmental organisations (played a role), " Robecca said during a My Fin My Life dialogue session with business operators here this morning.

She added that most shark fin soup dishes were served in restaurants during family gatherings or special occasions such as wedding receptions, especially among the Chinese.

Worldwide, about 100,000 sharks are killed each and every year for their fins, as well as liver oil and cartilage.

From 2000 to 2010, Malaysia ranked 9th among the world’s top 20 shark catchers, and 3rd as importer of fins. On average, 84 per cent of imported shark fins are consumed domestically.

According to Robecca, this year’s My Fin My Life campaign aims to reverse the still-high shark fin soup consumption in Malaysia by engaging the public and businesses to unanimously pledge not to consume shark fin soup and related products.

"Among the targets (are to encourage) 20,000 restaurants and 500 businesses in the country to phase-out shark fin soup from their menus, and to recruit one million Malaysians to support the call for (an end to shark fin soup consumption). "We are targeting Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Kota Kinabalu to achieve it," she added.


Sabah to lose tourism dollars if it allows shark population to decline
OLIVIA MIWIL New Straits Times 24 Oct 16;

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah will lose out to neighbouring countries in generating income in the tourism industry if it fails to conserve its shark population.

State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun said the southern Philippines' waters, which are rich in biodiversity, pose a competition to Sabah's diving activities.

"Philippine President (Rodrigo) Duterte is going all out to sort out the security issue in the country. "Our reluctance to get shark species protected, will give opportunities for other countries to take advantage of the diving industry," he said in his closing speech during the 'My Fin My Life' campaign at the Kota Kinabalu Business dialogue here.

Last year, about 55,000 divers came to Sabah and 80 per cent of them wanted to see live sharks in the sea. The year-long activity alone contributed more than RM300 million in tourism receipts.

Masidi added that besides restaurants, local employment in tourism services would be greatly affected when the population of the marine ecosystem's apex predator diminishes.

He also said Natural Resources and Environment minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar had agreed to find ways for the state to better protect the species through laws.

Meanwhile, the state ministry had earlier annouced that shark sanctuaries would be set up at more than two million hectares of marine parks including the newly-gazetted Tun Mustapha Park in Kudat, Tunku Abdul Rahman park in Kota Kinabalu, and the Tun Sakaran marine park in Semporna.

Present were city mayor Datuk Yeo Boon Hai, WWF Malaysia marine head Dr Robecca Jumin and Sabah conservation head Dr John Tay as well as Sabah Shark Protection president Aderick Chong.

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Malaysia, Selangor: River water bad, dam water dropping

The Star 25 Oct 16;

PETALING JAYA: While the authorities are grappling to contain the contamination that has shut down water treatment plants three times this month, they also have another problem on their hands.

The water level at the Sungai Selangor dam that supplies 60% of Selangor and Putrajaya’s treated water is dropping fast and is now close to the 40% level which triggered water rationing two years ago.

The dam is now at 43.29%, dropping more than 6% in the past 15 days alone, according to data from the Selangor Water Management Authority (Luas).

On March 2, 2014, water rationing was imposed in the Klang Valley and Selangor on March 2 to May 1 after the water level dipped below 40%.

The critical level for the dam is 30%, and the current reading is far below the 82.58% recorded exactly a year ago.

“There’s a risk of rationing if the level continues to drop,” said Asso­ciation of Water and Energy Research Malaysia president S. Piarapakaran.

He cited two possible reasons for the rapid drop.

The first is the lower than average rainfall over the Sungai Selangor dam’s catchment area.

The second is that a higher than normal rate of water is being released from the dam, to meet demand by treatment plants after the river contamination elsewhere.

Piarapakaran said the Sungai Selangor Phase 1 treatment plant was producing 10% more treated water than usual, while the Sungai Selangor Phase 3 plant was producing 30% more.

“If we don’t get lots of rain soon, the Klang Valley could end up with a situation similar to Mersing,” he added, referring to the Johor town which was hit by a six-month long scheduled water supply exercise which only ended yesterday.

MetMalaysia brought no immediate cheer.

A spokesman said the inter monsoon period this month would see less rainfall.

In October last year, there was 100mm to 250mm below average rainfall, according to the department’s website.

“However, the situation is expected to improve with more rains from early next month due to the arrival of the north-east monsoon,” said the spokesman.

The north-east monsoon brings heavy rain not just to the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia.

West coast states, including Selangor, can also get as much as 20% to 60% above average rainfall.

This stinks to high heaven!
Foul-smelling, toxic solvent dumped at riverside
The Star 25 Oct 16;

SEPANG: Someone has been dumping toxic solvent by the banks of Sg Buah, off the Elite Highway here, causing the water that flows into Sg Semenyih to become dangerous.

Authorities are now racing to clean up the mess by building a bund across the river to stop the water from flowing into Sg Semen­yih and drawing out the contaminated water to be dumped elsewhere.

The 20m bund has been built across Sg Buah as authorities work to restore treated water supply to hundreds of thousands of consumers in four districts in Selangor.

Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Azmin Ali said that although the authorities had yet to establish the culprit behind the mess, Selangor Water Management Board Authority (Luas) had found traces of a solvent at three spots in the river, across the border to Negri Sembilan.

The solvent is so toxic that swathes of green grass by the banks were charred.

“We had no choice but to prevent Sg Buah from flowing into Sg Semenyih to restart our water treatment. Our priority now is to ensure the 320,000 account holders get their supply as soon as possible,” he said after checking on the clean-up operations.

The affected consumers are from the Sepang, Kuala Langat, Hulu Langat and Petaling districts.

Apart from the water board, several other agencies, including the Sepang and Kajang municipalities, the Drainage and Irrigation Department and Indah Water Konsortium are involved in the clean-up exercise.

After the bund was in place, pumps were brought in to extract the foul-smelling water from Sg Buah into tankers. The water was transported out in lorries and deposited in a nearby pond.

Azmin said the Luas employees went to the scene after getting reports of the foul smell at about 7.30am on Sunday.

“While conducting checks, they found the smell at its worst near a section of the river at the north-bound Nilai R&R, along the North-South Expressway,” he said.

At about 6.10pm, they found large traces of solvent along the 45.9km mark of the Elite Highway, which links the New Klang Valley Express­way and the southbound stretch of the North-South Expressway.

“It looks as if the solvent had been dumped along a slope causing it to flow into Sg Buah,” Azmin said.


Klang Valley folk see red over supply disruption
The Star 25 Oct 16;

PETALING JAYA: Residents all over Klang Valley are furious over having to face water supply disruption after the Sungai Semenyih water treatment plant has to be shut down again following the latest incident of river contamination.

This is the fourth disruption in two months.

Not only do the residents have to put up with the inconvenience, businesses, particularly those that consume large amounts of water such as eateries, hair salons and laundromats, are bearing losses. Even hospitals are not spared.

KPMC Puchong Specialist Centre general manager Paramjeet Singh said with more than 70% occupancy, the hospital needed water and the hospital’s tanks could only last for a few days.

Bandar Puteri Residents’ Asso­ciation and Rukun Tetangga chairman Datuk Samson Maman said Ban­­dar Puteri Puchong was a food heaven with more than 100 restaurants.

“A water supply disruption could cause another round of health issues,” he said.

USJ 11/3M Residents Association vice-chairman M. Singam said his family might have to cancel Deepavali celebrations in view of the water supply problem.

Puven Nathan, 33, from USJ 14 in Subang Jaya, said his family only realised the water supply had been cut yesterday morning when they were getting ready for work.


Environment Dept monitoring pollution sources behind Selangor water disruption
New Straits Times 25 Oct 16;

PUTRAJAYA: The pollution that led to the water disruption in Selangor is being monitored closely by the Department of Environment.

Natural Resource and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, in a statement last night, said this was of serious concern as the disruptions in four districts affected 1.6 million people.

"The department has begun investigations to find the source of the pollution that led to the closure of the Sungai Semenyih Water Treatment Plant," he said of the closure on Sunday, the third since Sept 27.

"A team was mobilised on the same day, focusing their probe in the Nilai industrial and light industrial areas as well as another industrial area in the vicinity," he said of the locations in Negeri Sembilan.

The team is looking into the possibility of effluents flowing into the river via Sungai Buah, he said, adding the distance between the industrial areas to the intake point for the treatment plant was about 8.5km.

Following the first disruption last month, Wan Junaidi said a team dispatched to Nilai found the release of effluents by a premise operating in the Nilai industrial area adhered to requirements in accordance with the Environment Quality Act 1974.

To ensure results of the water quality were were acquired on other parmeters, samples were also sent to the Chemistry Department to be compared with the Malaysia Water Quality Standard.

Wan Junaidi said integrated monitoring among various state agencies in Negeri Sembilan have also been arranged. It involves the Environment Department, state Forestry department, Nilai Municipal Council and Negri Sembilan Water Regulatory Body.

"So far we have yet to find proof that point to possible sabotage. I suggest that if the Selangor Menteri Besar (Datuk Seri Azmin Ali) does have evidence related to the incident, he should lodge a police report about it," he added.


Sungai Semenyih water treatment plant resumes operations
The Star 24 Oct 16;

SHAH ALAM: The Sungai Semenyih Water Treatment Plant (WTP), which was closed Sunday due to odour pollution of the water, resumed operations Monday afternoon.

State Exco for Tourism, Environment, Green Technology and Consumer Affairs, Elizabeth Wong said the WTP had sent water to the reservoir since 1.30pm.

“Water supply will be restored gradually. Tankers will provide water to critical premises such as hospitals and dialysis centres,” she said in a statement Monday.

The affected areas were Bangi, Bandar Bukit Mahkota (Kajang), Semenyih and Rinching (Hulu Langat), Morib (Banting), Bandar Saujana Putra, Bandar Rimbayu and Telok Panglima (Kuala Langat), USJ 1 to 27, Puchong, Seri Kembangan and Serdang (Petaling), Putrajaya, Cyberjaya, Bandar Nusa Putra, Putra Heights, Pulau Meranti, Kota Warisan, Bandar Bukit Puchong and Sungai Merab (Sepang).

Wong said users can get the latest status and details of the affected areas and the water supply restoration schedule via the smartphone application mySYABAS and www.syabas.com.my.

Selangor Water Management Board (Luas), Indah Water Konsortium (IWK), Sepang Municipal Council and Kajang Municipal Council had built bunds in Sungai Buah to divert the contaminated water.

Luas also made a police report and informed the Negri Sembilan Department of Environment (DOE) and samples were taken sent for laboratory tests.

“We believe that pollutants were disposed in Negri Sembilan knowing that they will reach Sungai Semenyih in Selangor,” she said.

Sungai Semenyih WTP was closed at 7.30am yesterday due to odour pollution of river water, suspected to originate from Nilai industrial area, Negri Sembilan.

Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali claimed that Sungai Semenyih WTP had been sabotaged, forcing it to be closed for the third time in a month and the fifth time this year. - Bernama


Water supply to Hulu Langat, Petaling, Sepang and Kuala Langat to return in stages
The Star 24 Oct 16;

PETALING JAYA: The Sungai Semenyih water treatment plant has resumed operations at 7pm Monday, following a brief shutdown because of odour pollution.

Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Syabas) said water supply to areas in Hulu Langat, Petaling, Sepang and Kuala Langat would be distributed in stages based on a schedule beginning Tuesday.

This is to allow a more efficient distribution of water supply during the restoration period, and to minimise the duration of water disruptions in the affected areas.

The schedule is divided into two zones. Zone 1 is expected to receive water at 4pm on Tuesday, and will be disconnected at 9am Wednesday.

Meanwhile Zone 2 will receive water at 4pm Wednesday until 9am Friday, followed by two-day supplies for each zone until Nov 2.

“The scheduled recovery process is only a temporary measure to help speed up the recovery process and the distribution of supplies to all the affected areas and prevent consumers from experiencing water supply disruption for long periods of time,” Syabas said in a statement.

It said that lorries carrying water would be mobilised in the meantime to affected areas, especially at critical premises and hospitals.

“We will closely monitor the recovery process and the scheduling will be reviewed from time to time,” it added.

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Malaysia, Malacca: Water woes loom in Malacca with three dams critical

The Star 25 Oct 16;

MALACCA: The problem is not just in Selangor. A water crisis is looming in Malacca, too, with three dams nearing critical levels.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Idris Haron said Durian Tunggal Dam was at 37m, just 2m from the danger level while the other two dams were also reaching critical stages.

“We have no choice but to activate water rationing if this situation continues.

“Any rationing exercise will be done with careful consideration and on a 12-hour rotation basis to allow households to store water,” he said after the tabling of the state budget yesterday.

Idris acknowledged that the state was experiencing heavy downpours but there was no rain over the three dams.

He said that the state govern­­­ment con­­ducted cloud seeding yesterday.

Idris said alternative measures had to be considered as the levels at other major dams – Jus and Asahan Dams in Jasin – were also at dissatisfactory levels.

“I was informed that it rained in several parts of the state but not over the catchment areas,” he said.

Ayer Keroh assemblyman Khoo Poay Tiong asked the state government to immediately look into the water shortage in the state.

“The dams are drying up fast. It’s just a matter of time before we have a crisis like in 1991,” he said.

A drought in late 1991 and a mistake in monitoring the Durian Tunggal Dam level has been blamed for the worst water crisis to have hit Malacca.

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Malaysia: Kelantan folk cry foul over dirty water

The Star 25 Oct 16;

KOTA BARU: Fed up over what they claim has been 10 years of poor quality water from their taps in Kelantan, more than 100 people held a demonstration here to express their anger. Representatives of more than 30 NGOs took part in a peaceful gathering outside the government complex in Kota Darul Naim.

The Gabungan Bertindak Restorasi Air Kelantan (Restorasi) NGO handed a memorandum to the PAS-led Kelantan government during the gathering.

The memorandum demanded for change in the management of the Air Kelantan Sdn Bhd (AKSB) which, they alleged, had failed to deliver quality treated water for more than a decade.

A spokesman for the group, Datuk Seri Mohd Fared Ghani, said the people were fed up with the state of the water supply services.

He said an independent auditor should be appointed to investigate AKSB’s non-revenue water losses and public funds spent to maintain the water agency.

“The people of Kelantan deserve to get clean and treated water like those in other states. We want changes to the state water supply company,” said Mohd Fared.

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Indonesia: Fires destroy land, conservation areas as people pray for rain

Syofiardi Bachyul Jb The Jakarta Post 24 Oct 16;

Massive land and forest fires in Limapuluh Kota regency, West Sumatra, over the past 20 days have destroyed 300 hectares of area, including 70 hectares of conservation forest.

Of the devastated conservation forest, 40 hectares were found in the Lembah Harau protected area and 30 hectares in the Air Putih Taram conservation area.

“The fire degraded the animal habitat and reduced biodiversity in the conservation areas,” said Zaidi, head of the Region I section with the West Sumatra Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA).

He said the fire could also lead to a drought that could threaten the people’s water supply.

Local firefighters found it difficult to extinguish the fire due to the hard terrain of the area, forcing them to ask the central government to send a helicopter to ease their work.

By Saturday, the firefighters said they had extinguished the fire entirely following the deployment of the Bell PK-Puv helicopter belonging to the Environment and Forestry Ministry.

As a result of the massive forest fire, the tourist site Lembah Harau, which is also popularly known as the “Yosemite National Park of Indonesia” with giant rocks soaring up to 150 meters high, has lost some of its beauty.

The area was named a conservation site in 1926. The status was renewed in 1982. “Harau looks arid now,” said Zaidi, adding that young men used to go rock climbing at the site.

He also expressed the hope that the fire would not influence the animals in the forest, known as a habitat for golden cats and gibbons.

He added that based on the procedure of handling conservation areas, no reforestation program would be conducted in the burned conservation forests.

“We will continue monitoring the area to make sure that the plants grow naturally,” said Zaidi, adding that the forest was predicted to recover in two to three years.

He also said the planting of local trees could be undertaken by the monitoring officers while they conducted patrols around particular spots in the conservation forest.

Separately, R. Pagar Alam, the West Sumatra Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) emergency and logistics division head, said the forest fire in Limapuluh Kota had been completely extinguished.

He said the 20-day fire had affected four districts in the regency, namely Harau, Mungka, Luhak and Kapus Sembilan.

“The big fire spots have been extinguished, but smaller ones, especially those whose locations could not be reached, might be still smoky,” he said.

The fire was alleged to have been triggered by uncontrolled land clearing activities using slash-and-burn methods.

Although heavy rainfall has been pouring over the provincial capital of Padang and its surroundings, Limapuluh Kota and Payakumbuh are still experiencing a prolonged dry season.

This moved the Payakumbuh administration to mobilize thousands of civil servants and students in the region to Poliko Square on Wednesday to participate in a mass Istisqa prayer to ask for rain.

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Best of our wild blogs: 24 Oct 16

Drawing Straws At Dairy Farm
Winging It

Bird Watching for Beginners 2 Oct 2016
Singapore Bird Group

Awesome October at Ubin
wild shores of singapore

Sat 05 Nov 2016 PM – Public Forum on Plastic Disposables (Zero Waste SG & Young NTUC)
News from the International Coastal Cleanup Singapore

Male Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle (Oryctes rhinoceros) being scavenged by Yellow Crazy Ants (Anoplolepis gracilipes)
Monday Morgue

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Warming seas cause longest coral bleaching in Singapore

This year's event more severe than two previous incidents, but some recovery seen
Audrey Tan, Straits Times AsiaOne 24 Oct 16;

Warming seas caused Singapore's underwater gardens to lose their colour earlier this year, but the good news is that some corals are starting to recover from what is the longest bleaching incident to hit the Republic so far.

Preliminary assessments by scientists here have shown that this year's event is more severe than two other major bleaching events in 1998 and 2010. This year, as with both the other years, is an El Nino year. This refers to the phenomenon linked to prolonged warmer weather.

Corals depend on symbiotic algae, called zooxanthellae, for food. Bleaching occurs when abnormally high sea temperatures cause corals to expel the zooxanthellae living in them, turning them white.

In 2010, the bleaching event started in June and ended in September, said Dr Karenne Tun, director of the coastal and marine division at the National Parks Board's (NParks) National Biodiversity Centre.

And in 1998, it lasted from June to August, said coral expert Chou Loke Ming, an adjunct research professor at the National University of Singapore's Tropical Marine Science Institute.

This year, however, water temperatures began exceeding the bleaching threshold of 31.14 deg C from end-April.

Water temperatures have since dropped to just below 30 deg C, which is still above the average temperature of 29.6 deg C expected at this time of the year.

"The sea surface temperatures dipped to just below the bleaching threshold from early June, but continued to remain above the maximum monthly mean till early October," said Dr Tun.

She added that scientists observed this month that recovery from bleaching is still ongoing. "But we are hopeful that the remaining bleached corals will recover within the next one to two months if the sea surface temperatures continue on their downward trend," she said.

A bleaching event is considered to have ended when sea surface temperatures go back to normal, said Prof Chou.

NParks has implemented measures to aid in the corals' recovery. For instance, it has closed the dive trails at the Sisters' Island Marine Park since June to minimise additional stress to the corals. The dive trails will remain closed until the end of this month.

Prof Chou said scientists are now following up on coral colonies affected to assess the survival rate. He added that while this year's bleaching event was the worst in terms of duration, it was too soon to compare the impact.

Mortality was about 20 per cent in 1998 and 12 per cent in 2010. But in both cases, he said, recovery was seen.

Coral bleaching is not just restricted to Singapore.

The Great Barrier Reef in Australia is also affected. But contrary to a recent "obituary" for the world's largest coral reef system published in Outside Magazine, it has not died.

The coral reef system is too large to simply die off, said Prof Chou. He added that while some parts of the system may die, it is also possible to end up with reefs with a different composition of coral species, depending on which can thrive under the changed conditions.

He added: "Singapore reefs have recovered from both bleaching events... and I take heart in reef resilience."

Related links
Mass coral bleaching in Singapore: why should I care? on wild shores of singapore

Community observations of mass coral bleaching in Singapore in 2016

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Doc gives up 5-figure salary to save street dogs

Animal homes at Pasir Ris Farmway have till end-2017 to move, leaving owners and volunteers worried
ELAINE LEE The New Paper 24 Oct 16;

He gave up his five-figure salary as an aesthetic doctor to volunteer full time at an animal welfare group.

Another animal lover sold her property to get some money to look after her charges and create a shelter.

These are the people who work behind the scenes at the seven animal shelters at Pasir Ris Farmway 2.

But an uncertain future looms.

By the end of next year, the shelters will have to leave as the authorities want the land for industrial development, reported The Straits Times.

The dogs are likely to be moved to Sungei Tengah in Kranji, where the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) is located.

The people behind the shelters told The New Paper that they have always had their leases renewed every year.

Last year, they were told that the leases would no longer be renewed and from June this year, the owners have been getting letters reminding them about it.

In a joint statement to The Straits Times, the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) and Singapore Land Authority (SLA) said that details of the Sungei Tengah tender will be provided when ready.

LACK OF DETAILS

But the lack of details is making the animal groups unsure how to move forward.

Dr Siew Tuck Wah, 37, president of Save Our Street Dogs (SOSD), quit his cushy job last September to work with the shelter.

"My parents were very worried and thought I was crazy," he said.

After quitting, he quickly realised that money ran out fast, he said.

"I had a bit of savings and I sold some shares in order to pay for all my bills," said the dog lover, who has been volunteering at SOSD since 2012.

"At first, I just had four dogs, and because there was no space to house the dogs, I bought a small kennel for $400 and placed the dogs at my home.

"But I realised that there was a lot to be done... I felt there was a lot of public education to be done about this issue."

He said he is seeing positive change.

"We see more people coming to our adoption drives...

"We also conduct talks at schools, hospitals and old folks' homes to reach out to the masses."

Today, SOSD has over 100 animals at its facility.

The group has to raise $40,000 to $60,000 each month to keep the shelter going. It expects that relocation will require some funds too.

Dr Siew admitted there is much uncertainty going forward.

He said: "The longer (the authorities) take to give us an answer, the shorter time we have to prepare for the relocation."

He has started his own aesthetic clinic to bring in some money so that he can continue working with SOSD.

EXPENSES

Ms Mary Soo, 69,echoed Dr Siew's concerns.

A decade ago, she said she sold her house and pumped over a million dollars from the sale into Oasis Second Chance Animal Shelter, which looks after 150 dogs.

Ms Soo, a former high-flying bank employee and vice-chairman for the SPCA, said: "When I saw how the dogs suffered, I thought, somebody must do something for them."

It costs about $10,000 a month to run the shelter, and while there are donations, about $5,000 a month still has to come from her own savings, said the retiree.

When asked about the relocation, she said: "Within a year, how are they supposed to get things done?

"We still have to set up a new facility. How are we going to build a new animal shelter in time?"

The Animal Lovers League's (ALL) shelter, which takes up the space of about half a football field, has close to 400 dogs and over 200 cats.

ALL co-founder Cathy Strong said: "We are already spending $60,000 a month, including medical bills.

"With this impending move, we need to raise the funds needed for the construction of the new shelter.

"Even with the help of our supporters and volunteers, we can hardly make ends meet, let alone put aside money for the move."

She sells flat to house animals

She spent her life savings to care for over 200 cats and 75 dogs at Mdm Wong's Shelter. Now, owner Chaya Koi Kim, 70, is worried about her animals.

Madam Chaya said: "I only knew about the new relocation site from reading the newspapers, and I'm really worried about my animals."

On Oct 15, Mr Louis Ng, an MP for Nee Soon GRC, told volunteers that the Ministry of National Development (MND) will announce plans later for the seven animal welfare groups at Pasir Ris Farmway that have to move out.

However, Mdm Wong's Shelter is a private shelter and not one of the seven official groups.

But she will have to move as she rents a space about the size of a three-room flat from Ericsson Pet Farm, which will be relocated.

The former seamstress sold her five-room flat in 2001 and used most of the money from the sale to pay for the shelter's rent. She and her husband then moved in with her son in his four-room-flat.

She spends about $8,000 a month to upkeep the shelter. The money comes from donations or from her children, who give her between $2,000 and $3,000 a month.

VOLUNTEERS

Helping her at the shelter are volunteers such as Mr Derrick Tan, 35, who is also president of Voices For Animals, one of the shelters affected by the changes.

He told The New Paper he would bring home stray cats, even as a child.

Madam Chaya, who started taking care of animals when she was in her 20s, said in Mandarin: "I always thought that the cats and dogs on the streets are very pitiful.

"I'm very frugal and have never once taken a plane before.

"All I do every day is complete my chores at home and go down to the shelter to take care of the animals.

"And I plan to do that until I die."

When asked if she had sought assistance, she replied that she had yet to.

When contacted, Mr Ng, who founded wildlife rescue group Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres), told TNP that none of the animals will be left stranded.

Mr Ng said: "MND is looking through all the options, as well as the ones submitted by the animal welfare groups.

"We would like to assure the animal shelters - whether you are registered as an animal welfare group or a private shelter - will be treated fairly and provided with options for the animals under their care."

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Reducing food waste: Getting Singaporeans to embrace 'ugly food'

Liyana Othman Channel NewsAsia 24 Oct 16;

SINGAPORE: More than 790,000 tonnes of food waste was generated in Singapore last year – almost the equivalent of throwing away two bowls of rice every day.

There are no official figures on the breakdown of food waste in Singapore, and also how throwing away blemished or oddly-shaped food may contribute to the problem. But studies have shown that globally, 46 per cent of fruits and vegetables never make it from farm to fork.

LIVING IN AN ‘INSTAGRAM WORLD’

It seems that people in Singapore are not too keen on ugly food either.

In a survey involving 1,000 people, household appliance company Electrolux found that 83 per cent of Singaporeans would only buy fruit and vegetables that look fresh and good. It also revealed that a quarter of them will never eat “ugly food”.

“Ugly food is aesthetically not appealing, and there’s always a psychological barrier that when people spend money, they would want the most perfect-looking ingredient. We live in an Instagram world now, where everything has to look perfect,” said Electrolux’s in-house chef Eric Low.

"When it doesn't look perfect, the mindset is that, that means it doesn’t taste good, which is a very wrong perception”, he added.

To test this, Channel NewsAsia visited supermarkets to ask consumers to pick between two tomatoes – one that was red and smooth, and another that was blotchy and blemished.

Needless to say, the former came up tops.

But is a perfect-looking fruit or vegetable really tastier or healthier?

That is a “huge myth”, said nutritionist Sheeba Majmudar.

“You’ll find that most of the time, organic produce is slightly misshaped – for example, cauliflowers and tomatoes that are discoloured. But actually, almost always, the nutritional value is the same. They are also equally sweet and juicy,” Ms Sheeba said.

UGLY FOOD IS STILL FOOD

So besides the fact that “ugly food” is just as good for us, why should people start choosing them?

Zero Waste SG is a not-for-profit organisation aiming to help Singapore eliminate the concept of waste. Its Executive Director Eugene Tay said choosing ugly ingredients will go towards the overall reduction of food waste.

“For a long time, cosmetic filtering of ugly food is a problem. Ugly food is still food, and a lot of resources go into growing the food. If we throw it away just because it doesn’t look nice, then I think we are wasting these resources,” Mr Tay said.

Food waste also makes up 7 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions, which is a major cause of global warming.

To solve this problem, NTU’s sociology professor Md Saidul Islam said it will require the commitment of retailers and manufacturers.

"Business is basically done on the basis of quality and abundance. So let's say a supermarket doesn't have a few elements or commodities in abundance. Then the consumer definitely won’t come to the same store again. They also want to provide quality food. If there are any scars on the food, consumers don't want to buy them”, said Associate Professor Saidul.

To get a feel of the situation on the ground, we visited Pasir Panjang Wholesale Centre, where produce from neighbouring countries and all around the world arrive every day to supply Singapore’s markets and restaurants with the freshest ingredients.

But a quick walk around the market showed that retailers mainly carried perfect-looking vegetables and fruit. Bruised or misshapen ingredients were a rare sight.

Retailers said one of the reasons they were thrown away was because they did not look fresh or green enough for their customers.

This is why experts say tackling the problem of food waste should also include consumers.

"Consumers demand nice looking food, so retailers have to accept that,” said Mr Tay. “So they only sell nice-looking food to consumers. Embracing ugly food and reducing food waste starts with consumers who are willing to accept that food that looks ugly is still edible if you turn it into a nice dish."

Some companies are already trying out new ways to get their customers to buy ugly food. One of them is supermarket chain NTUC FairPrice, which has put up signs to discourage customers from handling fruit and vegetables too aggressively. It also trims and repackages ugly produce and sells them at a cheaper price.

For example, a bag of blemished fruit goes for a discounted price of S$2. As a result, FairPrice said it saved 250,000 kilogrammes of fruit and vegetables in just a year.

This is part of a food waste framework that the supermarket launched last year. It has helped to cut total wastage by nearly 40 per cent, from about 2.2 million kilogrammes in 2014 to 1.3 million kilogrammes in 2015.

NTUC FairPrice CEO Mr Seah Kian Peng said he hopes this will get its customers to start embracing ugly food.

"I hope we can accept some fruits and vegetables that have some blemishes and bruises, we can buy them as it is. Obviously the prices should be different. But over time I hope consumers in Singapore will be able to embrace and adopt this kind of consumption,” said Mr Seah.

FairPrice is also making sure that each outlet orders just enough to meet demand.

NON-PERISHABLES GET CANNED, TOO

But it is not just fruit and vegetables that get thrown out – canned food, too, are a major contributor of food waste in supermarkets. FairPrice donates those that are slightly dented or are nearing expiry dates to Food from the Heart, which gives them out to the needy.

Mr Anson Quek, who runs the charity, said this reduces food waste, and also helps those who genuinely need food.

"When we first started, we recognised that there are needy families who need food and are eating just one meal a day. But on the other hand, there are organisations and individuals who are throwing away good but unconsumed food. So we thought, it’s a waste, it’s environmentally unfriendly as well”, said Mr Quek. “That’s why we started Food from the Heart,” he added.

The charity, which was set up in 2003, now has many companies and organisations on board, including food manufacturers and bakeries with excess stock. It has just installed a cold room, so it hopes to receive more donations of fresh food, such as meat, dairy products, or ugly fruit and vegetables.

But Mr Tay from Zero Waste SG said the Government, too, should play its part. He suggested that Singapore should enact legislation similar to the United States’ Good Samaritan Act. Under the Act, when a company donates edible food to charities, they are not liable for anything that happens to those who consume that food.

“The Government can come in to introduce some form of Good Samaritan legislation and give companies assurance that if they donate food, they are not liable for it, or look into giving those who donate food some incentives or tax rebates,” Mr Tay said.

He also believes that it should be made mandatory for companies to declare the amount of waste they produce.

- CNA/dl

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Government to run smart metering trial for electricity, water and gas

SIAU MING EN Today Online 24 Oct 16;

SINGAPORE — In the future, a quick tap of the phone could tell you if you are using too much electricity or water each month.

The authorities are calling for proposals to trial a system that can read electricity, gas and water meters remotely so that consumers can use such data to better manage their consumption patterns.

In a media statement released on Monday (Oct 24), the Energy Market Authority, national water agency PUB and the Singapore Power said they were issuing a call for proposals to develop technical solutions for a smart metering trial.

“This trial is aimed at enabling electricity, gas and water meters to be read remotely, and providing more timely usage data to consumers to help them better manage their utility consumption,” the agencies said in the joint statement.

At present, most of the electricity meters are cumulative ones that are read manually once every two months, together with the gas and water meters. The call for proposal will have parties develop and trial smart solutions that can remotely read all three meters reliably and cost-effectively.

In addition, interested parties will also have to develop a mobile application to provide consumers with timely information on their electricity, water and gas consumption through their mobile phones and tablets. This will improve consumers’ awareness of their consumption patterns, the agencies said.

Interested parties have till February next year to submit their proposals and more details will be available on SPRING’s website from Nov 2.

Chief Executive of EMA Ng Wai Choong noted that with more timely information, hopefully consumers will be able to better manage their energy and water consumption and hence, reduce their utility bills.

It was announced in August that the utilities bill has been redesigned to help residents track and reduce energy and water consumption. The layout allows consumers to view their utility usage, and compare it against the average consumption of their neighbours living in similar housing types or streets, among other things.

Singapore Power’s Group Chief Executive Officer Wong Kim Yin noted that the trial would build on the smart electricity metering system Singapore is deploying island-wide, to help consumers save energy and cost.

“The next-generation solutions will complement initiatives like the redesigned utilities bill and our public education programmes to encourage everyone to make energy-saving a way of life,” he added.


App to help households gauge energy use slated for 2018 trial
SIAU MING EN Today Online 24 Oct 16;

SINGAPORE — In two years, a quick tap on your phone could tell you if you are using too much electricity, gas or water each month.

The authorities are calling for proposals to develop technical solutions for a smart metering trial that can read electricity, gas and water meters remotely so that consumers can use such data to better manage their consumption patterns.

Interested parties have to develop and test solutions that can remotely read all three meters reliably and cost-effectively at half-hour intervals. They will also have to develop a mobile application to provide consumers with timely information on their electricity, water and gas consumption through their mobile phones and tablets.

“This trial is aimed at enabling electricity, gas and water meters to be read remotely, and providing more timely usage data to consumers to help them better manage their utility consumption,” the Energy Market Authority, national water agency PUB and the Singapore Power said on Monday (Oct 24) in a joint statement.

The interested parties have till February next year to submit their proposals, and more details will be available on Spring’s website on Nov 2. The trial is expected to start in early 2018 and will run for six months.

In his opening remarks at the Singapore International Energy Week held at Marina Bay Sands on Monday, Minister for Trade and Industry (Industry) S Iswaran said the trial results will help the authorities assess whether and how they can deploy advanced metering solutions nationwide, which is in tandem with plans to have full retail contestability in the electricity market by 2018. In a fully contestable market, consumers could choose whether to buy from electricity retailers under customised price plans, or from wholesale electricity markets.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the event, Mr Iswaran said: “If you’re able to know your energy consumption, your water consumption, your gas consumption, if you’re allowed to access the information through a mobile platform, it allows you to then heed price signals, take appropriate actions and with a more contestable electricity market, it also means you have more flexibility in the kinds of contracts you choose as well.”

At present, most electricity meters are read manually once every two months, together with the gas and water meters, and show cumulative data. Only contestable consumers — currently large consumers like commercial building owners — are using a smart electricity metering system.

Smaller-scale trials with households have been conducted in the past, including one in 2012 where smart meters were installed in some 1,900 households in Punggol as part of the EMA’s Intelligent Energy System (IES) Pilot. Some households also received an in-home display unit that provides real-time information about their electricity consumption.

Some residents of Yuhua, designated a smart town by the authorities, are also testing a Utilities Management System that can help households monitor energy and water usage through a mobile application.

Asked about takeaways from the Punggol and Yuhua trials, EMA director of Market Development and Surveillance Department Soh Sai Bor said the IES was an “initial effort”. The Punggol trial provided “useful learning points” for the current platform for contestable consumers, which has seen close to 90,000 advanced meters installed, he added without elaborating.

As for whether he was encouraged by the outcomes, Mr Soh said these are “little efforts” that put together will have bigger impact. “So everyone has a part to play, a few per cent here and there will certainly help to mitigate the need to invest in more energy infrastructure to meet demand growth,” he said.

Speaking to TODAY, executive director at the Energy Research Institute at Nanyang Technological University Subodh Mhaisalkar noted that you “cannot improve what you cannot measure”. Consumers here, he added, are already used to such systems, such as those who use apps to monitor their mobile data consumption.

He suggested that the new smart metering system have features that provide feedback or nudge users whenever they exceed certain usage limits, to be more effective in changing consumer behaviour.


Wanted: Solutions that will help consumers better manage utility use
Channel NewsAsia 24 Oct 16;

SINGAPORE: To help households better manage their energy consumption, Singapore is exploring a trial to allow electricity, gas and water meters to be read remotely and provide consumers with more timely usage data.

On Monday (Oct 24), the Energy Market Authority (EMA), national water agency PUB and Singapore Power issued a call for proposals to develop technical solutions to enable this smart metering trial.

Most of the electricity meters in Singapore are cumulative meters, and are read once every two months manually together with gas and water meters.

The call is for interested parties to develop and trial smart solutions for remotely reading all three meters reliably and in a cost-effective manner, they said.

The trial also includes the development of a mobile application to provide consumers with timely and useful information on their electricity, water and gas consumption. "This will enhance consumers’ awareness of their consumption patterns," the agencies said.

Details of the call for proposals will be made available on SPRING’s website on Nov 2. The deadline for submissions is midnight on Feb 1, 2017. Eligible companies will get funding support from SPRING’s Capability Development Grant.

PILOT TO OPTIMISE ENERGY USE

In a separate announcement on Monday, the EMA said it had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with 16 partners for a pilot programme to optimise energy consumption by managing their demand.

The pilot, named Project OptiWatt, was announced by Minister for Trade and Industry (Industry) S Iswaran at the Singapore International Energy Week 2016.

According to EMA, energy consumption can be shifted from peak to non-peak hours. This reduces the maximum load that the energy system needs to cater to, which could result in system-wide benefits.

Based on a study by Professor Frank A Wolak, Director of the Program on Energy and Sustainable Development in Stanford University, every megawatt reduction of peak demand in Singapore could translate to system-wide savings of about S$1.6 million, EMA added.

The 16 partners include:

Institutes of Higher Learning
1. Institute of Technical Education
2. Nanyang Polytechnic
3. Ngee Ann Polytechnic
4. Temasek Polytechnic
Government Agencies
5. Agency for Science, Technology and Research
6. JTC Corporation
Electricity Retailers
7. Diamond Energy Merchants Pte Ltd
8. Red Dot Power
9. Seraya Energy
Companies
10. Air Liquide Singapore
11. Applied Materials South East Asia
12. Eltek Power
Research Institutions
13. ENGIE Lab Singapore
14. Nanyang Technological University [Energy Research Institute @ NTU (ERI@N)]
15. Program on Energy and Sustainable Development (Professor Frank A. Wolak from Stanford University)
Electricity Grid Operator
16. SP PowerAssets
- CNA/kk

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Schools, govt agencies to find ways to cut electricity use during peak hours

SIAU MING EN Today Online 24 Oct 16;

SINGAPORE — Selected schools and government agencies here will be working with private sector players take the lead in shifting their electricity use to off-peak hours, to make the energy system more efficient.

For example, during contingencies like power failure or disruption to energy supplies, participating consumers can cut back on a pre-agreed amount of electricity use, and the capacity can be routed to where it is most needed, minimising the need to power up additional generators.

Called Project OptiWatt, Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP), Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Temasek Polytechnic, the Institute of Technical Education, JTC Corporation and the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) will be working on managing their energy consumption.

Supporting such efforts will be companies like electricity retailers and those making equipment and materials for the energy sector, which offer programmes and solutions. For example, electricity retailer Red Dot Power has an incentive scheme that pays participating consumers to reduce electricity use during certain periods.

The aim of the project, launched by Trade and Industry (Industry) Minister S Iswaran at the Singapore International Energy Week on Monday (Oct 24), is to test the viability of demand-side management (DSM) measures for the energy industry.

“Through DSM, energy consumption can be shifted from peak to off-peak hours. This reduces the maximum load that the energy system needs to cater to, yielding system-wide benefits,” the Energy Market Authority (EMA) said in a press release.

A study by Professor Frank A Wolak, director of the Program on Energy and Sustainable Development at Stanford University, found that every megawatt (MW) reduction of peak demand in Singapore could mean system-wide savings of S$1.6 million, the authority said.

Already, a trial at A*STAR managed to shift 0.3 to 0.4MW of electricity load to non-peak hours without affecting its operations. This was done by adjusting the timer of its washers and sterilisers to run outside the peak hours of 11am to 2pm.

And a preliminary trial at NYP to study how its energy consumption could be reduced to respond to real-time system conditions found that the school could cut back the energy consumption of its chillers, which make up 7 per cent of its total consumption, for up to half an hour, with minimal impact on user comfort.

Also taking part in Project OptiWatt is SP PowerAssets Limited, which will explore how DSM technologies can be incorporated into the gird network planning process. “Reduction in peak demand and help manage the costs to expand the grid network and resource needs such as land,” said the EMA. In all, Project OptiWatt will involve 16 partners.

In June, some four years after it held a consultation exercise on introducing a Demand Response programme in Singapore, the EMA rolled it out in the wholesale electricity market. It allows consumers to reduce their electricity demand in exchange for a share of the benefits enjoyed by the system as a result, namely a reduction in wholesale energy prices.

The 16 partners:

Institute of Technical Education
Nanyang Polytechnic
Ngee Ann Polytechnic
Temasek Polytechnic
Agency for Science, Technology and Research
JTC Corporation
Diamond Energy Merchants
Red Dot Power
Seraya Energy
Air Liquide Singapore
Applied Materials South East Asia
Eltek Power
ENGIE Lab Singapore
Energy Research Institute @ NTU
Program on Energy and Sustainable Development at Stanford University
SP PowerAssets Limited

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