Plan to import electricity silent on exports [News]

By Ronnie Lim, The Business Times, 19 Dec 2011.

Singapore’s plan to import electricity – as set out in a consultation paper by the Energy Market Authority last week – is currently a one-way document which does not present the possibility for gencos here to export spare electricity to neighbouring countries as well.

It covers, for instance, the issue of licensing for authorised importers, but is silent on exports.

PowerSeraya – which in May this year did the first commercial power sales to Malaysia’s Tenaga Nasional – could only do so after getting an ‘exemption’ from the EMA under Singapore’s Electricity Act, and following approval from the Trade & Industry Minister.

EMA’s proposed electricity imports of up to 600 megawatts per source country, which is quite sizeable, should also not undermine the billions of dollars in investments here, by both foreign and local corporations, in power generating capacity, industry officials here say. Read more

Consortium Appointed for Micro-grid Test-bed at the Jetty Area on Pulau Ubin [Press Releases]

The Energy Market Authority (EMA) has appointed a Singapore-based consortium comprising Daily Life Renewable Energy Pte Ltd (DLRE) and OKH Holdings Pte Ltd (OKH), to design, build, own and operate a micro-grid test-bed incorporating clean and renewable energy resources at the jetty area on Pulau Ubin.

About the Test-bed

Pulau Ubin is an island northeast of Singapore. Island residents and businesses currently rely on diesel generators for their electricity needs. These generators are expensive to operate and cause inconvenience to users when they break down. They are also noisy and pollutive.

Read more

Singapore’s strategies to meet its energy challenge amid an uncertain global energy future

Singapore is taking steps to address its energy challenge by diversifying energy mix, managing energy demand, and encouraging innovative technologies, amid an uncertain global energy future.

During his Opening Address at the Singapore Energy Lecture, which kicks off the annual Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW) 2011, Mr S Iswaran, Minister, Prime Minister’s Office and Second Minister for Home Affairs and Trade and Industry, shares Singapore’s three strategies in addressing its energy challenge, given its over dependence on energy imports and the need to secure reliable and affordable energy supplies.

Diversify Energy Supply

Mr Iswaran shared that the key thrust of Singapore’s energy strategy is the diversification of its energy supplies through Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and electricity imports. Singapore will also continue to explore other options like solar energy. Read more

Move afoot to integrate S’pore power, gas markets [News]

By Ronnie Lim, The Business Times, 15 Oct 2011.

With LNG imports here set to be fully liberalised even before the scheduled first LNG deliveries to the Jurong Island LNG terminal in mid-2013, discussions are underway on the possibility of integrating Singapore’s electricity and gas markets, said Energy Market Company (EMC) CEO Dave Carlson.

The move makes sense as 80 per cent of Singapore’s electricity is currently generated using natural gas feedstock, with the coming LNG supplies helping gencos here to diversify beyond just piped gas supplies from Malaysia and Indonesia.

‘There is a good dialogue taking place between EMC (which operates Singapore’s wholesale electricity market), regulator Energy Market Authority (EMA) and PowerGas (which operates the gas transportation network),’ Mr Carlson said yesterday. ‘But there are no decisions made at this point of time, although the arrival of liquefied natural gas in mid-2013 gives us enough time to plan well in advance about the benefits from integrating the two markets.’ Read more

Launch of the Inaugural Singapore Energy Statistics [Press Releases]

The Energy Market Authority (EMA) today released the inaugural Singapore Energy Statistics (SES) report(1). The SES is an annual publication which provides an integrated one-stop compilation of Singapore’s key energy statistics (including supply, consumption, and prices) and trends in the electricity and gas sectors. This is part of EMA’s efforts to support the development of a dynamic energy sector.

Fuel Imports and Exports

In 2009, Singapore imported 146.1 million tonnes of oil equivalent (Mtoe) of energy products. Being a major oil refining and trading hub in the region, petroleum products constituted the largest share of energy imports and exports at 90.3 Mtoe (61.8%) and 82.8 Mtoe (98.6%) respectively. Read more

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