Pulau Ubin could be powered by the sun, wind and even waste in a year or two, when it becomes a test-bed for clean-energy technologies. --PHOTO: THE NEW PAPER
PULAU Ubin could be powered by the sun, wind and even waste in a year or two, when it becomes a test-bed for clean-energy technologies.
An intelligent power grid will be set up on the island - to harness electricity from a variety of renewable power sources, and then regulate the flow of the power generated. A smart grid gets around the uncertainty of relying on one source of energy, which can make power supply patchy if, say, the wind dies down.
The Energy Market Authority (EMA) is calling for clean-energy companies to propose plans for such a grid.
If the experiment on the rustic island succeeds, the technology can later be applied to the generation and distribution of power on mainland Singapore.
Smart grids being tested in Germany and the United States hold the promise of a steady electricity supply at lower cost and with less waste.
Clean-energy technologies include the conversion of sunlight into electricity, and the use of the sun's heat to boil water and thus producing steam to drive turbines. Biofuels in the form of algae and waste are another energy source.
caiwj@sph.com.sg
Read the full story in Thursday's edition of The Straits Times.
