Cooperate to spur use of energy efficient urban solutions, DPM Teo urges researchers, firms and civil society

DPM Teo Chee Hean delivered the opening speech and officially launched Shell Make the Future Singapore 2017 on March 17, 2017. PHOTO: SPH
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SINGAPORE - Universities, research institutes, companies, and civil society can work closely together to drive the adoption of energy efficient and low carbon urban solutions, said Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Teo Chee Hean on Friday (March 17).

Speaking at the Shell Make the Future festival, Mr Teo said that this could be done in three ways.

Universities and research institutes here could work with companies to translate research outcomes to new products and services for the green economy, he said, noting that Singapore has a strong national need for sustainability, and the country already has people in science and research "doing cutting-edge work".

Raising the example of Shell, which has been studying how the energy efficiency of its plants could be improved, DPM Teo added that companies could also take on a leading role in the search for such solutions.

He also said that civil society could help "raise public awareness of the energy and climate change challenge, and help consumers make informed choices and behavioural changes".

The Shell Make the Future festival, held for the first time in Singapore, provides a platform for sharing ideas and solutions to energy problems, such as high carbon dioxide emissions, that affect the world today.

The festival has three interactive zones featuring the proposed ideas. This included one called Pavegen, in which specially fitted floor tiles generate energy when people step on them.

DPM Teo also flagged off the Shell Eco-marathon Asia on Friday, the start of the four-day festival. Participants of the competition from around the world worked to design a vehicle that could travel the furthest on energy equivalent to one litre of fuel.

"The vision for an energy efficient future is something we all share and would like to make the journey towards," said Mr Amrit Mirchandani Changaroth, team manager of the National University of Singapore's team.

Mr Charles Wong, vice-manager of the Singapore University of Technology and Design's team, said the competition was a step in the right direction. "Diesel and gasoline are not sustainable sources of fuel, and electric cars are the future of transport," he said.

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