Energy efficiency: Global concern, local action
Since its inception in 1974, the International Energy Agency (IEA) has become a global leader in driving the green transition away from fossil fuels1, by guiding, training and partnering with countries to shape and secure a sustainable energy future for themselves. In October 2024, IEA opened its very first office outside of their Paris headquarters, by setting up its IEA Regional Cooperation Centre in Singapore2.
During the inauguration of its new Singapore office, the IEA acknowledged that South East Asia presents itself as one of the most dynamic and fastest-growing regions in the world, making it a critical player in the world’s energy transition1. Thus, having a presence here in Singapore will enable the IEA to deepen and expand its longstanding collaboration with South East Asian countries as they navigate the significant opportunities and challenges ahead2.
How can Singapore benefit from this? Simply put, we are now in a position to help accelerate South East Asia’s transition to cleaner energy.
Many organisations in Singapore have been and are actively working towards reducing their environmental impact by partnering with clean energy solutions providers - such as SP Group - to help implement renewable energy tools and tactics.
Buildings account for about 40% of energy-related carbon emissions, much of which comes from air-conditioning. But by enabling smarter building management, carbon emissions can be drastically lowered. For example, City Developments Limited (CDL) was looking for a way to optimise their energy usage while enhancing occupant comfort in an office floor at Republic Plaza. GET® Control was deployed as the solution. This system uses smart sensors across the floor to monitor the ambient temperature and automatically adjusts the airflow in warmer or cooler spots, making it more comfortable for occupants while maximising energy and operational efficiency. For CDL, this resulted in 18% total energy savings. Another company that has benefited from GET® Control is Airbus, which enjoyed a 48.8% reduction on electricity consumption after deployment of the system in its Airbus Asia Training Centre.
For larger networks of buildings, district cooling has become a transformative solution for larger-scale cooling while lowering energy consumption. District cooling is a centralised cooling or heating system that distributes chilled or hot water and supplies air-conditioning to a network of buildings. So instead of individual buildings having to install their own chillers, a group of buildings can now benefit from shared efficiencies through consolidated equipment and operations.
The Marina Bay district cooling network, pioneered by SP Group, is currently the largest underground network in the world, serving 28 buildings in the area including Gardens by the Bay and Marina Bay Sands Integrated Resort Expansion, with Suntec City as the latest addition to this network.
In regional efforts towards decarbonisation, Singapore can work with other countries in their energy transitions by lending technologies suitable to their unique needs. When TKG Taekwang Vina, a manufacturing leader in Vietnam, set an ambitious target of 14.4% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2025, they decided to partner with SP Group to help them. Sunshine is a commodity that Vietnam has in abundance, so the solution proposed was to develop and install up to 20 Megawatt-peak (MWp) of rooftop solar power at their three mega factories. The system was designed to generate more than 28,000 megawatt-hours of green energy, while helping to reduce 22,000 tonnes of carbon emissions annually. Another similar partnership is located in Thailand, for Malee Group, a leading player in the country’s beverage manufacturing industry. The project involves installing 1.0 Megawatt-peak (MWp) rooftop solar photovoltaics (PV), making it the first Malee-branded factory to tap into solar power to green its energy mix.
Accelerating action on energy efficiency is a collective effort, a belief that undergirds the IEA and drives the agenda of its Annual Global Conference on Energy Efficiency. For more information on this year’s upcoming 10th Annual Global Conference on Energy Efficiency in Brussels, click here.
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Footnotes
1IEA sets up new office in Singapore to strengthen energy collaboration in Southeast Asia, iea.org, October 2024
2IEA and Singapore will set up regional energy centre to spur Asia’s green transition, Straits Times, February 2024