Written reply to PQ on natural gas

Question

Mr Gan Thiam Poh: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry what progress has been made in extending natural gas pipes islandwide to promote the use of natural gas especially to all industrial estates.

Written Answer by Minister for Trade & Industry Mr Chan Chun Sing

1. Our natural gas pipeline network has been expanding to meet growing demand from power plants and the industry since large-scale natural gas imports began in 2001. Between 2001 and 2011, 245 km of pipelines were built. Over the past ten years, the natural gas pipeline network expanded by around 150 km, or by around 61%.   

2. The development and extension of natural gas pipelines is capital-intensive. The natural gas pipeline network covers our industrial estates in western and northern Singapore where there is sufficient natural gas demand today. The remaining industrial estates do not have sufficient natural gas demand currently to justify extending the natural gas network to them. Any expansion of the natural gas pipeline network will depend on several factors, including whether there is sustained demand growth in these industrial estates; whether the industry’s needs can be met with safer and more environmentally sustainable solutions as these become more viable with technological development; and the financial viability and pricing of various options.

3. Besides switching to cleaner fuels such as natural gas to reduce their carbon emissions, companies can consider electrification, utilise renewable energy such as solar power, or implement energy efficiency measures, to reduce their carbon emissions. Companies can also tap on various energy efficiency grant schemes to improve their energy efficiency.