Mr Ravi Menon at the GoundBreaking Ceremony of the Experimental Power Grid Power Facility, 16 July 2010

SPEECH BY RAVI MENON, PERMANENT SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY AT GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY OF THE EXPERIMENTAL POWER GRID FACILITY, INSTITUTE OF CHEMICAL AND ENGINEERING SCIENCES, 16 JULY 2010 

Ms Yena Lim

Managing Director, A*STAR

Professor Charles Zukoski

Chairman, Science & Engineering Research Council, A*STAR

Professor Low Teck Seng

Exec Director, Science & Engineering Research Council, A*STAR

Distinguished guests,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Good morning.

The world is facing a serious energy challenge.Demand for energy is rising fast in an increasingly affluent world.Meanwhile, concerns over climate change are growing.There is a worldwide search for sustainable energy solutions.These solutions must encompass several components:

• improving energy efficiency,

• tapping renewable sources of energy,

• perhaps electrifying urban transports

• to name just a few.

One critical piece of the energy solution is to enhance the electricity transmission and distribution networks.The electricity grid is regarded by some as one of the most significant engineering achievements in the 20th century.But with many decades of under-investment, many of today’s electricity grids around the world are not equipped to deal with the new demands being placed on them.

Singapore today has an electricity network that we can be proud of. It is one of the most reliable in the world.The average interruption in electricity supply is less than 1 minute each year. A reliable grid is a key competitive advantage in attracting investments from around the world.But we too need to invest in research and development to further upgrade and improve our grid system, to meet the new demands on our grid.

What are some of these new demands on our grid?First, renewable sources of generation such as solar power are intermittent.They do not have the predictability and stability that are required for the operation of power systems. Second, there is growing use of co-generation and tri-generation technologies, and other forms of distributed generation by our industries – particularly in the chemicals and pharmaceuticals clusters. Third, consumers want more information, choice and control of their energy use.Electricity providers will need to give more options to suit consumer preferences. Meeting these demands will require new technologies and system-level solutions.

The Experimental Power Grid Centre, or EPGC, is one of the milestones in our journey towards becoming a smart energy economy.This S$38 million Centre represents a significant commitment by the government to invest in critical energy research infrastructure.As A*STAR’s dedicated centre for energy research, EPGC will undertake R&D activities for intelligent and decentralised power distribution, interconnection, and utilisation.

Sited here on Jurong Island, it will leverage on the R&D activities and resources of the Institute of Chemical Engineering and Sciences (ICES). The facility, when fully operational in 2011, will be home to some 15 scientists and researchers undertaking various cutting-edge research programmes. They will cover areas such as intelligent grids, integration of renewable energy sources, vehicle-to-grid systems, as well as the development of new generation energy management systems. This research will support our efforts to build a more intelligent grid. This will in turn improve our energy security and resilience.

EPGC’s research efforts will also offer the potential for developing new products and services in the energy sector.EPGC will tap on its strong network of collaborations with government agencies, focus its R&D on new technologies and commercialization, and help stimulate new investments through joint projects with industry.

In fact, I am particularly pleased that industry partnerships will be a key focus of EPGC. Industry partners and research institutions will be able to use this facility to develop and verify new technologies. Some of these partnerships are already in place, such as the MOU signing with SP Power Grid and CEI Contract Manufacturing Ltd, which will take place later this morning.

Meeting the energy challenge will be one of the significant achievements of the 21st century.The electricity grids of tomorrow will become much more intelligent.Singapore is well positioned to play a leading role in the innovation, development and commercialisation of intelligent grid systems.EPGC is a national asset that will serve as a key platform for researchers to collaborate and develop effective energy solutions.

I congratulate A*STAR and EPGC on this significant milestone.

Thank you.