The launch of STMicroelectronics AMK Industrial Park District Cooling System

SPEECH BY SMS LOW YEN LING 

AT THE LAUNCH OF STMICROELECTRONICS AMK INDUSTRIAL PARK DISTRICT COOLING SYSTEM

ON 21 OCTOBER 2025, 2PM

Thank you, I am very happy to be back at STMicroelectronics, and kudos to the speakers before me, and a really outstanding video.

On behalf of the Ministry of Trade and Industry, I want to extend a warm welcome to the STMicroelectronics Senior Management who flew in from overseas to be here with us, can we put our hands together to welcome them.

A very good afternoon His Excellency Stephen Marchisio, Ambassador of the French Republic to Singapore, and again very good to see you again Mr. Fabio Conte, Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of Italy in Singapore. 

To the senior management of STMicroelectronics, Mr Bertrand Stoltz, very good to see you, second time in two weeks. And a really outstanding (speech), sharing your passion was certainly very palpable – Mr Fabio Gualandris. Mr Eugene Lee and team, who have worked hard on this project. 

Senior management of SP Group – Chairperson, Ms Leong Wai Leng, Group CEO, Mr Stanley Huang, as well as Mr S. Harsha and your team from SP Group.

And of course, the third important organisation, the friends from Daikin, represented and led by Mr Shoji Uehara, Executive Officer-in-charge of Global Operations Division. Can I invite the Daikin team to wave from where you are.

Representing the team from Ministry of Trade and Industry, I have many colleagues from EDB, JTC and A*STAR as well.

Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Introduction

1. Again, it is my pleasure to join you here once again – this time to witness the successful launch of Singapore’s largest industrial district cooling system.

2. I remember very vividly and fondly that three years ago, I came to this location and had the privilege of attending the signing ceremony between STMicroelectronics and SP Group. I remember we were all masked-up back then, after our speeches, we had to wear back our masks – those were the days. STMicroelectronics, SP Group and Daikin, despite the challenges of Covid, had the vision to do this and I think it is really amazing that (it was completed) in a compressed timeline of three years. Three years ago, we celebrated the beginning of a bold partnership and vision of three organisations. Today, we are back here to celebrate the realisation of this bold vision.

3. This project marks STMicroelectronics’ first deployment of district cooling across its manufacturing sites worldwide. We, in the Singapore Government, are really proud of you. This is a very significant feat and demonstrates how advanced manufacturing can both be highly productive and sustainable. 

4. In EDB and in MTI, we pride ourselves as always ensuring and working with our advanced manufacturing sector to make sure that the manufacturing sector will at least comprise 15% to 20% of our GDP. Even as we transit to low carbon future, we want to work with the advanced manufacturing players like in this case, STMicroelectronics, to make sure that we remain highly competitive, highly productive, as well as sustainable.

District cooling as a blueprint for industrial decarbonisation pathway

5. District cooling systems are innovative and efficient solutions for our cooling needs. By aggregating the neighbouring demand in a centralised network to reap economies of scale, district cooling lowers the energy consumption and operating cost required to meet cooling needs, while at the same time saving space in land-scarce Singapore. So it is really, win-win-win on all scores – land, water, and energy.

6. This concept actually is not new to Singapore. Many of you would be familiar with Tampines, which is Singapore’s first town centre retrofitted with a shared cooling system connecting seven buildings. As I understand from SP Group, the Tampines project is the first of its kind project to be built on already developed land. 

7. I am very happy to hear that ST Microelectronics is now breaking new ground for the sector as it deploys its milestone district cooling system. This project, the largest industrial cooling district system in Singapore, will serve as a blueprint for innovative design and deployment of district cooling. In fact, I dare say, this has the potential to be a significant decarbonisation and energy-efficiency pathway for the industry.

8. With a cooling capacity of up to 36,000 refrigeration tonnes, this industrial district cooling system at AMK TechnoPark is expected to help STMicroelectronics reduce its carbon emissions by up to 120,000 tonnes per year. This is the equivalent to removing nearly 110,000 cars from our roads, thereby contributing to Singapore’s sustainability goals. 

Industry and government partnership to advance Singapore’s sustainability goals

9. The success of this project was made possible through the strong public-private parterships. SP Group and Daikin worked closely to repurpose land for the district cooling system, and together with JTC, ensured a seamless development process to implementation. 

10. This very close collaboration exemplifies how companies can also partner with government agencies to pursue win-win-win outcomes: advancing sustainability, improving cost efficiency, and boosting business performance. So going green does not always mean that it comes at a premium. If we put our heads together and think through how we can implement by way of design thinking, innovative design, maximising synergies across various partners, I think we can be highly productive, optimise our resource efficiency at the same time also go green.

11. I want to use this platform to assure you, not only the Ministry of Trade and Industry’s family’s support, but the whole of Singapore’s government support. The government will continue to support this important industry in its decarbonisation as well as energy efficiency efforts through schemes such as the Resource Efficiency Grant for Emissions, which supports eligible emissions reduction projects to sustain our companies’ competitiveness in a low-carbon future. The scheme helps both SMEs and MNCs. 

12. Companies should consider not just deploying district cooling systems for their cooling needs, but also consider integrating them with other sustainable energy solutions such as solar energy, EV charging, and smart metering. By integrating all these energy efficiency solutions, it will certainly enable further carbon emissions reduction and energy efficiency improvements. In so doing, we can all play our part to advance Singapore’s sustainability goals. 

Conclusion

13. Again, I want to represent the MTI family to extend our heartiest congratulations to everyone in STMicroelectronics as well as SP Group on this successful launch.  This achievement is more than an engineering feat – to get this completed without disrupting the 24/7 semiconductor line is really amazing. To get it done in three years, it is really historic and it reflects your shared commitment to innovation and fruitful partnership.

14. As Singapore transitions towards a low-carbon future, we want to use this platform to urge more companies to follow STMicroelectronics’ footsteps to embed innovative energy solutions in operations as well as foster partnerships across public and private sectors to advance Singapore’s sustainability goals and our green future together. 

15. Thank you.