When food or organic waste breaks down, the gas methane, which can power electricity generators, is released.
But with the Singapore diet typically rich in grease and meat, this gas is not being produced as efficiently. This is because proteins and fatty acids from meat and grease slow down the process.
To get around this, local waste management firm IUT Global has hooked up with Nanyang Technological University researchers to find more efficient ways to produce this valuable gas.
For this effort to develop sustainable-energy technology here, IUT was picked as one of five companies to receive funding from the Energy Market Authority (EMA) for its research.
The other four projects, selected from 88 proposals, aim to build:
- A virtual power plant to tap the excess capacity of industrial factories;
- A better battery system for electric vehicles;
- More efficient motors for air-conditioners and cranes; and
- Security systems for ‘smart’ power grids.
To get these off the ground, the EMA has set aside up to $10 million under its Smart Energy Challenge programme, which was unveiled last year during Singapore International Energy Week, a conference and exhibition for energy issues and technologies.
The money comes from its $25 million Energy Research Development Fund, set up to broaden Singapore’s array of energy sources, cut down on energy intensity and develop the industry.
This year’s Energy Week, to run from Oct 27 until Nov 4, is expected to pull in up to 12,000 industry players, policymakers and academics from Singapore and abroad to share expertise and perhaps collaborate on energy projects.
Jointly organised by the EMA and think-tank Energy Studies Institute, the conference will be the third since 2008.
In a recent interview, IUT chief executive Edwin Khew noted that its bio-gas plant was running under capacity for two reasons: the food waste recycling rate here is low, and the food waste collected is contaminated with plastics and other tableware. ‘Increasing efficiency by 20, 30 or 40 per cent would allow us to generate a lot more power from the same amount of waste,’ he said.
EMA chief Lawrence Wong said it hoped to see Singapore-based energy solutions developed under the Smart Energy Challenge. These will address energy demands in Singapore and capture business opportunities abroad, he added.
The initiative is part of a national push to grow the water and environment-technology sector, which includes developing alternative energy sources and increasing energy efficiency.
The Government is aiming for the clean energy industry to contribute $1.7 billion to Singapore’s gross domestic product by 2015, and for the sector to provide 7,000 jobs in areas like solar power, fuel cells and carbon services.
The Government recently announced that German firm Bosch would develop charging stations for electric vehicles in a national test-bed scheme.
And last month, solar panel conglomerate Hanlong Group announced it would set up its $134 million international headquarters and research and development centre here.
