Louis delivered the following budget cuts at Committee of Supply 2016.

Hitting our Renewable Energy Targets

Louis: Madam, as a small, resource-constrained island, we import almost all our energy needs. Therefore, it is important that we plan ahead and find more sustainable ways to cater to our energy consumption. We also need to find more environmentally friendly ways.

However, due to various technical issues with different forms of renewable energy resources, we can only really rely on solar power. It is estimated that by 2030, we could potentially be tapping on renewable energy to contribute up to 8% of Singapore's peak electricity demand. In addition to our focus on research to improve the performance of solar systems, what further steps are we taking to reach our renewable energy goals?  

Ms Low Yen Ling (The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministers for Trade and Industry): Mr Louis Ng asked about the steps we are taking to achieve our renewable energy goals. Given our geography, solar energy is the most viable form of renewable energy in Singapore. The Government is, therefore, proactively facilitating the greater deployment of solar while ensuring grid stability.

For example, the Government is funding R&D to facilitate the deployment of solar energy, and has streamlined regulations for households using solar power. Alongside improvements in the cost-competitiveness of the technology, these have allowed solar adoption to rise from two Megawatt Peak (MWp) in 2009 to 57 MWp in 2015.

Under the SolarNova programme led by EDB and HDB, the Government is also taking the lead to accelerate solar deployment in Singapore by aggregating solar demand across various Government agencies. HDB, MHA and PUB awarded a tender for an energy supplier to meet 76 MWp of combined demand in December last year, and tenders of 30 to 50 MWp sizes are expected to be launched around every nine months by HDB on behalf of the public agencies. The SolarNova programme will play a key role in furthering our plans to raise solar energy deployment in our system.

Source: Hansard (Parliament of Singapore)

Tackling Climate Change

Louis:  Thank you, Madam. As a small city state on an island, Singapore is not insulated from the impact of climate change. It has been reported that from 1972 to 2014, the annual mean temperature has increased from 26.6°C to 27.7°C. The mean sea level in the Straits of Singapore has also increased at the rate of 1.2mm to 1.7mm per year in the period 1975 to 2009. Rainfall has also become more intense in recent years.

Singapore was supportive of the historic COP21 climate deal last year, declaring its intention to reduce Emissions Intensity by 36% from 2005 levels by 2030, and stabilise emissions with the aim of peaking around 2030. What specific steps will the Government be taking to ensure that we meet these goals? Will the Government be moving beyond its current strategy of improving energy efficiency, towards investments in renewable energy, or reducing our economic reliance on high carbon industries?

Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M (MEWR): This is a good juncture to move on to talk about climate change, which Mr Pritam Singh, Mr Louis Ng and Miss Cheng Li Hui have talked about.

Indeed, while our pioneers were concerned with the environment impact of urbanisation and dense population to health and hygiene, we are now faced with the impact of climate change. Climate change will have far-reaching implications on us and future generations. As an island state, we are most vulnerable.

Our delegation, therefore, worked hard to broker consensus on the Paris Agreement so that all countries will take concrete action for it to be effective. Although Singapore only contributes 0.11% of global emissions, we are no less serious and have an ambitious target to reduce emissions intensity.

The Inter-Ministerial Committee on Climate Change, under the leadership of Deputy Prime Minister Teo, is formulating our national response to fight climate change to meet our obligations and prepare for its impact. We have to look systematically at every area while continuing to ensure environmental sustainability, economic competitiveness and energy security. It also means consumers, households and industries, all of us, need to be prepared to make significant adjustments and trade-offs.

To reduce emissions, energy efficiency remains our key strategy − we will enhance existing policies and study the introduction of new measures to improve the energy efficiency of industrial equipment and processes, our buildings, and transportation.

Although Singapore has limited alternative energy options, we can do more in terms of adopting solar energy. We have made progress towards increasing the deployment of solar energy to at least 350 MegaWatt peak by 2020. This will make up 5% of the projected peak electricity demand.

Source: Hansard (Parliament of Singapore)

Louis delivered the following budget cut on Promoting the Use of Solar Energy at Committee of Supply 2020.

Louis: Sir, the Young PAP held a focus group discussion last month with 16 climate activists and drafted 24 recommendations. These included incentivising solar energy, which is the most viable clean energy source in Singapore. 

In Nee Soon, 64% of the electricity for municipal fittings is from solar energy. We should all move towards being fully solar powered. 

Will MEWR provide incentives to encourage solar deployment on rooftops and also provide consumers with rebates for electricity plans that use solar energy? Will MEWR also deploy more floating solar panels at our reservoirs? 

Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M (MEWR): Mr Louis Ng asked if we can deploy more solar panels on reservoirs. This year, PUB will deploy two 1.5 mega-watt peak (MWp) floating solar systems at Bedok and Lower Seletar Reservoirs. Next year, PUB will deploy the world's largest single floating solar system of 60 mega-watt peak at Tengeh Reservoir. The power generated from this system alone is sufficient to meet the energy of all our water treatment plants at local reservoirs. With this, Singapore's waterworks will be one of the few in the world to be 100% green. 

PUB is also making strides towards improving the energy efficiency of NEWater and desalinated water production. 

Mr Louis Ng also asked if the Government can provide consumers with rebates for using solar energy. Subsidies, such as rebates, distort the energy markets. Pricing energy right will encourage the growth of renewable energy in a commercially viable manner and incentivise consumers to use electricity efficiently, avoiding wasteful consumption.

Instead of rebates, the Government has streamlined regulations and funded research to support higher deployment of solar.

My Ministry also intends to be exemplary in optimising the water-energy-waste nexus. We will set out to generate sufficient energy from waste incineration and solar photovoltaic systems to power all of my Ministry's needs, especially in the production of water and the projected production of food.

In the long run, it is only with groundbreaking technology that we can make huge leaps in climate mitigation. In the horizon are carbon capture, utilisation and storage technologies, and the use of hydrogen as an alternative fuel. We will stay abreast of these developments.

Source: Hansard (Parliament of Singapore)