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Our Energy Story

Overview

Discover how the Singapore Energy Story sets the vision towards a net-zero energy future.

Energy Supply

Gain insights into the four switches that power Singapore’s economy and our daily lives.

Energy Demand

Discover ways to enhance energy efficiency and lower your carbon footprint.

Energy Grid

Explore how EMA ensures a reliable and secure energy supply for everyone.

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Learn about the intricacies of Singapore’s energy market structure and operations.

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Access information on installing solar panels at your home and selling excess electricity to the national grid.

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Charging Up Singapore's Grid Resilience

24 Jan 2024
Featured Stories 24 Jan 2024

Singapore has been deploying energy storage systems (ESS) to enhance power grid stability in support of greater sustainability.

Situated just one degree north of the equator, Singapore enjoys abundant sunshine throughout the year. It is no wonder that solar is the most promising domestic renewable energy source for Singapore. However, the journey to harness solar energy is not without its challenges.

The intermittent nature of solar power could lead to variations in solar energy output, particularly during cloudy days and rainy weather. Such variations impact the stability of our power grid.

Energy Storage Systems - a Clean Energy Game-changer

At the Industry Ecosystem Development Department, Jason Chua works on driving energy research and innovation in energy storage.

An answer to this solar intermittency challenge lies in Energy Storage Systems (ESS).

Jason Chua, a Senior Engineer in the Industry Ecosystem Development Department of Energy Market Authority (EMA), likened the ESS to the portable power bank we normally use to charge mobile devices. “An ESS is built on a larger scale and works the same way,” he said.

“It supports Singapore’s power grid system by storing energy when electricity demand is low and discharging it during periods of high electricity demand.”

ESS also plays a crucial role in maintaining the stability of our power grid, especially with the increasing demand for energy and the integration of cleaner energy sources like solar into the power system.

Jason explained, “ESS is a technology that can swiftly act to balance the demand and supply of electricity. It serves as a valuable and flexible resource for our power grid, offering back-up energy supply to address any shortfall that could disrupt power system reliability.”

Overcoming Energy Challenges with ESS

In 2022, a global energy crunch impacted fuel supplies worldwide, including Singapore. Ensuring the resilience of our power supply became even more critical given our dependence on energy imports.

“About 95% of our electricity relies on imported natural gas. Thus, we had to quickly devise and implement pre-emptive measures. This is where ESS played a pivotal role”, Jason revealed.

EMA, together with Sembcorp Industries and other agencies, worked to get the Sembcorp Energy Storage System up and running in a short period of six months. As Southeast Asia’s largest ESS, it has a maximum storage capacity of 285 megawatt-hours (MWh), capable of meeting the electricity needs of around 24,000 four-room HDB households daily for one day, in a single discharge.

Spanning across 2 hectares of land on Jurong Island, the Sembcorp ESS is Southeast Asia’s largest ESS and is the fastest in the world of its size to be deployed. (Courtesy of Sembcorp Industries)

Jason, who was actively involved in this project, revealed, “This project would not have been possible without the close partnerships we have with the industry. Typically, a project of this scale would have taken over a year to complete, from design conceptualisation to deployment. Yet, we managed to get this utility-scale ESS operational in just six months.”

Besides land-based ESS, EMA is also collaborating with industry partners to pilot new use cases and business models for ESS.

As part of a partnership between EMA and Seatrium Limited, both parties piloted Singapore’s first floating and stacked ESS on Seatrium’s Floating Living Lab.

With a deployment footprint of up to 40% less than land-based ESS, this project offers valuable insights for future ESS deployments on mainland Singapore to effectively overcome our land constraints.

The first stacked ESS in Southeast Asia is set to commence operations in the first quarter of 2024. (Photo courtesy of Seatrium Limited)

Another collaboration is with Shell Singapore to pilot the first series of smart and clean energy-powered service stations for electric vehicles (EVs). The ESS, supported by Shell’s smart energy management system, facilitates high-powered EV charging at the stations while working within power constraints at the site. Energy harnessed from the solar panels installed on the rooftops of Shell’s stations is also stored in the ESS to provide clean electricity to charge the EVs.

 

Three Shell stations in Tampines, Pasir Ris, and Lakeview offer EV charging using renewable energy, including rooftop solar panels. (Photo courtesy of Shell) 

Keeping Pace with Global Developments

As with all technologies, new ESS solutions are being developed and piloted globally at a rapid pace.

This is why EMA keeps a close watch on global developments and launched its second Energy Storage Grant Call to invite companies to develop and test-bed innovative ESS solutions which are safer, more space-efficient and cost-effective to better meet Singapore’s needs.

“Addressing climate change is a global imperative, and the energy industry is one that can meaningfully move the needle. I’m thrilled to be part of the action to drive meaningful change through energy innovation and partnerships,” Jason said.

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