Singapore pressing ahead with R&D on emerging energy options, including hydrogen, geothermal

Singapore is considering all possible options to reduce emissions from its carbon-intensive energy sector.

But some technologies, such as those relating to hydrogen, geothermal, and carbon capture, need more time to mature before they become viable for the country.

In his first interview as Singapore’s Minister-in-charge of Energy and Science & Technology, Dr Tan See Leng spoke at length on some of these areas, and how Singapore is pushing ahead with research and development on these fronts.

“It is hard to commit today to hydrogen, carbon capture, or for that matter, geothermal, because at this particular point in time, we don’t have enough details yet,” he said.

“But we are relentless in our pursuit for research and development, so we have scholars all over to look at which is the cutting-edge technology... Even if we cannot be a first mover in some of it, we want to be the fastest adopter.”

Dr Tan said Singapore will spare no effort in ensuring that the nation achieves its target of net-zero emissions by 2050.

“At the same time, we want... all the different supply pathways to be resilient and affordable. I think that is the key and objective,” he said.
 

On hydrogen

Hydrogen can be considered a clean fuel as it does not produce any planet-warming carbon dioxide when burned.

It can be produced by passing an electrical current through water, separating it into hydrogen and oxygen.

But in order to be considered green, the electricity must be generated by renewable energy, so the process does not emit any carbon dioxide.

Dr Tan said that due to Singapore’s limited renewable energy resources, it is unable to produce green hydrogen domestically.

The Republic would have to instead import this fuel – which must be transported at extremely low temperatures of around minus 253 degrees Celsius.

For context, some COVID-19 mRNA vaccines had to be transported at temperatures ranging from minus 90 degrees Celsius to minus 60 degrees Celsius, and required specialised cold-chain logistics management.

Dr Tan said transporting green hydrogen over long distances is costly, and Singapore is investing in research in developing carrier systems that will allow the country to import it.

For example, the Government has a Directed Hydrogen Programme, which has awarded about S$43 million to six projects that can help make hydrogen technologies more viable and scalable.

One way to transport hydrogen is by using ammonia as a carrier. Ammonia is relatively stable and can be stored and transported at ambient temperatures.

Ammonia can either be combusted directly for electricity generation or “cracked” to separate hydrogen from it, although this reaction would require very high operating temperatures.

Singapore in October 2022 also launched the National Hydrogen Strategy, which will accelerate the development and deployment of hydrogen.

Dr Tan also noted a S$62.5 million Low-Carbon Technology Translational Testbed that will support companies in scaling up low-carbon solutions closer to commercial development.
 

On geothermal energy

Geothermal energy is another potential energy source that Singapore is exploring.

A 2022 report commissioned by the Energy Market Authority (EMA) mentioned that emerging technology, including nuclear and geothermal, could potentially supply around 10 per cent of Singapore’s energy needs by 2050.

In July, The Straits Times reported that a second discovery of high temperatures underground in northern Singapore has shown the potential of using geothermal energy to generate electricity here. Geothermal energy refers to heat derived from the earth’s core.

However, Dr Tan noted that geothermal energy here is still at a “very nascent” stage.

For example, experts have said it remains to be seen if there is feasibility for sustained energy provision – referring to whether the underground heat reservoirs are able to provide sufficient energy to generate electricity in a stable way – to tell if the energy is economically feasible.

EMA had told ST that the authority’s current focus is to map out Singapore’s underground heat resource.

It has commissioned another study to investigate this and the results are expected to be completed in 2026.

EMA is also studying other aspects of geothermal energy deployment, such as how deep geothermal systems would need to be regulated, and what their potential impact on the environment is.
 

On carbon capture and storage

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) solutions essentially refer to technology that can take planet-warming carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere for storage underground.

Singapore is likely to continue to rely on natural gas, a fossil fuel, even as it looks for cleaner energy sources.

But one area being explored is whether emissions from the energy and chemical sectors in Singapore can be captured and stored, Dr Tan said.

He noted that the Government is working with an industry consortium formed by ExxonMobil and Shell, known as S Hub, to study the feasibility of aggregating carbon dioxide emissions in Singapore for storage in other countries.

S Hub has plans to develop a CCS project that can permanently store 2.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide a year by 2030, either in rock formations deep underground or under the seabed.

On 14 July, three power generation companies were given the green light to conduct CCS feasibility studies to help Singapore transition to a low-carbon future.

They will study two pathways of capturing carbon in the power sector to remove carbon emissions.

The first method involves installing an on-site unit to capture carbon dioxide from exhaust gas after natural gas has been burned. The waste gas typically contains carbon dioxide, water vapour, nitrogen, and oxygen.

The other technique involves capturing the carbon dioxide generated when hydrogen is produced from natural gas. The hydrogen can be burned to generate electricity and does not produce any carbon dioxide during the combustion.

“We are starting small. We only target those very hard-to-abate sectors,” said Dr Tan. These are emissions-intensive sectors that have limited alternatives for decarbonisation, and include the power, industry, and chemical sectors found on Jurong Island.

He said carbon capture is a “well-proven” technology that has been in use in Norway.

Other organisations – including the International Energy Agency and Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the UN’s climate science body – consider carbon capture a credible pathway for countries to reach net-zero emissions, he added.
 

Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction.