Well, its something that we all know that it will keep going up north and can't be avoided due to rising oil prices. For the fourth quarter in a row, the electricity tariff for households will rise by 3 per cent, or 0.69 cent per kilowatt hour, to 23.56 cents per kwh. The average fuel-oil price has grown from $99.38 per barrel three months ago to $102.95 per barrel. The electricity tariff for households jumped by 5.4 per cent, 12.5 per cent and 6.9 per cent in this quarter and the previous two quarters, respectively. With the constant rising of electricity tariffs, solar solutions are certainly becoming more viable.

The Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim launched the Sustainable Manufacturing Centre (SMC) today, spearheaded by the Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology (SIMTech), a research institute of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR).

The SMC aims to showcase and promote the concept of sustainability in manufacturing and create a platform to converge relevant government agencies, industry associations, research community and industry to engage in R&D and implementation of sustainable manufacturing technologies and methodologies. The Centre will work with the manufacturing industry to develop and implement innovative technologies that reduce emissions, wastes and toxicity in manufacturing, promote the recycling and reuse of resources and strengthen the global competitiveness of Singapore’s manufacturing industry in the world where environmental issues have become a major concern.

SMC also showcases exhibits of sustainable manufacturing technologies, best practices, capabilities, success stories and an array of products to inspire innovations in green manufacturing technologies and products.

Solar Research displayed their products at the Centre as well. More photos here.

For press release and GOH speech, please click here.

Coverages: 938 Live | The Straits Times |

Dr Fannon Lim (Standing: 3rd from left), Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, Minister for MEWR (Standing: 8th from left), Ms Yena Lim, MD A*STAR (Standing: 10th from left)

Costing some S$11 million, the BCA has launched a 3 storey Zero Energy Building at Braddell Road. With this showcase, the government hopes to get 80% of all buildings to be certified on Green Mark by 2030.

Read more here with video embedded.

Located in Singapore polytechnic, Singapore's first electric vehicle (EV) charging station is able to generate an average of 3.15kWh/day (enough to charge 4 scooters). Built by Zeco Systems, it expands the currently 4 Greenlots to 5, where the first 4 were tapped into the main power grid. So far Zeco has sold 3 scooters(~$8,000 each), certainly a 'chicken-and-egg' problem for them, because if there are not sufficient or conveniently located charging stations, no one will be buying the scooters. Without the supporting infrastructure, it will be difficult to deploy such vehicles, just like the 4,200 CNG (compressed natural gas) vehicles here supported by 4 re-filling stations, or fuel cell vehicles.

But I feel EV-hybrid vehicles should take off in Singapore, EV charging stations are easier and more economical to build compared to CNG or hydrogen stations. Expect more of these when the new Sentosa opens fully! ;) And probably in time to come, condominium owners will be charging their vehicles overnight at their carpark lots. Towards the Singapore Green Plan 2012!

Singapore energy research gets a boost of almost $300 million in the set-up of the Energy Research Institute @ NTU (ERI@N).

Read more about it here, and official website.

Collaborated between Hemispheres Foundation and Singapore Polytechnic, the carbon footprint calculator was launched at the Singapore Science Centre in conjunction with the "Actions for Earth Carbon Footprint Challenge". More than 800 students pledged to reduce carbon emission through a change in their lifestyle. Visit www.mycarbonfootprint.sg now.

Source: Today | 1 Jun 2009

The government is spending S$68 million as the Clean Energy Programme Office (CEPO) announced the award of 5 private sector projects under the S$20 million Solar Capability Scheme (SCS) today. Another S$17 million was also announced for the second wave of public sector projects.

EDB Press Release | 21 May 09
Channel News Asia | 21 May 09 (with video)
The Straits Times | 21 May 09

Built at a cost of S$10.5 million, the Al-Mawaddah mosque in Sengkang has solar tubes that allows natural light into the building which cuts down the need for electric lamps. Read more here.

Photo credit: Bosch Singapore

The new Bosch building has earned the highest green building award, the Platinum Green Mark award by the Building and Construction Authority. This 223,000 sqft building will boasts an array of solar panels and automated venetian blinds that block out the sun's rays to improve the building's energy efficiency. Bosch will collaborate with the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) on Organic Photovoltaics (OPV) projects to decrease the cost, and establish long-term partnerships with leading R&D institutions.

Sources:
The Straits Times | 13 May 2009
Bosch Press Release | 03 Sep 2008
EDB Press Release | 12 Dec 2007
Bosch Press Release | 12 Dec 2007