Pulau Ubin - a ‘green island’ in the making
In a recent report by The Straits Times, there is plan by the Energy Market Authority (EMA) to transform Pulau Ubin into a high-tech test site for renewable energies.
Pulau Ubin, an island located at the Northeast of Singapore, will be made into a model ‘green island‘ powered entirely by the energies generated on the island.
Referring to the picture illustration from the report, the possible sources of clean and renewable energies will come from wind, solar, hydrogen fuel cell, biomass waste and/or sea current.
A tender for a consultancy study has been called, and the project will be award later this month. The six-month study, slated for completion in May, will look at how much energy is needed by residents on the 10 sq km island, and the most cost-effective combination of renewable energy technologies that can be used.
Currently, Pulau Ubin does not draw electricity from Singapore’s main power grid because it has been too expensive to lay transmission cables for such low demand. Instead, about 100 villagers use diesel generators, which are not environmentally friendly.
The Nature Society of Singapore welcomed the project on principle but said it had to be done right from the start. Its president, Dr Shawn Lum said that it would be wise to seek the participation of the inhibitants in the decision-making process as soon as possible.
The Ubin project will no doubt be a great move to provide the inhibitants and the island with self-sufficient, renewable and clean energy. Let’s see how it works out later this month once the project has been awarded.
Source & Image: The Straits Times
Nice story. This sounds very promising. But I’m surprised to see that they are listing biomass waste is a clean and renewable energy. Renewable yes, clean no, at least not in the true sense of the word. A hand covered in germs might look clean to the human eye, but as we all know, clean it is not.
Isn’t it the same with biomass? It might burn cleaner than coal, it might not produce flyash, sulphur dioxide, dirty-looking smoke etc, but that doesn’t mean it is clean.
When will the power companies wake up to the fact that they have to stop producing that colorless, odorless gas called CO2 which is the main cause of global warming and climate change?