Waste-to-energy plants

The National Environment Agency operates 4 waste-to-energy plants (refuse incineration plants) with capacity to process 8,200 tons of refuse a day in total. About 2.42 million tons of refuse (92 per cent of the total waste collected) was incinerated in 2002. The plants have a total installed electricity generation capacity of 198 MW. The plants consume around 20-25 per cent of the electricity generated and the rest is sold to the grid.

Efficiency measures

The National Energy Efficiency Committee (NEEC) is made up of 44 organizations from public, private and people sectors. The organizations run various programmes to promote energy efficiency in the industrial, building, consumer, transportation and R&D sectors. Some of NEEC’s activities are energy labelling, energy audit scheme, energy efficient building award, fuel economy labelling scheme, and energy experience program.

Energy labelling

A voluntary Energy Labelling initiative for household appliances was launched on 20 April 2002. The Singapore Environmental Council (SEC), under the umbrella of the Singapore Green Labelling Scheme (SGLS), administers the initiative.

The objectives of energy labelling are:

• to provide consumers with information on the energy efficiency of the labelled product, and allow them to compare it to similar models in the marketplace before deciding on the purchase;
• to clearly differentiate less energy efficient products from more efficient ones, and
• to stimulate the introduction of cost-effective, energy efficient technology.

Refrigerators and air-conditioners, making up 40-65 per cent of household electricity consumption, were selected for labelling.

Energy audit scheme

An Energy Audit Scheme was launched on 9 July 2002. The scheme is voluntary and targeted at large industrial consumers of energy.

The aim of the scheme is to spur companies to systematically identify opportunities for efficiency improvements and to improve their plant design, energy management systems and practices relating to energy efficiency.

Energy efficient building award

The Energy Efficient Building Award is organized by the Building and Construction Authority to give recognition to building owners, architects and engineers who have integrated energy efficiency into building design.

Fuel economy labelling scheme

The Fuel Economy Labelling Scheme is voluntary and will be administered by SEC, under the umbrella of SGLS.

The objectives of the scheme are:

The scheme is scheduled for full implementation by May 2003.

Energy experience program

SP Services Ltd., subsidiary of Singapore Power, conducts the Energy Experience Programme, which aims to help secondary school students understand the importance of energy conservation and the significant role that electricity play in everyday life of Singaporeans as well as to the well-being and progress of the country.

Private sector involvement

Please refer to the website of the Energy Market Authority of Singapore, www.ema.gov.sg, for information on deregulation of the electricity sector in Singapore.