Assignment #2 : Summary and Reader Response (ENGIE - District heating and cooling systems)

 In the webpage, “District heating and cooling systems'', ENGIE (2013) has discussed the benefits and advantages of adopting a cooling network system. A cooling network is a centralized system that supplies chilled water to an air conditioning system. ENGIE has been established as the world’s largest independent provider of urban cooling networks by Tabreed, a leader in the Gulf state urban climate control systems market. The webpage has mentioned that ENGIE has customized its services based on the countries’ needs. ENGIE’s approach of its cooling network in comparison to a conventional air conditioning system has achieved greater energy efficiency, lesser water, and electricity consumption, and has emitted less carbon dioxide. The advantages of implementing a cooling network can be seen from ENGIE’s operation in Paris which is one of the largest cooling networks in the world. Its energy efficiency has improved by 50% and its carbon dioxide emission has been reduced by 50%.

Since the webpage has demonstrated that the implementation of a district cooling network system has a sustainable impact on the environment, Singapore would require full commitment to implement more district cooling networks projects as it will be a contributing factor to mitigate the current Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect and greenhouse gas emissions which are contributing determinants to Singapore’s climate change problems.

One project in Singapore that has implemented the district cooling network has been operating at Marina Bay since 2006. This project is the world’s largest underground district cooling network.  It is operated by Singapore Power (SP) Group. The system serves more than 20 developments. The notable customers are developments such as the iconic Marina Bay Sands, Gardens by the Bay, and the Marina Bay Financial Centre (SP Group, 2021). They are expected to save more than 40% energy savings (Othman, L. 2016). Consequently, immense energy has been saved, and carbon dioxide emission has been reduced which is a great way to tackle Singapore’s climate change problems.

Two upcoming projects in Singapore will be adopting the district cooling network system. Firstly, ENGIE has been awarded by Jurong Town Corporation and Singapore Institute of Technology to design 30,000 refrigeration tons of District Cooling System infrastructure in Punggol Digital District (PDC) in Singapore (ENGIE, 2019). PDC is the first district in Singapore to take on an integrated masterplan approach that brings a business park, a university, and community facilities. This project will enhance energy efficiency and sustainability. Secondly, a future HDB town called Tengah, will be Singapore’s first sustainable town that incorporates the centralised cooling system (CCS). A lower carbon footprint will be achieved with this system compared to other HDB estates in Singapore which will be similar to removing 12.6 million kg of carbon dioxide from the air. Residents in Tengah will be enjoying 30% energy savings (Housing & Development Board, 2021). This BTO project will be an enabler for future housing development projects to undergo the same methodology to alleviate Singapore’s climate change issues.

Despite having the largest cooling network globally and the district cooling network having a sustainable impact on the environment, future residents in Tengah are not concordant with the cooling system to be installed in their property. According to the article from The Strait Times (Ng, M. 2020), approximately 1,000 households from 8,000 flats that were launched in the BTO exercise have opted for the cooling system. This may seem that Singaporeans in general do not understand the importance and advantages of adopting the cooling network system.

Thus far, the implementation of a district cooling network in Singapore has only been carried out in new developments. A district cooling network has yet to be implemented in completed developments in Singapore. However, this may change because of a feasibility study done by Temasek and SP Group to transform Tampines into a sustainable town by 2025. The study involves 14 buildings in Tampines to utilise a distributed district cooling (DDC) network. Data collected has shown that DDC in Tampines could likely achieve a 17% reduction in energy consumption, 18% fall in carbon emissions from both energy savings and refrigerant reduction (Temasek, 2021). The owners of seven of those buildings, including CapitaLand and Frasers Property, signed letters of intent with SP expressing their interest in subscribing to the district cooling network.

Successful implementation of the DDC network in Tampines would be a pathway for many developments that are already built upon to adopt the district cooling network. Therefore, in an effort to contribute to sustainability in Singapore, the government has to start implementing more district cooling network on older developments. The implementation of the district cooling networks will contribute to mitigating Singapore’s current UHI effect issue and greenhouse gas emissions.

 

References

ENGIE. (2013, February 11). District heating and cooling systems.

https://www.engie.com/en/businesses/district-heating-cooling-systems

ENGIE. (2019, March 07). ENGIE wins project for the design of District Cooling System in Punggol Digital District in Singapore.  

https://www.engie.com/en/news/project-cooling-system-punggol-digital-district-singapore

Housing & Development Board. (2021, September n.d.). Tengah.

https://www.hdb.gov.sg/cs/infoweb/about-us/history/hdb-towns-your-home/tengah

Ng, M. (2020, October 19). Nearly 1,000 households in Tengah sign up for centralised cooling system. The Strait Times.

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/housing/nearly-1000-households-in-tengah-have-signed-up-for-centralised-cooling-system

Othman, L. (2016, March 03). World’s biggest underground district cooling network now at Marina Bay. Today.

https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/plant-underground-district-cooling-network-marina-bay-commissioned

SP Group. (2021, August n.d.). Cooling & Heating.

https://www.spgroup.com.sg/sustainable-energy-solutions/our-low-carbon-solutions/cooling-and-heating

Temasek. (2021, August 19). Bringing Distributed District Cooling to Our Town Centres – A Cool Solution for a Greener Singapore.

https://www.temasek.com.sg/en/news-and-views/news-room/news/2021/distributed-district-cooling-for-a-greener-singapore

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