Government Needs to Come Clean on Coal

Grace Chua of the Straits Times wrote an article today on “Reign of old king coal is not necessarily over“, exploring the upsides and downsides of using coal.

Here is Eugene’s reply letter to the ST Editor:

I refer to the article, “Reign of old king coal is not necessarily over” by Grace Chua (ST Mar 19).

The article highlighted several environmental and technological uncertainties associated with the use of coal, which would be best answered by the government. The public needs to know the pros and cons of using coal, and it would help if the government openly and clearly explains its decision to use coal, while anticipating the coming carbon-constrained world, maintaining our clean and green image, and achieving our aim to be a clean energy hub.

For a start, the government could clarify the following:

1. Has the government assessed the environmental impacts of using coal or conducted a life cycle assessment study of coal? How does it compare with natural gas?

2. Would the government require the upcoming coal and biomass-fired power plant by Tuas Power or new power plants using coal, to conduct an environmental impact assessment before going ahead to construct?

3. Would the use of coal lead to more carbon emissions as compared to using natural gas, and undermine the government’s own efforts to reduce emissions by 16% from 2020 business-as-usual levels?

4. Is the government funding research on carbon capture and storage, or technology to reduce coal emissions so that they are on par with those from natural gas?

5. Would the use of coal tarnish Singapore’s reputation as a clean and green city?

6. Would the use of coal without carbon capture and storage technology contradict Singapore’s vision to be a clean energy hub?

7. Would the use of coal reduce the demand for LNG and challenge the viability of the government’s new LNG terminal?

Recommendations and Strategies by the Economic Strategies Committee

The Economic Strategies Committee (ESC) has completed its work and has submitted the report of its key recommendations to the Prime Minister. The report is released today and can be downloaded at the ESC website.

The ESC was formed in May 2009 to:

develop strategies for Singapore to build capabilities and maximise opportunities as a global city in a new world environment, so as to achieve sustained and inclusive growth.

The ESC is chaired by Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Minister for Finance, and comprises members from the government, the labour movement, the private sector as well as academia.

Key Recommendations:

We must achieve higher productivity growth of 2 to 3 percent per year, enabling our GDP to grow on average by 3 to 5 percent per year over the next decade.

Increased productivity is not achieved merely through increased efficiency, but restructuring our economy to provide more room for rapidly growing and innovative enterprises.

7 Key Strategies:

1. Growing through skills and innovation
2. Anchor Singapore as a Global-Asia Hub
3. Build a Vibrant and Diverse Corporate Ecosystem
4. Make Innovation Pervasive, and Strengthen Commercialisation of R&D
5. Become a Smart Energy Economy
6. Enhance Land Productivity to Secure Future Growth
7. Build a Distinctive Global City and an Endearing Home

Here’s the ESC’s recommendations on Smart Energy Economy in the report: Read more

Clean Coal and Biomass Cogeneration Plant by Tuas Power: A Chronology

This is a chronology of the news and responses on Tuas Power’s clean coal and biomass cogeneration plant.

14 Mar 08 – Tuas Power sold to China Huaneng Group (Temasek successfully completes divestment of Tuas Power by Temasek Holdings)

27 Mar 08 – Tuas Power announced that it is looking at building a $2 billion coal-fired plant (Tuas Power may build $2b coal-fired plant by Business Times)

2 Apr 08 – We think it is highly possible that Tuas Power would take the coal route and expressed our concerns (Red dot goes black? by AsiaIsGreen)

26 Sep 08 – Tuas Power announced plans to build a $2 billion steam and electricity production plant to run on clean coal and biomass on Jurong Island (Tuas Power to build $2b ‘clean’ plant by Straits Times) Read more

Update on Tuas Power’s clean coal plant (part 2)

The Straits Times did not publish our reply letter so we sent the following email to NEA, EMA and Tuas Power:

I refer to the reply letters, “Clean coal: Assurance by Tuas Power” by Tuas Power and “Plant balances cost and green concerns” by the National Environment Agency and Energy Market Authority. It is reassuring that Tuas Power and the Government are committed to environmental sustainability.

In the reply from NEA and EMA, I find that the comparison of carbon emissions between the new plant and existing oil-fired plants is inappropriate. Singapore generates 80 per cent of its electricity by natural gas-fired plants, which are more efficient and less carbon
intensive than oil-fired plants. Since gas-fired plants are the main type of technology used in Singapore, new plants to be built should be using technologies that produce carbon emissions at a level that is equivalent to or better than the existing gas-fired plants, and not the oil-fired plants.

I would appreciate an answer from NEA, EMA or Tuas Power on the following question: What is the carbon emission per unit of electricity generation for Tuas Power’s new plant, and is it less or more than a gas-fired plant?

If Singapore is committed to do its part in global efforts to tackle climate change, we should be using fuel and technologies that reduce carbon emissions.

Thank you.

This is NEA and EMA’s reply: Read more

Update on Tuas Power’s clean coal plant

Tuas Power, National Environment Agency and Energy Market Authority replied to our letter on the new clean coal plant being one step forward and two steps backward in Singapore’s green efforts. This is our reply to The Straits Times:

I refer to the reply letters, “Clean coal: Assurance by Tuas Power” by Tuas Power and “Plant balances cost and green concerns” by the National Environment Agency and Energy Market Authority. It is reassuring that Tuas Power and the Government are committed to environmental sustainability. However, I find that the comparison of carbon emissions between the new plant and existing oil-fired plants is inappropriate.

Singapore generates 80 per cent of its electricity by natural gas-fired plants, which are more efficient and less carbon intensive than oil-fired plants. Since gas-fired plants are the main type of technology used in Singapore, new plants to be built should be using
technologies that produce carbon emissions at a level that is equivalent to or better than the existing gas-fired plants, and not the oil-fired plants.

Is the carbon emission per unit of electricity generation for Tuas Power’s new plant less or more than a gas-fired plant?

If Singapore is committed to do its part in global efforts to tackle climate change, we should be using fuel and technologies that reduce carbon emissions.

Tuas Power vs Senoko Power

Which power plant is greener? Tuas Power or Senoko Power?

Tuas Power is building a clean coal and biomass plant:

Mr Lim Kong Puay, chief executive of Tuas Power, said: “The efficient use of the cogeneration technology coupled with biomass and clean coal allows us to achieve savings, and this saving will be passed on to our industrial consumers.”

‘Overall, we are able to produce one unit of energy at a more competitive cost,’ said Tuas Power president and CEO Lim Kong Puay.

Senoko Power is converting its plants from oil-fired to gas-fired:

Senoko had considered using coal, which is a cheaper fuel, Mr Adair said, but was very conscious of its carbon footprint which is two-and-a-half times that of natural gas. On the other hand, the carbon footprint of gas is also only 60 per cent that of oil. The genco will be seeking carbon credits for the project, he added.

Tuas Power is building Singapore’s first ‘clean coal’ power plant

Tuas Power is going ahead with its plan to build Singapore’s first clean coal and biomass plant. We expressed concerns about Tuas Power’s proposed plans in our previous post, Red dot goes black?, and our worries have come true.

We wrote the following letter to The Straits Times to express our concerns about the use of coal by Tuas Power:

I refer to the article, “Tuas Power to build $2b ‘clean’ plant” by Clarissa Oon (ST Sep 26).

Clean coal is an oxymoron as coal is associated with multiple environmental problems such as habitat destruction, acid rain and global warming. Burning coal produces higher levels of carbon dioxide, sulphur oxides, nitrogen oxides, particulates and mercury.

With these environmental impacts in mind, Tuas Power and the National Environment Agency need to reassure the public and concerned environmentalists on the use of coal in the new plant.

Would the new plant meet the relevant air emissions and environmental regulations? Are carbon emissions per kilowatt hour higher for the new plant as compared to a natural gas-fired plant? Would the use of coal in the new plant lead to greater use of coal by other power generation companies?

This switch to using coal by Tuas Power seems to contradict the government’s efforts and plans on sustainable development. The new plant should not increase Singapore’s environmental impacts, especially our carbon emissions. If not, it would seem that we are moving one step forward and two steps backward on our green efforts.

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