Singapore Reduces Carbon Dioxide Emission Forecasts For 2030

According to Lawrence Wong, Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore, the country has reduced its carbon dioxide emission forecasts for 2030. The city-state will reach a peak in its emissions earlier than expected as it strives for net zero by 2050.

Wong stated that Singapore intends to lower its carbon emission target for 2030 to 60 million tonnes of carbon dioxide at the Singapore International Energy Week conference. In the past, Singapore had set its goal for 2030 to have carbon emissions at 65 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent.

Wong stated that “We will now strive to peak our emissions earlier and reduce our emissions up to 60 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent by 2030.”

“This improvement of 5 million tonnes is significant because it is equivalent to reducing our transport emissions by 2/3rd.” Wong didn’t specify when Singapore’s carbon emissions will peak in his speech.

A spokesperson of Singapore’s National Climate Change Secretariat stated that the country’s exact peak emissions levels as well as the year will depend on its decarbonization efforts. These efforts will be affected by technology and contributions from citizens and businesses.

Wong announced the country’s hydrogen strategy as part of its decarbonization plan. Wong stated that the fuel could provide half of Singapore’s electricity needs by 2050.

The city-state is almost entirely dependent on natural gas for power generation and has very limited land available to build solar farms. Recently, it began importing renewable electricity from Malaysia and Laos.

Singapore will issue an expression of interest for a small-scale commercial power generation project that uses low-carbon ammonia. Wong stated that Singaporeans could have electricity from low-carbon hydrogen starting in 2027.

“Through this project, we also hope to catalyze ammonia supply chains that will meet the needs of marine bunkering.”

A further S$129 million will be allocated to support hydrogen research and development through the Low Carbon Energy Research Project. This funding will be in addition to the S$55million of research funding that has been awarded.

Wong stated that the government plans to promote hydrogen trading by creating standards and frameworks, including a guarantee to the origin to certify the low-carbon origin of imported hydrogen.