Posted on 15 July 2022 on https://www.ema.gov.sg
Two local startups have been awarded grants to enhance and test-bed their sustainable solutions in underwater infrastructure inspection and the production of low-carbon hydrogen. The award is part of the $8 million partnership between the Energy Market Authority (EMA) and Shell, with support from Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG), to nurture local start-ups.
2 The companies awarded this year are BeeX Pte Ltd and SunGreenH2 Pte Ltd. As a deep tech spin-off from the National University of Singapore, BeeX Pte Ltd specialises in designing and building autonomous equipment used for inspection of underwater infrastructure. Their solution could potentially be used to remotely monitor and inspect underwater energy infrastructure such as subsea cables or floating solar photovoltaic systems. This reduces the need for manual inspections as Singapore scales up solar deployment on water bodies and taps on regional power grids to import low-carbon electricity. For their pilot, BeeX will be collaborating with Shell to trial a HAUV (Hovering Autonomous Underwater Vehicle), to make underwater inspections safer, more efficient and effective at the Shell Energy and Chemicals Park Singapore on Pulau Bukom.
3 The other awarded startup, SunGreenH2 Pte Ltd has developed a proprietary electrolyser technology used to produce low-carbon hydrogen. The Anion Exchange Membrane (AEM) technology has the potential to improve the efficiency and cost effectiveness of producing low-carbon hydrogen, a clean renewable energy source that may one day become an alternative fuel for power generation. More details of the two startups’ solutions are in the Annex.
4 Mr Ngiam Shih Chun, Chief Executive of EMA, said, “As the energy sector advances towards a more sustainable future in support of Singapore’s net-zero aspiration, we see a need for all stakeholders to play their part. EMA is therefore pleased to support our local startups in developing their innovative solutions and bring them a step closer to commercialisation. This will also enhance the overall vibrancy of the energy ecosystem and foster greater collaboration among the different industry players.” About EMA-Shell Partnership
5 EMA and Shell kicked off their partnership in 2019 to nurture local energy startups through the Shell StartUp Engine Singapore accelerator programme. The programme supports energy startups wanting to deepen their expertise in areas such as renewable energy, energy efficiency and low-carbon solutions. Support provided includes access to capacity-building workshops, mentorship and opportunities to showcase their solutions at key industry events. To date, the partnership has supported 18 startups. Among the supported startups, EMA has also provided grants to selected startups to further develop their solutions to advance the energy sector’s transition towards greener sources.
6 Mr Thomas Wong, General Manager of Shell Energy and Chemicals Park Singapore at Bukom and Chairman of Shell StartUp Engine Singapore Committee said, “We strongly believe that innovating and collaborating with the different players of the energy value chain is key in moving towards a low-carbon world. Startups are an exciting source of new ideas and innovation. We continue to be committed in partnering stakeholders like EMA to nurture the ecosystem. Supporting and working with local innovative startups like BeeX and SunGreenH2 is valuable in not only helping us to transform our business and the industry, but also contributing towards a net-zero world.”
7 Applications for the Shell StartUp Engine Singapore 2022 programme is now open. Interested startups may visit the Shell website for more details.
8 The partnership is also supported by EnterpriseSG under its Open Innovation initiative, which leverages lead demand from government agencies and business corporations to support small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and startups in developing innovative solutions.
9 Mr Jeffrey Siow, Managing Director & Chief Operating Officer of EnterpriseSG, said, “Enterprise Singapore is pleased to support EMA and Shell’s co-innovation partnership. Through this initiative, our startups and companies can build their track records and gain new capabilities. Such industry partnerships are important to develop a dynamic and collaborative energy ecosystem.”