Singapore should switch to Solar or hydrogen energy sources

About A GaL SG

It if it the oil prices which is the cause of all problem in the world. Then i think we should try to use more solar powered enery than convnetional fossil fuel. It would also bring down costs as basically it is free of charge from nature

pisces8 SG

It is easy to say than do.

Yes, solar energy (Sunlight) is free.

To collect solar energy, you need some sort of collector. To build the collector and to maintain the collector requires say S$X for every unit of electricity it delivered.

The conventional power generation plant together with the fossil fuel cost S$Y for every unit of electricity it delivered.

At the moment X is still mach greater than Y. So it is not viable yet to sue solar energy.

robertteh SG

The government needs an economic master plan to provide overall upgrading of the economy. Manpower and preferred new technologies like bio-tech, fuel-cell cars, solar energy and gas energy applications can be incorporated into this EMP.

Based on such master plan, we can aim to create New technology start-ups by pre-planning the careers of best technology students to go into new areas of technology applications even before leaving schools or going into universities.

Our Best students are now taken away by US space companies because our government does not understand technology application and there is no senior ministers well versed in this aspect,

By pre-planning the above-stated new start-ups, we can eventually catch up lost grounds in technology applications the key to our success not all the rhetorics and talks about education and leadership or meritocracy.

The government leaders have not done enough to nurture and develop the value-add industries we need to save eneegy or increase competitiveness.

ditzy SG

The keywords here are "feasilibility" and "economics". Laughing Sure, it sounds like a fantastic idea, but at what cost? At what trouble?

mistyblue SG

idealism vs praticality

ditzy SG

There was this idea that came from an industry and brought up to research level. It involved the use of solar power panels covering a train to supply power to its air-conditioning. After much calculations and discussions, it came to a conclusion, you need a train 1km long to supply that basic amount of power. So the idea was errrrr scraped. Laughing

the Bear SG

while at it, get some dilithium crystals for the warp engines...

it just costs too much...

until there's a huge leap in technology, we're stuck with what we have...

mistyblue SG

Maybe they should not be so ambitious. Aircon require more power. They should just aim at powering up the lights. We have lots of street lamps that can benefit from that but then again, its costly

ditzy SG

Then there was this idea of mine to use the surface area of big buildings and use them to heat water. But then, thinking of all that piping and other etcs, no wonder no one thought of it. Laughing

Atobe SG

The problem - with the Ruling Party a.k.a the (present) Singapore Government - is that decision making is on a TOP-DOWN basis.

Any decision that affects a change in direction that affects any Singapore's 'Structural Policies' will be made from the PM's Office, who will make its decisions to every issue that is presented on a plate of Issues of the Day for decisions to be made.

From the details of the main issues that are thoroughly researched by the Employed Talents, the Prime Minister has to develop his 'PERSONAL' understanding of the issues presented, based on a 'PERSONAL DATA BANK of EXPERIENCE' from which decisions are evaluated and made.

Where 'PERSONAL EXPERIENCE' is lacking, more detailed studies will have to be developed, and until the 'COMFORT LEVEL' is reached for the issues that are to be decided.

With technologies and opportunities being available in fleeting periods of the 'competitive cycles' that are open for grabs by every country that is competing in technological supremacy and progress, can Singapore continue to depend on such highly centralised, Top-Down approach of management ?

With Government Linked Companies competing with Private Enterprises for growth, and justifying its own existence by performance, there have been many instances where the muscle of the GLCs will weigh down on the SMEs - to take on major stakes in new technologies.

Private enterprises have often been stifled by the lack of 'entrepreneurial venture capital' , as Singapore Banks are conservative, and will not venture into this area when their loans are not insured by any Government fundings or tax write-off programs.

Despite the Government's effort to nurture local enterprise, more often then not, it is targetted at sectors in which the GLCs can have a stake - ending up in a situation where the 'money flow is returned to the original pockets' .

mistyblue SG

And we propably can warp into the next galaxy Very Happy

Mr Zulu. Engage! Razz Razz Razz Wink Wink Wink

mistyblue SG

The roof tops can collect water but that requires more re-enforment to the building structures to support extra weight... Roof top reservoirs?
There are already roof top gardens and such, its not that imfeasible...
Perhaps we should have roof tops to grow our vege - ie hydrophonics. easier than relying on imports...

mistyblue SG

Originally posted by Atobe:

The problem - with the Ruling Party a.k.a the (present) Singapore Government - is that [b]decision making is on a TOP-DOWN basis.

[/b]

yeah, that's why till this day nothing creative happens. Laughing

OldAhPek SG

we are such a small dot
even we completely stop using any fuel
the greenhse effect wld still be there
pollution still there
price still continue to rise

if SingaporePower switch to nuclear/solar power
costs of building such facility will be passed on to us
better dont suggest such ideas unless its a cheaper alternative

Atobe SG

'Sun Power' has been tried in Singapore, and is used to power the night lightings at the bus stops all over Singapore.

The problem with 'Sun Power' is with the harvesting and storage of the energy.

Large amount of open space is needed to have the solar cells and solar panels to absorb the sunlight and convert it into usable energy, which need to be stored.

While some have claimed that all the roof tops of HDB flats can be utilised for the installation of Solar Cells and Solar Panels, a solution will have to be found on the efficient storage of the solar energy for usage by 'the many' and over a 'long period of time'.

Not only has this 'Little Red Dot' a big problem with land space, it also has a big problem with territorial waters as well.

'Hydro-Power' will have to depend on some expanse of sea space to be able to tap the powers of the sea current in order to convert its energy for use on land. Again, the problem also is with the storage of converted energy for subsequent use.

Ultimately, Private Enterprise will need to have easy access to research and development funds from Private or Public Venture Capital, which will have to be insured by Government approved budget plans.

This approach will ultimately help to develop new technologies for Singapore to make a mark in this highly competitive and rewarding field.

robertteh SG

Originally posted by Atobe:

The problem - with the Ruling Party a.k.a the (present) Singapore Government - is that [b]decision making is on a TOP-DOWN basis.

Any decision that affects a change in direction that affects any Singapore's 'Structural Policies' will be made from the PM's Office, who will make its decisions to every issue that is presented on a plate of Issues of the Day for decisions to be made.

From the details of the main issues that are thoroughly researched by the Employed Talents, the Prime Minister has to develop his 'PERSONAL' understanding of the issues presented, based on a 'PERSONAL DATA BANK of EXPERIENCE' from which decisions are evaluated and made.

Where 'PERSONAL EXPERIENCE' is lacking, more detailed studies will have to be developed, and until the 'COMFORT LEVEL' is reached for the issues that are to be decided.

With technologies and opportunities being available in fleeting periods of the 'competitive cycles' that are open for grabs by every country that is competing in technological supremacy and progress, can Singapore continue to depend on such highly centralised, Top-Down approach of management ?

[/b]

The number one factor for our loss of economic or technological competitiveness is precisely this top-down system of governing the country.

No leader is able no matter how brilliant to understand every aspect of issues and problems affecting the whole country. He must decentralize and delegate to people who do have the time, energy, passions to go into such matters.

No wonder we lost out in so many fronts over the past 20 years. Big projects were lost like disneyland earlier bid for setting up in Sentosa. We turned away many so-called uncompetitive or pollution projects when actually proper controls and understanding of technology hold the key to success.

Now many factories in Jurong are empty. Why? Only the top-down government kept away new ideas in using these empty factories.

Many IT and computer projects require mutiple disciplined solutions to problems. It is not just cost-effectiveness alone. It is total understanding of our strengths and weakndnesses that will allow us to make the right decisions.

For example, instead of waiting and giving excuses about cost benefits look at our empty lands, empty building and see whether we can introduce certain industries previously not cost-effective to create jobs with a gestation period to groom them to more upgraded projects spin off other upstream or downstream benefits.

I think that one convenient excuse is always about cost effectiveness without in fact knowing enough about the total cost-benefit equation from a greater perspective.