SENIOR Minister Goh Chok Tong attributes our present water
self-sufficiency to political will, sheer determination and
creativity ('Clean water a result of a wave of effort';
Monday).
It is now time to focus on garnering new energy resources.
In the same way that our neighbours cannot be depended upon to
sell us water in perpetuity, neither can we assume that, in the
future, Singapore will not be deprived of oil and gas. Our search
and development of alternative sources of energy must start now and
should have no less the intensity and ingenuity we levied on
water.
After the recent Japanese disaster, nuclear power is clearly not
the answer. The world has about 400 nuclear power stations and
already we have had a few major incidents.
The chances of having a disaster if Singapore operated a nuclear
power generator for 100 years are high, a consequence we, on our
postage stamp-size country, just cannot live with.
Even with research on solar power in its infancy, with vast
improvements in costs and efficiencies certain in the future, a
back-of-the-envelope calculation shows that, should all HDB blocks
be installed with solar panels on the roof, 20 per cent of our
present energy needs can be met. The potential seems unlimited.
The science behind solar panels involves semiconductor
technology, which Singapore already excels in. It is well within
our ability to research and manufacture these panels. The market
for them already exceeds $30 billion, and getting a slice of this
action will open up a whole new sector of manufacturing for
Singapore.
Solar energy is clean and green, dependent on an ample resource,
free of encumbrances imposed by neighbours and is difficult to
sabotage.
There is far more for Singapore to gain by embracing solar power
over nuclear energy.
Dr Yik Keng Yeong
Nice contribution. Singapore has all the sun, we should consider
solar energy.. just build the solar receiving devices on top of
every HDB flat.
