Insights on Energy

Jan 15, 2025 8 min read

Energy and Power

By Damon Chee

Discovery+ is a series of online industry panels which gives students the chance to interact with working professionals and learn about the careers they aspire to enter. These panels provide youths and working professionals with the opportunity to better understand industry trends, hear first-hand perspectives from industry professionals, and gain valuable advice on entering or navigating these industries.

On 24 September 2024, Advisory hosted Discover+: Energy, the 88th edition of the Discovery+ series. Speakers on the panel included:

Violet Chen (Moderator), Director, Energy Capabilities Development Department, Energy Market Authority
Filipa Ricciardi, Executive Director, Client Solutions & Asset Operations, EDP Renewables APAC
Low Xin Wei, Assistant Chief Executive, Markets and Systems Division, Energy Market Authority
Michael Lim Tian, Head of Energy Services, Sustainable Energy Solutions, SP Group
Sam Lim, Senior Vice President, Tuas Power
Vickrem Vijayan, Head of Energy Commercial, Singapore, Sembcorp Industries

Attendees included students at various levels of education with a desire to know the different career paths in the energy industry, and how to best position themselves for such roles. Below are some key points shared and answered during the session:

What does the power sector in Singapore consist of today?

It consists of the gas, power generation, transmission and distribution, service support and retail sectors.

A huge supply chain exists which transports natural gas through pipes or ships. The power generation sector consists of crews who are tasked with operating and maintaining the power plants. The transmission and distribution sector refers to the transportation of electricity from power generation plants to electrical substations. Electricity is then distributed from the transmission network to end users, such as households, businesses and industries in the country.

What are the main activities happening for the energy transition scene in Singapore?

Energy transition in Singapore is a big thing as the country plans to achieve net-zero emissions in the next 25 years. As of today, the power sector accounts for approximately 40% of all emissions in Singapore. Most of Singapore’s power generation comes from natural gas, with a small proportion coming from solar energy. The Four Switches – Natural Gas, Solar, Regional Power Grids and Low Carbon Alternatives – is a key part of Singapore’s energy transition. Natural gas will remain a key energy source to ensure energy security, as Singapore scales up the other Switches.

Singapore is one of the most solar dense cities in the world and we are on our way to deploying 2GWp of solar by 2030. Given land constraints, Singapore is maximising solar deployments through innovative solar applications such as on water bodies, temporarily vacant land and sheltered walkways. EMA is targeting to import around 6GW of low-carbon electricity by 2035, which is around one-third of our energy supply then. EMA has given Conditional Approvals and Licenses to electricity imports projects from Indonesia, Cambodia, Vietnam and Australia. If realised, these projects will collectively tap on a diverse mix of renewable energy such as solar, hydro, and wind power.

Singapore needs to look at decarbonising fossil fuel-based power generation as this process is a significant source of carbon dioxide emissions, a greenhouse gas contributing to climate change. Some of these technology processes, such as carbon capture, or replacing natural gas with hydrogen and ammonia to generate electricity, are being worked on. EMA will also be putting in place emission standards for new and repowered fossil fuel-fired power plants to encourage the use of best-in-class technology to reduce carbon emissions from electricity generation. The power system will also require increasingly larger amounts of battery energy storage systems (BESS) for storage to enhance grid resilience and ensure system reliability.

What role does your company play in Singapore’s energy transition scene?

EDP Renewables (EDPR) is the renewable energy arm of EDP Group. In the APAC region, EDPR focuses mainly on solar energy generation through the acquisition (in February 2022) of a leading renewable energy firm in APAC named Sunseap.

Sembcorp is in the business of generating power through natural gas and solar. Owing to a lack of space to generate electricity through solar power, Sembcorp is looking at other ways to decarbonise Singapore through carbon capture, carbon sequestration, and importing ammonia, hydrogen and electricity from the region.

Tuas Power runs gas and solid fuel plants in Singapore. The company is planning to generate renewable energy by using biomass in our solid fuel plant. The company is also committed to meeting the demand of renewable energy in Singapore through supporting various electricity import projects. Through its retail arm, Tuas Power also helps consumers procure renewable energy.

SP Group owns and operates the power grid of Singapore. Now, the company has a suite of sustainable energy solutions to help with decarbonisation such as district cooling systems, solar PV and EV charging facilities. The company sees battery energy storage systems as a key enabler for the future – these storage facilities are required to ensure the energy grid continues to function in a stable and reliable manner even when the generation of renewable energy is intermittent.

What are some key challenges in balancing energy demand amidst the push for greener solutions?

The generation of renewable energy is intermittent in nature and dependent on the weather. During peak sunlight hours, consumers in some countries with high renewable energy penetration may be paid money to consume electricity. However, when these consumers use electricity at night, they may need to pay a premium. The challenge thus lies in coordinating electricity demand and supply at different times of the day or in different seasons – this could be circumvented through technologies such as smart meters and battery storage.

Are there any potential drawbacks to generating more energy through renewable sources?

When Singapore experiences high cloud cover, less solar energy is generated. It is thus important for Singapore to have both predictive capabilities, sufficient battery storage and quick response generation to minimise disruption. We may see energy-generating firms hiring meteorologists to model weather patterns to help prepare them for these scenarios.

In the meantime, EMA is also studying the feasibility of other potential sources of energy such as geothermal and nuclear energy to generate electricity for Singapore.

What projects might a fresh graduate look forward to when joining this industry?

One can split the industry into three categories: commercial, technical and regulatory. It is crucial that fresh graduates remain open to learning as certain job functions in the industry are not taught in school. One should not be too fixated on the type of projects they undertake during their career. Fresh graduates can learn on the job and when opportunities come, they can take on more demanding roles and innovative projects.

What is the likely impact of energy transition on the workforce, as well as the skills and jobs that may be created?

We will start to see the renewables sector offering more jobs when more energy is generated from solar power. Opportunities may extend beyond Singapore as our companies take on regional solar PV projects. Emerging roles overseas such as Solar Energy Data Scientist and Solar Software Developer will require in-demand skills in areas like systems sizing, energy yield calculation and sharing analysis.

In the BESS sector, global trends highlight emerging roles such as Energy Storage Specialists who require skill sets in battery chemistry and technology as seen in international projects like the Hornsdale Power Reserve in South Australia. In Singapore, the growing adoption of BESS, such as the Sembcorp ESS on Jurong Island, will create job opportunities locally. Key roles include ESS Solutions Engineer/Manager, ESS Power System Engineer, ESS Cybersecurity Analyst/Engineer, ESS Data Analyst, and ESS Battery Engineer.

Next, more jobs may be created in the electricity import sector. As Singapore diversifies its energy sources through imports, it will open opportunities for roles in grid integration and power quality management, further expanding the job market in the energy sector. As of now, this is a nascent sector.

Lastly, people who can manage smart grids and make them more efficient through energy management systems, data analytics and the Internet of Things (IoT) would be sought after as well. The ability to analyse large datasets to optimise grid performance and predict energy demands would be particularly valuable in this field.

Amidst the acceleration of the clean energy sector, the traditional power sector remains a critical backbone for Singapore’s energy security. As power generation companies pivot their business models in line with the Singapore Energy Transition, they will continue to require skilled power engineers and technicians to operate and maintain large natural gas power plants, safely and reliably, to keep the lights on for Singapore.

What are the relevant skills that companies look for?

Professionals with design, project, power, mechanical and electrical engineering backgrounds would be sought after.

Having cross-functional knowledge would also be helpful as firms are finding it difficult to look for people with skill sets relating to energy management. When energy storage becomes more prominent, job seekers who are data savvy and can utilise data to create value for the company, along with individuals who understand energy markets would be very desirable. For example, when firms provide commercial services, employees need to understand the technical needs of their potential customers to convince them to use the company’s services.

There are also professionals with seemingly unrelated degrees such as accountancy and social sciences working in the industry. When it comes to soft-skills, recruiters are also looking out for professionals who are hungry, driven, curious and humble.

Is the energy sector male-dominated?

Some departments such as those at the operations plant may be male-dominated.

Over the last few years, more women have pursued a career in this industry and this has helped to bring about greater diversity in the workplace. Roles in business, commercial, and corporate functions do see an even mix of genders, amongst others.

What pointers would you give to individuals who are keen to join this industry?

Should one see a job opening in this sector, take it. There are many different aspects of the industry such as business roles, project management, along with “traditional” engineering roles. It would be helpful if job seekers already possess skills pertaining to data analysis or some knowledge of the technology used in the industry.

For those who wish to make a career switch into this sector, networking with industry professionals remains helpful. A good word from a contact may help you secure that job as companies would want to work with someone whom they can trust. Being passionate, having the curiosity and willingness to solve problems are positive traits which recruiters look out for when assessing prospective employees. Focusing on transferable skills such as project management or having good business acumen can help one stand out more.

While there are some roles in the company that require certain technical skill sets, there are other non-technical roles which one can consider as well. One should not be too worried if the department they join is not their ideal one as it is possible to rotate to the desired one in future.

What tips do you have for students or professionals who would like to stand out amongst their peers in both the hiring process and industry?

It is important that one has the willingness to learn and shows resilience. This is because new technologies may emerge very quickly, requiring individuals to stay up-to-date, learn about them, and have an opinion on their commercial viability or potential opportunities of their use in Singapore.

How do you find meaning in your work and what motivates you to continue on this career track?

The fast-paced nature of the industry is a motivator as one needs to be ahead of the competition in order to do well in the energy transition space. Also, working with a clear purpose in mind helps to make work meaningful. There are many exciting projects to work on like importing electricity from regional countries to Singapore. When successful, it could contribute to a low carbon future for Singapore. Thus, when someone joins the energy sector, they can see the meaning of their work as they are making power generation sustainable for future generations.

Gross additions to wind and solar power are expected to rise significantly in the Asia-Pacific region to meet energy demand. While it costs billions to realise energy transition in the region, it can bring forth new opportunities for those who intend to work in this space. This is exciting news for those aspiring to enter the energy sector in the future!