Readers Response Draft 4 (clean energy transition)

 In the article, "How Can Southeast Asia's Clean Energy Transition Be Sped Up?" Daubach (2019) addressed the various ways to promote green energy production and the areas that need to be improved in the region. Moniz, the Chief Executive of Energy Futures Initiative and Nuclear Threat Initiative, mentioned that the region is required to deploy a wide variety of low carbon technologies and solutions to electricity generation to reduce emissions (Daubach, 2019). The author mentioned that Singapore is a land-scarce country that may benefit from nuclear fusion or use hydrogen as a zero-emissions fuel for vehicles and energy storage. He reported that the usage of coal, which is the biggest source of greenhouse emissions, had increased in 2018. He added that improving efficiency requirements would reduce electrical consumption. While Daubach (2019) addressed nuclear fusion as a solution that could reduce pollution, it did not mention that there are other solutions, such as reducing the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) usually used as a refrigerant in refrigeration and air conditioning (RAC) equipment and carbon tax implementation. If these two solutions had been mentioned by the author, readers would realize that there is more than one alternative.  

Firstly, Daubach should have mentioned multiple solutions that will help with the prevention of air pollution. Nuclear fusion was the only solution that was explained as a preventive measure to prevent air pollution. This would not be adequate to boost readers' confidence that Singapore is taking action against air pollution. One of the solutions was to reduce the use of HFCs. HFCs are one of the main causes of air pollution. According to The Singapore National Environment Agency (NEA)(2020), they have produced a voluntary label to help customers identify air-conditioner and refrigerator models that use climate-friendly refrigerants. With more usage of climate-friendly refrigerants, HFCs will be reduced. Improper installation of air-conditioner and chiller will lead to leakage of refrigerant. To address this area of need, NEA partners with schools such as the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) and Temasek Polytechnic to conduct training courses to groom students as skilled household air conditioning technicians and chiller technicians (NEA, 2020). NEA (2020) also mentioned that recovering destroyed refrigerants in decommissioned RAC equipment is another way to reduce HFCs. The recovered refrigerants will be transported to approved refrigerant treatment facilities and e-waste recyclers to either re-introduce back to the market to service RAC equipment or eliminate them using established methods of destruction to ensure environmentally sustainable management of spent refrigerants.

Lastly, the implementation of the carbon tax is a crucial step to reduce carbon emission. According to National Climate Change Secretariat (2020), The tax will start at $5/tCO2e from 2019 to 2023. Businesses will have to choose to either reduce emissions or pay the tax. With regards to the taxpayer, it is further supported by Mohan et al. (2021) who states that facilities whose yearly emission reaches more than 25,000tCO2e (metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent) are the one who has to pay the carbon tax. The reason is that 80% of Singapore's emission is due to these facilities. MP Don Wee stated in the article that the revenue received from the carbon tax could be utilized to help with the funding of energy efficiency and green financing schemes, and efficiency grants can reach out to other industries such as transportation and agriculture (Mohan et al.,2021)

Although nuclear fusion may seem like the only solution to reduce emissions, the article should emphasize both the reduction of HFC's and the cost implementation solutions so that readers would have a better understanding of Singapore's approach to the reduction of emissions and the plans the government has in mind to make Singapore a much greener country. 

Reference:

Carbon Tax. (2020, 30th December). https://www.nccs.gov.sg/singapores-climate-action/carbon-tax/

Daubach, T. (2019, 19th July). How can Southeast Asia’s clean energy transition be sped up? Eco-Business. https://www.eco-business.com/news/how-can-southeast-asias-clean-energy-transition-be-sped-up/

Mohan, M & Co, c & Ang, H M (2021, February 2).  Raising carbon tax, improving public sector’s sustainability standards among MPs’ proposals to tackle climate change. Channel News Asia https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/climate-change-motion-parliament-carbon-tax-sustainability-14089372

National Environment Agency. (2020, 12th August). Reducing GHG emissions from the use of refrigerants in RAC sector. Climate Change. https://www.nea.gov.sg/our-services/climate-change-energy-efficiency/climate-change/reducing-ghg-emissions-from-the-use-of-refrigerants-in-rac-sector

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