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
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ReplyDeleteThanks for the rewrite, Randall.
ReplyDelete