DPM Teo Chee Hean at launch of Sembcorp-NUS Corporate Laboratory on 20 April 2016

Mr Wong Ngit Liong, Chairman, National University of Singapore Board of Trustees

Prof Tan Chorh Chuan, President, National University of Singapore

Mr Tang Kin Fei, Group President and CEO, Sembcorp Industries

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good morning.

Introduction

1.    Today, we mark the launch of the Sembcorp-NUS Corporate Laboratory. This is the sixth Corporate Laboratory @University supported by the National Research Foundation, and the third by a Singapore company. Through such collaborations between universities and companies, we seek to align public sector research more closely to industry needs, to bring about greater positive impact to our society and economy. This could include new products, services or processes, and good jobs for Singaporeans.

Themes and Focus Areas of Sembcorp-NUS Corporate Lab

2.     The Sembcorp-NUS Corporate Lab will focus on developing cutting-edge and cost-effective technologies in three areas – power generation, industrial wastewater treatment and reuse, as well as waste-to-resource conversion. These will bring about not just economic benefits, but also reduce environmental pollution and support sustainable development.  

3.    First, in the area of power generation, the Corporate Lab will develop advanced predictive maintenance techniques as part of a holistic system for early fault detection and analysis of power plants, to reduce downtime and enhance productivity. An experimental test-rig will also be set up to validate performance parameters of new power plants, such as combustion efficiency as well as emissions control. Such solutions for cleaner and more efficient power plants will become increasingly relevant globally, given the increased focus on emissions reduction and environmental protection after the global climate agreement was reached in Paris last December. 

4.    Second, the Sembcorp-NUS Corporate Lab will develop cost-effective and environmentally-friendly technologies for industrial wastewater treatment and reuse. These technologies will be especially attractive to countries going through rapid development and industrialisation such as China, where greater emphasis on the environment and the growing challenge of water scarcity are driving up demand for effective wastewater treatment, water reuse, and Zero Liquid Discharge solutions.

5.    Third, the Corporate Lab will look at waste-to-resource conversion. In particular, it will explore novel, economical and environmentally friendly technologies to recover high-purity, high-value resources from waste. This includes the development of ultra-light composites from combustion ash and solid residue to produce ultra-high strength construction materials. Such materials will allow for modular construction, which uses less manpower and time, thereby raising productivity in the construction sector. 

6.    By investing in these new capabilities, Sembcorp has taken a long-term view from two perspectives. First, it is investing in research and development, even during this period of relatively slow economic growth. This will help Sembcorp increase efficiency and productivity, reduce costs, improve environmental performance, offer good solutions, and strengthen its long-term market leadership. Second, Sembcorp is developing environmentally friendly and sustainable processes and products, for which we expect to see a growing demand, given rising international interest in environmental protection and climate change. This will put Sembcorp in good stead to remain competitive as a provider of essential energy and water solutions to both industrial and municipal customers in the global marketplace.

Building a strong research and innovation workforce

7.    I am also happy that this collaboration between Sembcorp and NUS will create 45 new positions for research fellows and engineers, and train 24 PhD students in 5 years. The researchers and PhD students will be working to help develop new capabilities while in the Corporate Lab, and we hope that in the future, they will find employment in Sembcorp and other companies in related industries eventually. This will add to the pool of industry-ready research manpower in Singapore, to help companies to innovate and create new value through science and technology.

Conclusion

8.    I congratulate Sembcorp Industries and NUS on this new synergistic research partnership, which brings together NUS’s strong research capability and Sembcorp’s established industry know-how. We look forward to the innovative solutions that the Corporate Lab will develop for power generation, industrial wastewater management, and waste-to-resource conversion, which will help to improve economic competitiveness, support sustainable development, and create good jobs. 

9.    Thank you.