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  Business Times 15 Sep 07
Tuas Power aid for energy audit
With Tuas Power sponsoring half and NEA paying half, audits effectively free for some
By Matthew Phan

Straits Times 15 Sep 07
Tuas Power to help corporate users save energy
Supplier will foot part of energy audit bill of long-term customers under green scheme
By Jessica Cheam

Today Online 15 Sep 07
Tuas Power to offer preliminary energy audits to companies
Joseph yadao

Underscoring its commitment to the green movement, City Developments Limited (CDL) became the first player to participate in the Tuas Power Supply Green Programme.

CDL will subject five of its older buildings to an evaluation by an appointed energy auditor, G-Energy Global, which will make recommendations on changes the properties could make to improve energy efficiency.

According to Mr Chia Ngiang Hong, CDL's group general manager, the total cost of the audit for the five buildings — Central Mall, Palais Renaissance, King's Centre, New Tech Park and Commerce Point — would be around $320,000.

The recommendations from the audit can help companies optimise their energy usage, reduce the emission of carbon dioxide and other pollutants, and could cut energy bills by as much as 30 per cent.

"Our past records reveal potential energy savings of $100 million annually for commercial and industrial buildings with air-conditioning systems that are over 10 years old," said Mr Vincent Low, director of business development, G-Energy Global.

To encourage companies to participate in the programme, Tuas Power will offer complimentary preliminary audits, and up to 50 per cent of the cost of detailed energy audits. This funding will be in the form of rebates in their monthly electricity bills.

"It is not common practice in Singapore for companies to conduct energy audits regularly to improve their energy efficiency and we hope that our scheme will encourage customers to do so," said Mr Lim Kong Puay, president and CEO of Tuas Power.

This scheme complements the National Environment Agency's (NEA) $10 million Energy Efficiency Improvement Assistance Scheme (EASe), under which successful applicants are able to receive funding of up to 50 per cent of their detailed energy audits.

The Government already requires all new government buildings to meet the Building and Construction Authority's eco-friendly and energy-efficient Green Mark Scheme.

"All large air-conditioned Government buildings, polytechnics and ITEs will conduct energy audits to improve energy efficiency by March 2010," said Dr Amy Khor, senior parliamentary secretary, Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources.

Straits Times 15 Sep 07
Tuas Power to help corporate users save energy
Supplier will foot part of energy audit bill of long-term customers under green scheme
By Jessica Cheam

IT MIGHT seem odd for a power company to help its customers save power - but that is exactly what Tuas Power Supply (TPS) is doing.

The power retailer yesterday launched a Green Programme to help its corporate clients achieve energy efficiency in their operations by paying them to carry out energy audits. This involves an on-site examination of power usage, in a bid to identity ways in which customers can save energy.

Any TPS customer with a two-year minimum contract which signs up for the scheme will get a free preliminary energy audit. If they choose to carry out a detailed energy assessment after that, TPS will foot up to half the audit's cost. This will be in the form of rebates in their customers' monthly power bills.

Besides being eco-friendly, the reason behind TPS' latest move is the old-fashioned business principle: A satisfied customer is likely to be a good long-term customer.

Chief executive Lim Kong Puay of Tuas Power, which owns TPS, said the company hoped to build longstanding relationships with customers by offering value- added services such as the Green Programme.

'This is also business for us. We hope to set ourselves apart, and retain and attract more customers in the long run,' he said.

The Green Programme already has its first beneficiary - property giant City Developments (CDL). CDL's group general manager Chia Ngiang Hong said the company was 'excited' about the scheme and has already signed up five of its commercial buildings, which include Palais Renaissance on Orchard Road and the Central Mall offices on Magazine Road. Energy audits for these five buildings are estimated to cost up to $320,000, said Mr Chia.

Dr Amy Khor, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, who was guest-of-honour at the launch yesterday, commended Tuas Power's innovation.

She noted that although it appears 'counter-intuitive' for a power company to help its customers save energy, 'being green' is also an increasingly effective marketing strategy for companies.

'The new programme complements NEA's efforts to encourage companies to adopt energy- saving measures,' said Dr Khor.

The National Environment Agency (NEA) has a $10 million Energy Efficiency Improvement Assistance Scheme, launched in 2005, which also helps to fund half of such energy audits. TPS has appointed G-Energy Global as its energy services company to conduct the audits, the cost of which ranges from $20,000 to $300,000, depending on the building's operations.

Tuas Power is not new to environment-friendly ventures. Last year, it entered into two separate joint ventures which involved building tri- generation systems - producing electricity, steam and cooling water - and waste recycling. The new scheme will last for two years, and its cost will depend on how many customers participate, said Mr Lim.

Business Times 15 Sep 07
Tuas Power aid for energy audit
With Tuas Power sponsoring half and NEA paying half, audits effectively free for some
By Matthew Phan

TUAS Power yesterday became the first electricity retailer in Singapore to offer to sponsor half the cost of energy audits for its customers, mainly MNCs and SMEs in the pharmaceutical, semiconductor and other sectors.

With Tuas sponsoring half the cost and the National Environment Agency the other half through its Efficiency Improvement Assistance Scheme, energy audits are now effectively free for Tuas customers.

'It is not a common practice in Singapore for companies to conduct energy audits regularly,' said Tuas Power president and CEO Lim Kong Puay. 'We hope our scheme will encourage customers to do so.'

Under the Tuas Power Supply Green Programme, the energy retailer will carry out a free preliminary audit to assess customers' energy efficiency and identify potential savings. For companies that want more detailed recommendations, Tuas will sponsor half the cost of an audit by G-Energy Global (GEG). Tuas could also fund the installation of new equipment for customers, such as through rebates on electricity bills under long-term contracts.

But this is 'something to be discussed with individual customers', said Mr Lim.

Asked how Tuas will benefit from the programme, since helping customers improve efficiency could cut demand for electricity, Mr Lim said the aim is to build long-term relationships.

'The electricity market is competitive. We are looking at ways to retain existing customers and acquire new ones. We cannot simply compete on price,' he said.

In any case, 'electricity demand will definitely continue to grow'. Energy audits can cost between $20,000 and $300,000, depending on the size and complexity of the operation, said GEG's director of business development Vincent Low. 'From there, you can work out the cost to Tuas Power.'

About 300 buildings in Singapore have air-con or chiller systems more than 10 years old, representing about $400 million worth of replacement contracts, he said. Assuming a four-year payback period, this implies total energy savings of $100 million a year.

According to Ong Seng Eng, director of resource conservation at NEA, at least 1,000 buildings around Singapore need energy audits. 'We want all the major buildings and factories to have a policy of doing energy audits on a regular basis,' he said.

The first customer to take up Tuas' offer is City Developments, which has signed up five properties under the programme.
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