Energy Research Institute at NTU

ERI@N is proud to be working with the Singapore Maritime Institute to help Singapore’s maritime industry pivot to more energy efficient and environmentally-friendly operations through the electrification of harbour craft.

Through our four work packages, we have developed the advanced shore power charger to be deployed at port to power ships with electric power instead of diesel. The ERI@N team also developed a Marine Energy Management System to help plan and manage the optimal energy use in marine vessels.

Watch the video to find out more about how we and other partners are working together to support Singapore’s national net-zero ambitions.

SMI Research Spotlight Series 2024: Harbour Craft Electrification As part of the push for all harbour craft and pleasure craft to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 to be in line with Singapore’s national net-zero ambitions...

has 10 subjects in the 🌎🎓📚 global top 4 in the latest U.S. News and World Report Best Global Universities Rankings. They are Electrical and Electronic Engineering, , , Condensed Matter , , , , and Fuels, and , and Physical Chemistry. Overall, NTU has climbed three spots from last year to place 🌎27th in the world.

NTU School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering - EEE College of Computing and Data Science NTU SPMS NTU College of Engineering NTU MSE NTU School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology Energy Research Institute at NTU

ERI@N is proud to support the sixth edition of the CleanEnviro Summit Singapore 2024.

Our “Cool Paint” project, which showcases how our researchers created a type of "cool paint" by using recycled plastics and then applying the paint on buildings, helping them to reduce the surface temperature to 1.5°C below ambient temperature in the day and 3°C below ambient temperature at night.

Come find us at the JTC booth at Environment Expo located on Level 1, Hall B and C to learn more about this innovation, as well as another initiative on Model Predictive Control (MPC) – a project that helps to forecast cooling demand by receiving feedback from building occupants to optimise energy efficiency, temperature, lighting and acoustic comfort. You can also learn more about the MPC technology at the NRGSENSE Technologies booth, a spin-off from ERI@N.

We are also proud to be part of the National Environment Agency (NEA) booth showcasing our e-waste recycling efforts under the NTU Singapore-CEA Alliance for Research in Circular Economy (NTU SCARCE) programme.

For more details, please visit: https://www.cleanenvirosummit.gov.sg/conference-programme/programme

Last week, Professor Madhavi from ERI@N Energy Research Institute at NTU met with representatives from HIPA (Hungarian Investment Promotion Agency) to explore investment incentives in Hungary. The meeting, arranged by our Embassy, also included delegates from HUN-REN (Hungarian Research Network). 💼

🔋 The discussions were promising, drawing a roadmap to facilitate battery technology research find its way to Hungary. We are thrilled about the prospects and hope to see ERI@N begin their innovative work in Hungary soon! 🇭🇺

Stay tuned for more updates on this promising collaboration.

The CleanEnviro Summit Singapore will take place from 19 – 21 June 2024 at the Sands Expo & Convention Centre, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore.

Organised by Singapore’s National Environment Agency (NEA), the sixth edition of the Summit will deep-dive into the three pillars: Climate Action, Resource Circularity, and Public Hygiene.

NTU Singapore-CEA Alliance for Research in Circular Economy (NTU SCARCE) co-director Prof JC Gabriel will be speaking at one of the sessions on 21 June, 10:40am – 10:50am at Launchpad. He will present on NTU SCARCE’s innovative research method using fruit peel waste to recycle electronic waste, as well as demonstrations of how the team extracts critical metals from photovoltaic panels and printed circuit boards.

Prof JC Gabriel will also share about how the team is now scaling up their research efforts to commercialization through partnerships to build a pilot recycling plants to tackle electronic wastes.

ERI@N hosted our Scientific Workshop 2024, bringing together researchers from our interdisciplinary programmes and groups to share their current projects and team developments.

This valuable session helped colleagues gain insight into each other’s work and provided a great platform for fostering cross-collaboration. We celebrated some of our colleagues with prizes for the best presentations! Additionally, we held our second ERI@N communication session of the year to update everyone on the latest happenings, upcoming collaborations, and projects that the Institute will focus on.

ERI@N’s Executive Director Prof Madhavi Srinivasan and Prof Yeoh Lean Weng, Chief Sustainability Officer of Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) hosted a thematic workshop on 'AI for Sustainability' at the National Research Foundation Singapore.

The workshop delved into specific topics catalysing the Decarbonisation journey in Singapore and beyond. The session was attended by domain experts & AI experts and during the breakout session, they grouped together to brainstorm the challenges and opportunities in topics such as future grid, electrification, carbon management and urban nexus with specific focus on how AI could solve them.

With the rapid and incorporation of deep-learning and expert systems being developed, we look forward to see how AI will play a key role in the sustainability transformation journey.

ERI@N hosted the External Advisory Panel for Environmental Sustainability (EAPES) panel at the .

The panel, which comprises of experts in various fields, was setup to advise Ministry of Defence, Singapore (MINDEF) and ensure that their efforts are guided by science, data and evidence. ERI@N’s Executive Director, Prof Madhavi Srinivasan, is part of this panel that helps to provide assessment and recommendations on MINDEF/SAF's sustainability policies, strategies, and initiatives, as well as sharing knowledge, including latest developments, technologies and best practices.

The panel toured Gaia, NTU’s latest building which is the university’s eighth zero energy building and the largest wooden building in Asia. During the tour, our guests learnt about the unique timber features of Gaia, how the building achieves net-zero carbon in operation through the use of renewable energy technologies, and the air-conditioning system which utilises Passive Displacement Ventilation (PDV), an ERI@N translation research which was eventually deployed at several NTU buildings.

ERI@N is proud to co-host the ExxonMobil-NTU-A*STAR Corporate Lab which will look at developing solutions that would help to lower carbon emissions, contribute to resource efficiency, and help build a more sustainable future.

The corporate lab was launched on 26 April 2024 by Mr Heng Swee Keat, Deputy Prime Minister, Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies and Chairman of the National Research Foundation Singapore. The S$60million corporate lab will have over 50 researchers, engineers and students from ExxonMobil, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore and Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) collaborating to advance global research efforts in lower-emission technologies in five areas.

Read more about the ExxonMobil-NTU-A*STAR corporate lab here: https://ntu.sg/ExxonMobil-NTU-ASTARCorpLab

A two-year $16 million nationwide study to determine Singapore’s geothermal potential for power generation will likely begin in the second half of 2024.

One of these studies was conducted in July 2023 by NTU Singapore, Surbana Jurong and Tumcreate. Professor Alessandro Romagnoli from NTU’s School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and ERI@N's Cluster Director, who led the 2023 geothermal study in Sembawang, said that other regions worth studying include Pulau Tekong, western Singapore such as the Tuas area, and eastern Singapore.

The team hopes to continue collaborations with Surbana Jurong, who has been awarded the tender to study Singapore's geothermal potential for power generation.

Two-year study to determine S’pore’s geothermal potential to start later in 2024 The $16 million tender has been awarded to Surbana Jurong. Read more at straitstimes.com.

ERI@N welcomed YB Tuan Chang Lih Kang, Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, from the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation Kementerian Sains, Teknologi dan Inovasi (MOSTI), Malaysia.

Through ERI@N’s Centre of Excellence for Testing and Research of Autonomous Vehicles – NTU (CETRAN), we have a partnership with Malaysian Research Accelerator for Technology & Innovation (MRANTI) to provide technical training and advisory for MRANTI’s AV Experimental Lab (AVXL) in MRANTI Park. This visit was facilitated by MRANTI for Minister Chang to better understand the collaboration between MRANTI and CETRAN, and to continue discussions on how CETRAN can work with MRANTI to enhance the safety assessment process and testing requirements of AVs at MRANTI park.

We are honoured to host Minister Chang and our colleagues from MOSTI and MRANTI. We look forward to continuing our partnership with MRANTI. By leveraging on both neighbouring countries’ expertise and knowledge, we hope to jointly contribute to the safety regulations of autonomous vehicles.

ERI@N wishes all our Muslim friends a joyous Hari Raya Aidilfitri!

May this festive season open doors to new opportunities, happiness, peace, love and prosperity in your life.

Wishing all a blessed celebration. Eid Mubarak!

At the Singapore Accreditation Council (SAC) Customer Day 2024, ERI@N's Electrification and Power Grid Centre (EPGC) was awarded the accreditation to support the certification of electric vehicle chargers according to Singapore’s TR25 standard. SAC Chairman Mr Tan Kai Hoe, presented the certification to Mr Alex Chong, Programme Director at ERI@N's EPGC.

The SAC Customer Day 2024 was organised by Enterprise Singapore to share about their new accreditation programmes and initiatives. It was also an occasion to congratulate 63 newly accredited conformity assessment bodies.

With road transport electrification rapidly increasing in Singapore and many countries around the world, the deployment of Electric Vehicle Charging Systems (EVCS) is key to the rollout of charging infrastructure to enable this transition. EV chargers deployed in Singapore are required to comply with Technical Reference 25 (TR25), the national EV charging standard. For greater global market access, international standards such as the IEC 61851 will be recognized in many countries.

EPGC is located Jurong Island and we operate one of the most comprehensive test facilities in Singapore. With this accreditation, we look forward to supporting Singapore's transport electrification plans. Come and speak with us today!

Cool paint coatings help city dwellers feel up to 1.5 degrees Celsius cooler, study finds A real-world study by researchers at NTU Singapore has shown that the use of cool paint coatings in cities can help pedestrians feel up to 1.5 degrees Celsius cooler, making the urban area more comfortable for work and play.

ERI@N welcomed Dr Amy Khor, Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment and for Transport to the NTU Singapore-CEA Alliance for Research in Circular Economy (SCARCE) earlier this week, along with colleagues from the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment, Singapore, and the National Environment Agency (NEA).

Following a successful first phase of SCARCE (Phase I) that saw the team developing innovative, energy-efficient solutions for e-waste, NEA awarded NTU to continue the SCARCE Phase II research to develop cost-effective and environmentally friendly solutions for recycling e-waste such as used (lithium-ion) batteries, silicon solar panels and printed circuit boards. SMS Dr Amy Khor learnt more about SCARCE’s research capabilities and translational efforts, and how the researchers are integrating the developed processes of e-waste recycling from Phase I and scaling them up in Phase II towards industry adoption and commercialisation.

The session was hosted by ERI@N’s Executive Director and SCARCE Co-Director, Prof Madhavi Srinivasan, along with SCARCE Co-Director Prof Jean-Christophe Gabriel and Principal Investigators (P*s) Prof Alex Yan and Prof Nripan Mathews together with the researchers. The team also took this opportunity to share the current challenges that they were looking to address, as well as the upcoming engagements and translational opportunities.

Join the on 23 March as we switch off non-essential lights for an hour from 8.30pm – 9.30pm (local time).

Let us do our part to unite and give an hour for Earth and take the next step to urgently address climate change. For more information on Earth Hour, visit https://www.earthhour.org

The ERI@N family had a smashing time at Universal Studios Singapore last week! It was an extremely fun-filled afternoon spent together as our colleagues took on exhilarating roller coaster rides, exciting 4D shows, and with some getting soaked by the water attractions!

Organised by ERI@N’s supportive workplace committee, we had an incredible afternoon letting loose and enjoying each other’s company and the thrills and spills🎉 that USS had to offer!

ERI@N's Executive Director Prof Madhavi Srinivasan was featured in Asian Scientist in an article celebrating inspiring women in Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics ( ).

Known for her pioneering "waste-for-waste" approach using orange peel waste to recover precious metals from lithium-ion battery waste to enable the production of functional batteries, Prof Madhavi is a strong advocate for a zero-waste circular economy, maximising the use of today's resources for a greener tomorrow.

Read on to find out more about Prof Madhavi's expertise in advanced battery research, as well as other motivational stories of women making an impact in STEM.

Women Transforming Science - Asian Scientist Magazine On this International Women’s Day, Asian Scientist Magazine speaks to six inspiring women in STEM who are leading their fields and have messages for younger women scientists in the region.

ERI@N is proud to receive the Bronze Award for the NTU Safety & Health Performance Awards 2023!

The NTU Safety & Health Performance Award Scheme is an annual scheme organised by the Office of Health and Safety to reward and recognise the efforts of NTU schools, departments and centers for their safety & health management system performance.

As a research institute that deals with chemicals and elements within the energy sector, ERI@N has several high hazard areas and elevated risks in our research labs. Through our internal risk management assessments, we have implemented a host of preventive safety measures to ensure our operations are run smoothly and our people can come and leave work safely.

ERI@N is proud to be a leading entity in safety-conscious operations and would like to congratulate our colleagues in other departments who have won the NTU Safety & Health Performance Awards 2023.

Read more here: https://www.ntu.edu.sg/docs/default-source/life-at-ntu/ohs/ntu-safety-health-awards-2023-e-booklet.pdf?sfvrsn=2d43f66b_3

HDB has awarded its largest leasing tender to EDP Renewables APAC to install at more than 1000 HDB blocks and government sites.

As solar panels will degrade overtime, EDP Renewables has collaborated with Etavolt, a spin-off from ERI@N to pilot an advanced regeneration technology developed by ERI@N that can extend the lifespan of each solar panel by four to five years.

"For the first time since the launch of the SolarNova programme in 2014, this latest SolarNova tender will include the use of a novel advanced technology to prolong the lifespan of solar panels. This patented technology developed by EtaVolt relies on intense light to re-energise the solar cells and repair them at the molecular level, to recover up to 5 per cent of the solar panel’s efficiency, depending on panel structures, in minutes," said HDB.

We are excited for this collaboration and look forward to contributing to reducing Singapore's carbon footprint.

Solar panels to be installed at more than 1,000 HDB blocks and government sites, including schools It is the largest leasing tender to be awarded by the Housing and Development Board.

Amid growing concerns on the impact of climate change, many countries and shifting to renewable energy to meet their power demands. But how well can these renewable technologies perform in the face of global warming?

In a project led by ERI@N's Cluster Director Assoc Prof Yan Xu, scientists are studying the impact of climate change on renewable energy sources, as well as Singapore's electricity supply. Read more about it here:

NTU researchers studying potential climate impact on renewables production for S’pore The four-year study will look into imports of renewables and local solar power production. Read more at straitstimes.com.

Roaring into the Year of the Wood Dragon!

Our colleagues gathered to revel in the ERI@N's Lunar New Year festivities at CleanTech One. We enjoyed a rousing lion dance performance, followed by the lo-hei session and a sumptuous feast for lunch!

We also held the first ERI@N communication session of the year where we looked back at the past year's highlights and also the upcoming activities and projects to look forward to.

Wishing everyone a prosperous, happy and healthy Chinese New Year!

Did you know that ERI@N’s Electrification and Power Grid Centre (EPGC) is the only facility in the region that is capable of handling megawatt-level power testing, as well as grid-islanding and reconnection tests? The centre has also been recently awarded the accreditation to support the certification of electric vehicle chargers according to Singapore’s TR25 standard.

With the government’s push to diversify our energy mix, especially with the increase in the renewable energy component, it is crucial for the manufacturers and distributors to ensure the technologies are tested to meet performance and safety requirements.

EPGC is equipped to test bi-directional power flow with the national electricity grid that is operated by SP Group. In addition, to support Singapore’s transport electrification plans, EPGC has been accredited to test EV chargers. Being located on Jurong Island also adds to the centre’s advantage, allowing the testing certain systems that contain diesel, biodiesel, hydrogen and compressed natural gas which would not be possible on mainland Singapore due to safety requirements.

In this feature by JTC, EPGC's programme director Alex Chong shares about the exciting research projects in EPGC, the facility’s capabilities, and how we are working to support Singapore’s energy transition and electrification future: https://www.jtc.gov.sg/about-jtc/news-and-stories/feature-stories/how-a-facility-on-jurong-island-is-powering-up-singapore-electrification-future

How a facility on Jurong Island is powering up Singapore’s electrification future Through cutting-edge research and collaboration with industry partners, NTU's Electrification and Power Grids Centre at Jurong Island is driving the development of smart grid technologies and renewable energy integration, shaping the future of electrification in Singapore and beyond.

Wishing everyone a prosperous and joyful Lunar New Year!

May the Year of the Wood Dragon bring good fortune, lots of luck and abundant opportunities! Gong Xi Fa Cai to all!

ERI@N was honoured to host the Indonesia–NTU Singapore Institute of Research for Sustainability and Innovation (INSPIRASI) board members earlier this week together with our NTU colleagues.

The delegation were given a tour of the NTU’s newest building – Gaia, where they learnt about the construction and sustainable technologies featured in the largest wooden building in Asia. In addition, they learnt about other sustainable buildings in NTU, and went on a walking tour around the North Spine Plaza. They also visited ERI@N facilities at CleanTech One where they were given an overview of the sustainable research efforts and projects under ERI@N, and toured the Systems Engineering & Future Mobility Lab, as well as the Advanced Battery Lab.

An international team of scientists has developed a flexible electrode that wraps around muscles, nerves and hearts to deliver electrical stimulation to tissues or record electrical activity.

Inspired by spider silk, the electrode contracts to conform to biological tissues, is non-toxic and performs better than conventional stretchable electrodes. The innovation could open the door to biomedical devices for monitoring irregular heartbeat, nerve repair, wound closure and scar reduction.

The study was led by Prof Chen Xiaodong of NTU’s School of Materials Science and Engineering and ERI@N's Cluster Director; Prof Gao Huajian of NTU’s School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering; Prof Liu Zhiyuan from the Chinese Academy of Sciences; and Prof Hu Benhui from Nanjing Medical University.

Spider-silk inspired electrode offers new possibilities for the next generation of biomedical devices The innovation could make device implantation safer and shape the future of medical devices.

ERI@N's Executive Director Prof Madhavi Srinivasan's enthusiastic attitude and love for studying batteries earned her an endearing nickname of "Energizer Bunny" from her colleagues.

Prof Madhavi has spent her entire career researching and developing novel energy storage solutions and recycling of e-waste and lithium-ion batteries.

She and her team discovered that citric acid found in fruit peels, is a key ingredient in extracting precious metals from used batteries to recycle them.

Read the full article to learn about how this inspiration came about, and how Prof Madhavi and her team are working towards commercialising the process in 2024: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/trailblazers-professor-energizer-bunny-powers-on-in-battery-research-winning-accolades

Trailblazers: Professor ‘Energizer Bunny’ powers on in battery research, winning accolades Professor Madhavi Srinivasan, 40sExecutive director of the Energy Research Institute @ NTU (ERI@N) and NTU Sustainability OfficeHer colleagues call her an “Energizer Bunny” because of her effervescent energy and enthusiasm for her work. Read more at straitstimes.com.