Keppel Infrastructure, NUS partner for smart grid, clean power projects

The partnership also includes educational and training opportunities for students.

Keppel Infrastructure Holdings (Keppel Infrastructure) and National University of Singapore (NUS) signed a master research collaboration agreement to boost low-carbon energy innovation and translational research and create solutions on smart grid renewables and clean energy as well as decarbonisation technologies.

Under the partnership, Keppel Infrastructure and NUS will use the NUS Kent Ridge campus for the Keppel Infrastructure-NUS Low Carbon Living Laboratory by creating and evaluating commercially viable innovations in distributed energy management, integration of solar photovoltaics (PV), thermal energy storage, electrical microgrids, as well as charging stations for electric vehicles (EVs) and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) trials. 

Aside from this, the agreement will also provide educational and training opportunities for NUS students, as well as opportunities for open collaboration with other ecosystem players such as start-ups, small and medium-sized enterprises,  and researchers. 

Keppel Infrastructure and NUS also identified technologically proven innovations for test-bedding, demonstration, and adaptation in live environments and system/subsystem integration across various technologies for data collection, analysis, and performance validation with intent to accelerate commercial applications.

The following are the select projects in this partnership: 

1. Smart AC/DC hybrid microgrid: This project will ease the integration of renewable and distributed energy resources, such as solar PV and EV charging with V2G capabilities into the existing AC grid without disruption to the main power grid. The hybrid microgrid acts as a plug-in for the AC grid and will increase flexibility of diversified power interconnection, leading to greater grid reliability and efficiency. 
2. Novel EV charging strategies: This project will deploy smart EV charging algorithms that will balance the needs and constraints of the existing electrical network, as well as charging demand of and charging cost to EV owners. This will accelerate the emerging readiness of V2G technology.
3. Innovative District cooling systems (DCS) for buildings integrated with thermal energy storage using proprietary phase change materials1 as an energy storage medium, outdoor cooling technology and intelligent process optimisation. This project will provide next-generation district cooling solutions for a sustainable urban district, with substantial energy and space savings, as well as environmental benefits such as the reduction of heat island effect.
4. Experimentation and laboratory proof-of-concept on enhanced seawater desalination pretreatment technology for carbon dioxide sequestration and scalant removal. This project will be followed by potential demonstration at one of the desalination plants operated by Keppel Infrastructure.