Singapore eyes biomethane for energy sector decarbonisation

The city-state launched a sandbox for applications.

The Singapore Economic Development Board has issued a closed call for proposals to look into biomethane’s potential for power generation and industrial applications.

According to the Energy Market Authority (EMA), biomethane is a renewable fuel produced by upgrading biogas from organic waste or residues to almost pure methane, and is chemically identical to fossil-derived methane.

Methane is the main component of natural gas, which currently accounts for 95% of Singapore’s fuel mix for power generation.

“Biomethane enables emissions abatement without costly retrofits, as it can make use of the current natural gas infrastructure in Singapore,” EMA noted.

Biomethane also supports the continued use of existing combined-cycle gas turbines. It can be used interchangeably with natural gas, improving resilience against supply disruptions.

“The biomethane sandbox aims to catalyse market development by facilitating matchmaking between supply and demand in Singapore's energy ecosystem, whilst providing a controlled environment to test commercial viability and operational frameworks prior to broader market deployment beyond the 300 MW capacity of the sandbox,” authorities said.