Consortium of STT, YTL, and Linde to explore hydrogen power in Singapore

STT GDC, YTL and industrial gas supplier Linde have announced they have signed an agreement to work on a hydrogen energy proof of concept in an effort to enhance Singapore's sustainability efforts as it pushes toward its future goal of becoming a digital hub.

So far, the country has been somewhat restricted from achieving this due to its lack of renewable energy availability, and currently, although data centers guzzle up over 7% of its electrical power, 98% of its total energy is derived from fossil fuels. This is a figure that beats every other country in the world. A data center moratorium was implemented in 2019 as a result, which was only recently and partially lifted.

Commenting on this project, which hopes to encourage the decarbonization energy transition, Qian Wen-Bin, Linde's Asia Pacific head of clean hydrogen and decarbonization, said: "Linde has a US$2.5 billion hydrogen business today with more than 150 major hydrogen production plants globally." Wen-Bin added: "Our long-standing expertise and reliable technologies for hydrogen production, processing, and supply will provide Singapore's power sector with a competitive and effective decarbonization pathway to create a more sustainable future for Singapore."

STT GDC has pledged to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030, and speaking about this commitment and how it fits into the broader global picture, Bruno Lopez, president and Group CEO, STT GDC, said: "Sustainability has always been a priority for STT GDC, especially in recent years where climate concerns have been more prevalent. However, to really make an impact with decarbonization, we need to tackle the issue at the source of the power ecosystem."

Meanwhile, John Ng, CEO of YTL PowerSeraya, commented: "As one of Singapore's largest power generation companies, we are at the center of the energy transition and are committed to exploring energy innovations and building the nation's capabilities in alternative energy sources."