Rolls-Royce, Singapore to build enviro-friendly power generators
SINGAPORE (AFP) Apr 06, 2005
Britain's Rolls-Royce and a Singapore government linked consortium announced Wednesday a 100-million-US dollar venture to develop environmentally friendly power generators for the mass global market.
The system would be based on fuel cell technology, which generates electricity by combining fuel and air in an electrochemical reaction similar to a conventional battery.
Fuel cell-based generators are more efficient, emit less pollutants and create less noise and vibration than conventional gas or diesel-fired plants.
Rolls-Royce Fuel Cell Systems Ltd. (RRFCS), a subsidiary of the Rolls-Royce Plc, and a Singapore consortium called EnerTek Singapore Pte. Ltd., are to jointly develop the technology, the groups said on Wednesday.
Members of the EnerTek consortium include the Singapore state investment arm Temasek Holdings, an investment subsidiary of the govement's Economic Development Board and precision engineering firm Accuron Technology.
The aim of the partnership is to develop a fuel cell power-generator providing around one megawatt of electricity for commercial delivery before the end of 2008.
These generators can be used to power hospitals, schools and offices.
RRFCS chairman Charles Coltman said a pilot plant for the technology was currently being built in Britain, while the site of the plant to be used in the mass production would be decided later based on market needs.
"We will have to locate the full production process close to the markets that we're going to serve. If the Asia-Pacific comes up to be the lead market, then it (plant) will be here," Coltman told reporters.
Rolls Royce chief executive Sir John Rose said he expected the new technology to be competitive with conventional power sources, with the added premium of being environmentally cleaner.
"We're intending to make it competitive with conventional alternatives and it will have the additional benefit of being more environmentally friendly," he told reporters.
"So markets currently served by conventional machines will be open to this."
Vivian Balakrishnan, Singapore's second minister for trade and industry, said global demand for fuel cell systems was expected to reach 15.1 billion US dollars by 2015.
"In an era of high oil prices, there will be a premium on energy efficiency, energy conservation," Balakrishnan said.
"And in this world which is very concerned about global warming, any new technology which reduces carbon emissions should be explored and welcomed to the market. So our approach is to explore all these options."
Apart from its aerospace business, which includes making airplane engines, Rolls-Royce is also involved in the marine and energy sectors.