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Highlights of the week:
For more career opportunities from various industries, please access Career
Axis.
Dear
Students, Renewable energy is the key to fighting climate change –
but did you know that fossil fuels supplied over 80 percent of the global
energy demand1? CHEMICAL INDUSTRY AND THE CLIMATE Climate change due to global warming remains a
long-standing issue that needs to be addressed and the chemical industry
plays a pivotal role in providing solutions to minimise global warming. As
chemical companies leverage fossil fuels to provide raw materials for various
end products, the industry simultaneously strives to mitigate gaseous
emissions to combat the negative impacts on global climate.
Chemical companies in
Singapore continually engage in decarbonisation and sustainability
initiatives by utilising new technologies and enhancing existing facilities’
energy efficiency2. Alternative feedstocks are also being
explored by the chemical industry, for instance, Shell’s pyrolysis oil
upgrader capable of converting plastic waste to chemicals3. FOSSIL FUELS IN OUR
EVERYDAY LIVES The energy and chemicals sector
acknowledges the need to manage the emissions from fossil fuels in an
environmentally friendly manner. Supplying over 80 percent of the global energy
demand, eliminating fossil fuels in the short run could result in a huge
deficit in our energy supply, and potentially cripple the production of
essentials in our daily lives. The National Environment Agency (NEA)4 cited
that 95 percent of Singapore’s electricity demand is powered by natural gas.
Petrochemicals, which are derived from fossil fuels and natural gas, are the
raw materials used to manufacture everyday products such as plastics,
medicines, cosmetics, building materials, automotive, furniture, electronics
and so forth. Petrochemicals are also used to manufacture solar power panels
and wind turbines; and for this reason, a transition into a future of
renewable energy would also rely on fossil fuel-based materials. Hence,
fossil fuels remain irreplaceable at least until renewable energy or
alternative non-fossil fuel-based feedstock can sustain our energy and raw
material demands. On a similar note, plastics – also made up of fossil
fuels – continue to play an important part in our daily lives through a
vast array of applications such as electronic and electrical equipment
casings, automotive and food packaging. The chemical industry continues to be
recognised for its role in producing building blocks to support the
manufacturing of such essential products. As such, there is a constant demand
for engineers and technicians in the chemical sector to manage and refine
these crucial processes. It is imperative that the younger generation
recognises engineering as the key driver facilitating the manufacture of the
comforts that we enjoy, and the foundation to materialise innovations and
digitalisation visions. THE FUTURE OF RENEWABLE
ENERGY & FOSSIL FUELS In short, it may not be feasible to omit the use of fossil
fuels in the near future as there is an overwhelming number of energy and
manufacturing needs that rely on them. As we embark on our gradual transition
into renewable energy in the long run, we would have to hold onto fossil
fuels to help drive the transition. Until we completely replace fossil fuels
in all its applications, finding the sweet spot between using fossil fuels
and minimising environmental impacts is key to manage today’s energy demands
and raw materials for manufacturing. As a soon-to-be graduate like yourself, we welcome you to join
our journey as we work towards a climate-friendly chemical industry. Read up more from these sources: 1 Fossil
Fuels Still Supply 84 Percent Of World Energy — And Other Eye Openers From
BP’s Annual Review 2 5 Ways Energy and Chemicals Companies
are Lowering Carbon Emissions in Singapore 3 Shell
will build a new pyrolysis oil unit to convert plastic waste to chemicals 4 NEA
| Energy Efficient Singapore Visit www.scic.sg for more updates on happenings in the
chemical sector. |
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Towards a sustainable earth: Print only when necessary. Thank you.