Singapore opens experimental smart grid center to spur R&D

The Experimental Power Grid Centre (EPGC), one of the largest experimental power grid facilities in the world was officially opened in Singapore, today, by S. Iswaran, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office and Second Minister for Home Affairs and Trade & Industry.

Located on Jurong Island, EPGC, the Agency for Science, Technology and Research's (A*STAR's) centre for energy research is established to support Singapore's goal toward developing a smart energy economy, the agency said in a press release.  

The facility will pave the way for research and research collaborations with local and international partners to develop future energy technologies in the areas of electrical power networks and energy distribution and renewable energy resources, for eventual commercialization. 

At the opening today, A*STAR's EPGC signed a research collaboration agreement with SP PowerGrid and three MOUs respectively with Singapore’s Housing Development Board (HDB), Meidensha Corporation Japan and National Instruments.

These agreements span research in varied fields, including renewable energy integration, advanced high efficiency inverters and smart grid control, with the aim of developing robust, cutting-edge solutions that can be quickly adopted and implemented.