from the ground Up

by Jessica Cheam, The Straits Times, May 25 2009
THE global solar industry has grown at a phenomenal rate in recent years – and Singapore wants a bigger piece of the pie.
A group of 18 local firms, led by IE Singapore, left for Germany yesterday on the Republic’s “first business mission for green technology”.
The 27-strong delegation [...]

by Jessica Cheam, The Straits Times, May 22 2009
SOLAR panels of different shapes and sizes are finding their way onto Singapore’s buildings as the nation bids to grow its solar industry.
The Economic Development Board (EDB) said yesterday that it has handed out $8 million in grants for public and private solar projects which will develop [...]

by Jessica Cheam, The Straits Times, May 14 2009
Despite slumping global sales, the group is positive that Asia will be key to its future growth
TECHNOLOGY giant The Bosch Group’s appetite for investment in Asia has not been dampened despite a slump in its global sales as a result of the downturn.
The privately owned group, which [...]

by Jessica Cheam, The Straits Times, September 27 2008
WHILE Formula One is not exactly known for its environmental qualities, one company here has taken the step to prove that eco-friendliness has a place alongside high-revving race cars.
The Singapore FreePort company has installed an 86 sq m solar canopy on top of its skylounge hospitality suite [...]

by Jessica Cheam, The Straits Times, September 26 2008
NORWAY is now Singapore’s sixth largest foreign investor, as increasing numbers of firms from the Scandinavian nation site their operations here.
Foreign direct investment from Norway stood at $14.8billion in 2006, up from $8.6billion in 2005, according to the Department of Statistics.
While both nations are starkly different in [...]

SINGAPORE is a long way from his home in Germany, but for Professor Joachim Luther, no place is too far for the pursuit of his passion: solar power.
The atomic physicist-turned-solar expert has been entrusted by the Economic Development Board (EDB) to direct the country’s first research institute dedicated to solar energy.
The task comes with $130 million of seed money to kick-start work at the organisation, the Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore, or Seris.
Given that the industry is poised to be one of Singapore’s largest growth engines of the future, the chief executive’s job is challenging, to say the least…

TAPPING the sun’s energy has just been made easier for building owners.
The Government yesterday announced details of a $20 million scheme that could see as many as 100 solar projects sprout around Singapore in the next two years.

SINGAPORE is hotting up as a centre for global solar industry players.
The latest company to join the burgeoning sunrise industry in the Republic is Norwegian solar wafer manufacturer NorSun.
The private firm yesterday announced that it will build its biggest solar wafer manufacturing plant in Singapore at a cost of US$300 million (S$419 million).
The 30,000 sq m facility in Jurong will employ 300 professionals – mostly local.

HARNESSING the sun’s heat to cool a building might seem counter-intuitive. But innovative ideas such as this are exactly what Singapore’s newly established solar research institute hopes to turn into reality. A new research and development (R&D) centre to cement Singapore’s position as a serious solar energy player was unveiled yesterday.

SINGAPORE’S sunrise solar industry welcomed a new player yesterday, as Swiss firm Oerlikon Solar unveiled plans for a $39 million facility that would serve as its Asia headquarters.
The Switzerland-listed company, which makes equipment for the solar industry, is recruiting 100 staff this year, with plans to expand its workforce by 50 per cent in the coming years.