A new Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) campus being built in the upcoming Punggol Digital District (PDD) will house the region’s first Multi-Energy Micro-Grid. Construction work on the campus commenced after a groundbreaking ceremony on 10 September 2019.
The campus is envisioned as a ‘living lab’ that integrates applied research and innovation for SIT and its partners. Students can then be exposed to cutting-edge industry know-how through working on interdisciplinary projects, as well as test-bedding of smart technologies in real-life environments.
The Multi-Energy Micro-Grid (MEMG), a collaborative research venture between SIT and government-owned electricity and gas distribution company, SP Group at the future campus is in line with the living lab concept. Once installed by 2023, SIT will have approximately 10,000 square meters of photovoltaic (PV) solar panels installed on the buildings’ roof tops. The MEMG will supplement the power supply to the campus, thereby reducing the overall reliance on the main utility grid and contributing to its target of being self-sustainable in the long run. In addition, the MEMG will also serve as a living experimental lab to support the research, development and test-bedding of distributed energy systems as well as cyber-security solutions.
The new campus will also have District Cooling System (DCS) which provides the campus’ cooling needs and reduces carbon footprint at the estate level. Such sustainable systems will support the university’s core facilities including classrooms, laboratories, makerspaces, library, multipurpose hall, administration offices, auditorium and food court.
(Sources: Straits Times; Singapore Institute of Technology)
