How circular solutions boost ASEAN's economy: Green fuels and resource recovery (Part 2)

This article is part of a two-piece series on A Circular Horizon. You can find the previous piece here.

IV. Syngas and hydrogen from waste: A direct leap towards energy decarbonization

Singapore's decarbonisation goals for the power industry are directly addressed by the fact that, in addition to graphene, municipal waste is demonstrated to be a substantial feedstock for the creation of renewable energy carriers like hydrogen and syngas.

• Waste-to-Hydrogen/Syngas conversion: Municipal solid waste (MSW) gasification is a well-established thermochemical process that produces both pure hydrogen and syngas, which is a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide. Remarkably, plastic waste may also be transformed into high-purity graphene and hydrogen (up to 94%) using Flash Joule Heating (FJH). When compared to current hydrogen production methods, life-cycle studies show a 39–84% reduction in emissions. The graphene by-product can be sold for only 5% of its value, making hydrogen production a negative-cost operation.

• Supporting LNG lant co-firing in Singapore: Hydrogen produced from municipal waste can directly meet Singapore's clean energy goal. According to an Energy Market Authority (EMA) requirement, all new and repowered natural gas power plants must be at least 30% hydrogen-compatible by volume starting in 2024, with the opportunity to upgrade to become 100% hydrogen-ready after that. By including waste-derived hydrogen into this energy mix, Singapore may significantly reduce its reliance on fossil fuels and the carbon intensity of electricity generation.

• Use case: Singapore is doing extensive research on these technologies. A tangible example of a zero-waste gasification system is the SP Group and Gardens by the Bay pilot project, which was started in 2019. This system is capable of converting up to one tonne of waste per day into thermal energy and biochar, using syngas as a by-product for heating. Up to 20% reduction in waste stream carbon emissions has been shown to be possible with this program37. Furthermore, with the help of a S$300 million investment spread over five years, Singapore plans to test carbon capture technologies at waste-to-energy plants as part of a pilot program by 2026 in an effort to further enhance carbon utilisation from rubbish.

Table 4: Singapore waste-to-energy/hydrogen pilot data

V. Semakau island: From landfill to resource hub, a national vision

The sole operational landfill in Singapore, Semakau Landfill, mostly receives incinerator ash and is predicted to full up by 2035. But rather than viewing this as a constraint, Singapore views it as a strategic chance for development. From a strategic perspective, the concept of "mining" Semakau is gaining traction, reframing the dump as a possible resource hub.

• Ministerial vision: The Minister of Sustainability and the Environment, Grace Fu, has publicly stated this forward-thinking position. In September 2023, she declared that the administration was "mulling over the possibility of recovering the ash for a second lease of life." Although the immediate focus is on using the incinerator ash as an alternative fill material for land reclamation projects like Tuas Port, the obvious conclusion is to extract value from previously discarded materials.

• Scientific endorsement: This vision is endorsed by renowned scientists. Prof. Seeram Ramakrishna, Chair of the Circular Economy Taskforce at the National University of Singapore (NUS), confirmed, "I would think that the science-led innovations (here) will enable mining of the landfill in the future, implemented with all the safeguards." This realisation suggests a paradigm change whereby significant minerals, such carbon compounds suitable for the production of graphene, might be extracted from the enormous ash piles through the use of advanced separation and processing technologies. This not only extends the landfill's lifespan but also creates new domestic sources of raw materials. 

• Possible use case: Prescott Composites intends to permanently sequester carbon extracted from MSW into their Carbon Fibre & Graphene (CF&G) Composites, demonstrating a tangible path for carbon utilisation directly from waste streams. This might be relevant to Semakau policies in the future.

VI. Potential economic benefit for Singapore and ASEAN from the graphene industry

The growth of the graphene industry provides Singapore and the greater ASEAN region significant economic advantages by attracting significant investment and establishing new areas of expertise.

• Catalyst for R&D and innovation: The Centre for Advanced 2D Materials (CA2DM) at the National University of Singapore, which has published over 1,000 highly cited academic publications, is the best example of Singapore's robust R&D environment, which has made it a global leader in graphene research. This attracts the top scientists and fosters an environment that supports new discoveries and the expansion of intellectual property, which generates significant revenue through licensing.

• Possible application: With its unique IP licensing agreement with US National Labs and its acquisition of Global Graphene Group's (G3) portfolio of over 700 patents, valued at approximately $1 billion, Prescott Composites is a prime example of leveraging cutting-edge graphene intellectual property (IP) to accelerate commercialisation. Their ambitions to become the world's largest & lowest cost & highest quality producer of Carbon Fibre / Composites and the largest and lowest cost Graphene producer in the world show the potential for a new industrial powerhouse that might expand its influence throughout Asia.

• Attracting foreign direct investment (FDI): The rapidly expanding global and regional graphene markets are key drivers for FDI.

Table 5: Global and Asia Pacific Graphene market projections

Singapore's total FDI stock increased 9.0% from S$2,608 billion in 2022 to S$2,843 billion in 2023, demonstrating its appeal to investors. The nation's pro-deep-tech policies, such the S$25 billion RIE2025 project, make it an excellent location for foreign companies to establish R&D centres, production facilities, and strategic alliances for the commercialisation of graphene. Electrofuel Marine, a leader in the development of graphene oxide membrane technology for ship emissions conversion, is one of the high-value deep-tech companies thriving here.

• Job creation and high-value skill development: The thriving graphene industry in Singapore will lead to the creation of highly skilled jobs in materials science, nanotechnology, engineering, and advanced manufacturing. This knowledge can then be used across the region as ASEAN's industrial base expands.

• New export opportunities and value chains: Singapore's leadership in graphene manufacturing and application development can lead to significant export opportunities for high-value graphene products and technologies by developing new supply chains and positioning Singaporean companies as significant players in the global graphene market.

• Cross-sectoral economic growth and regional impact: Graphene's versatility allows its economic advantages to be applied to a wide range of industries. Many ASEAN industries, including electronics, healthcare, automotive, aerospace, and infrastructure, can grow as a result of its applications. The ASEAN manufacturing sector is predicted to achieve a gross production value of US$1.2 trillion by 2030, with an expected 6% annual growth rate, so this significantly contributes to the region's overall economic modernisation and resilience. One area where graphene may significantly contribute to this expansion is the development of regenerative manufacturing skills and the solution of common business problems such as energy cost and inefficiency, structural durability, source contamination, and supply chain security.

• Intellectual property development: Singapore's focus on graphene research and development and patenting can lead to a strong portfolio of intellectual property, which will strengthen the nation's knowledge economy and generate revenue via licensing. Furthermore, ASEAN technology transfer and regional cooperation can benefit from this IP. For instance, Prescott Composites uses its more than 700 highly unique patents to dominate the anode and battery industries, which is compatible with developing strong intellectual property for long-term competitive advantage.

Conclusion to Part II: A bold path to a sustainable and prosperous future

Since we don't have enough space to develop renewable energy within our borders, Singapore can reduce its carbon footprint and create downstream value by using graphene. A complete and multifaceted approach to achieving net-zero goals is provided by the integrated strategy of converting municipal waste into high-value graphene and clean energy carriers like syngas and hydrogen, in addition to the creative "mining" of Semakau Landfill. Companies like Prescott Composites, which focus on low-cost, high-quality CF&G, smart city applications, and structural EV batteries, are excellent examples of innovative partnerships that could accelerate Singapore's development.

This approach delivers:

• Enhanced resource resilience and waste minimization: Singapore is a prime example of a completely circular economy since it maximises the value extracted from trash, improving resource security and easing the burden on landfills.

• Comprehensive emissions reduction: Numerous crucial industries, including as manufacturing, construction, waste management, and energy generation, see notable and observable decreases in emissions. The national carbon footprint of Singapore is significantly impacted by this.

• Accelerated economic development: This creative strategy puts Singapore and the greater ASEAN area at the forefront of the global green technology revolution, fosters innovation, attracts substantial amounts of foreign direct investment, and creates high-value jobs.

Singapore's ability to innovate and turn challenges into opportunities has characterised its path to net-zero. By embracing the circular economy and converting garbage into high-impact materials like graphene and clean energy carriers, the nation is not only seeking environmental sustainability but also opening up new economic prospects and becoming a global leader in green technology. For nations with low resources worldwide, this serves as a potent example.

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