NEA, EDB and BCA launch three grants aimed at refrigeration, air-con sector

*Article Republished from The Business Times, 8th October 2020*

THE National Environment Agency (NEA), Economic Development Board (EDB) and Building and Construction Authority (BCA) have launched three new grants to support companies to make an early switch to water-cooled chillers that use lower global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants. 

The new grants come as NEA plans to restrict the supply of water-cooled chillers using high-GWP refrigerants from the fourth quarter of 2022, NEA, EDB and BCA said on Thursday in a joint press statement.

The switch will help reduce Singapore's greenhouse gas emissions arising from the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) in the refrigeration and air-conditioning sector - where HFCs are commonly used as refrigerants in equipment. When emitted into the environment, HFCs are more potent than carbon dioxide in contributing to global warming.

On the other hand, low-GWP refrigerant chillers, which are more energy efficient, generally results in lower energy costs. However, they have higher upfront costs compared with high-GWP refrigerant chillers.

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BCA will administer one of the new grants under a scheme named Grant for Low-GWP Refrigerant Chillers - which supports eligible owners or operators of existing building types similar to those regulated under the Building Control (Environmental Sustainability Measures for Existing Buildings) Regulations 2013.

Meanwhile, grants for industrial facilities and data centres will come under the existing Energy Efficiency Fund - administered by NEA, and the Resource Efficiency Grant for Energy - administered by EDB.

The grants will also support part of the cost of low-GWP refrigerant chillers for space cooling. Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu said: "Climate change is an existential challenge for Singapore, which requires a whole-of-nation response, and efforts by all sectors to reduce emissions."

Companies which do not meet any of the above criteria may contact NEA to check on their eligibility for the grant, according to the press statement.

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