Energy efficiency is a strategic priority for Singtel and
is an important part of building sustainable operations.
Energy is also a national focus for regulators in Singapore
with the Energy Conservation Act being passed in early
2012. The Act is expected to ensure that companies with
heavy energy usage will measure, and eventually fully
report their energy usage and efficiency programmes.
At Singtel, we have already started the process of
improving our energy management and have implemented
recognised standards and reliable, cost effective sources
of renewable energy. For example, our data centre in
Singapore, Kim Chuan Telecommunications Complex
2 (KCTC-2), achieved the Building and Construction
Authority’s Green Mark Gold Award, a rating system that
evaluates buildings based on criteria such as energy and
water efficiency, as well as environmental innovation.
KCTC-2 also achieved the SS564 certification, a new
standard that provides the framework and methodology
to measure the energy efficiency of data centres, and is
built to Tier-4 specifications which is the industry’s most
stringent data centre standards for reliability and service
availability. The Power Management Unit was also set up
during the year to coordinate our strategies and optimise
our usage of power systems and electricity.
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As of result of our actions, we achieved cumulative
electricity savings of 33.8 GWh since FY2010. This equates
to nearly 10% of our total energy consumption in FY2012
and translates into a reduction of our carbon footprint by
17,402 tCO2e emissions.
There were six energy audits conducted at exchanges
in Singapore during FY2012. The results gave us a good
understanding of these operations and will provide a basis
for planning improvements in the future. We intend to
conduct eight more audits in the next 12 months and this
will complete the energy audit programme at all Singtel
exchanges.
Singtel’s Power Management Unit
The Power Management Unit (PMU) was formed in January
2012 under the Singtel’s property group. PMU’s mandate is
to undertake the planning, implementation and operations
of the DC (Direct Current) and UPS (Uninterruptible Power
Supply). The key objectives of PMU are to:
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Consolidate and optimise power systems in our network
by deploying and optimising larger capacity power
systems to replace the numerous smaller power systems; |
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Reduce electricity wastage by implementing systems to
improve energy conversion efficiency by replacing end-of-life power systems with newer efficient systems; and |
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Replace lead acid battery plants with maintenance-free
battery plants to reduce emissions of hydrogen and
recharging requirements while actively exploring
the feasibility of alternative battery technologies and
alternative energy sources. |
PMU will also produce best practice guidance on the proper
operations and utilisation of power systems to minimise
system outage due to interrupted power supply. |
