About Energy Studies Institute
The Energy Studies Institute (ESI) seeks to advance the understanding of energy issues
by conducting independent research and analyses.
HIGHLIGHTS
Visit by Fudan University and Joint Workshop
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Visit by China University of Petroleum (East China)
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Five ESI Staff Ranked in Top 2% of Scientists in the World (2024)
Dr. Yao Lixia, Senior Research Fellow, was interviewed by CNA on Singapore’s energy security issue
Dr. Yao Lixia, Senior Research Fellow, spoke on China-Australia energy investments into Southeast Asia at the 2024 Australia-China Energy Transition Forum held by Australia-China Relations Institute in Sydney
Four ESI staff members are ranked among the world's Top Scientists in 2024
Visit by Singapore Maritime Institute (SMI)
On 21 Mar 2024, ESI was delighted to have hosted the Singapore Maritime Institute (SMI) to discuss research areas that drive towards the impactful decarbonization of Singapore's maritime sector. SMI's delegation comprised Mr TAN Cheng Peng (SMI Executive Director), Mr LOH Yee Wei and YEE Hoong Fai (Senior Manager), and Mr SONG Hanyu and De Wang CHIA (Manager). They met with Prof LEE Poh Seng (ESI Executive Director), Dr SU Bin (Senior Research Fellow and Division Head), Mr Alvin EE (Research Fellow), Dr ZHONG Sheng (Senior Research Fellow), Dr KIM Jeong Won (Senior Research Fellow), and Mr Ian LOO (Senior Manager).
Leveraging the comprehensive insights from SMI on Singapore’s maritime sector, combined with ESI’s expertise in decarbonization pathways, carbon accounting, and the circular economy, the discussion uncovered potential avenues to enhance our understanding of critical aspects such as the evaluation of embodied emissions in clean alternative fuels and the life cycle assessment (LCA) for the second life of batteries. This meeting was highly productive, and ESI is eager to further our collaborative efforts with SMI, aiming to contribute to a greener and more sustainable maritime sector in Singapore.
Dr Zhong Sheng, Senior Research Fellow was quoted by Lianhe Zaobao
PUBLICATIONS
THE OUTLOOK FOR CHINA’S NUCLEAR POWER INDUSTRY: TECHNOLOGY AND SAFETY
SEMINAR| ABOUT China has the fastest growing fleet of nuclear power plants in the world. At the same time, its indigenous technological capacities are advancing, along with its ambitious to be an international supplier. These seminars examine the outlook for China’s nuclear power technology and the challenge of governing the safety of its domestic installations. | Date 5 December 2018, Wednesday Time
Admission is free but2:00 pm – 5.00 pm Venue Conference Room, Energy Studies Institute, 29 Heng Mui Keng Terrace Block A, #10-01 Singapore 119620 Enquiries Jan.lui@esi.nus.edu.sg Click here to register registration is required. |
| PROGRAMME
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| Seminar 1: The Future of the Nuclear Industry Development in China – An Historical Perspective The Chinese nuclear industry development has come a long way since 1st October 1949. Through technology transfer from the western world and strong domestic research and development support, China has risen up as the 3rd strongest East Asian country besides Japan and South Korea in nuclear energy developments. Contrasting the negative western experience of cost escalation, completion time overrun, and abrupt stop in new builds, China has never experienced major construction cost and completion time overrun even with the latest nuclear power technologies. Having steadily constructed almost all types of western light water reactors, the most dominant commercial nuclear power reactor technology since 1985, Hualong One emerged as the nationally standardized technology targeting both the domestic and overseas markets. Building upon a review of historical reactor technology and market development in China and worldwide, this session brings future perspectives of Chinese indigenous technologies in their domestic and foreign markets. Dr Victor Nian is a Research Fellow at the Energy Studies Institute of the National University of Singapore, and a participant in the project “Policy and Law for Nuclear safety and Security”. He has about 10 years’ experience in nuclear policy and strategy research. He is the Executive Director of a UNiLAB on Integrated Systems Analysis Tools under the “Research & Innovation without Borders” initiative of Applied Energy Journal. His research on nuclear energy covers almost all aspects including safety, security, and safeguards, policy and regulation, peaceful and strategic use of atomic energy, and technology and industry developments. |
| Seminar 2: Governing Nuclear Safety in China The safety of the China’s fleet of nuclear power plants is of concern not just to the country’s leadership and citizens, but also to the wider Asian region. However, the ability of China’s government to ensure the safety of its nuclear power plants has come under scrutiny both at home and abroad. These concerns have a number of grounds: the rapid growth of the country’s fleet of nuclear power plants; perceived inadequacies of the nuclear safety regulator; deficiencies in the legal framework; potential weaknesses in the safety culture; a lack of transparency in the industry; the potential for malfeasance and corruption; and the generally low standard of safety in other energy industries. This session examines the progress made in recent years and identifies the challenges that remain. Event Summary
On 5 December 2018, the Energy Studies Institute hosted two back-to-back seminars on China’s nuclear industry as part of the ESI-CIL Nuclear Governance Project. ESI Senior Fellow, Dr Victor Nian, presented on ‘The Future of Nuclear Industry Development in China – An Historical Perspective’. He drew attention to the longstanding involvement of China in nuclear technology for both military and civilian purposes, and showed that the government continues to support research into new options for nuclear power. ESI Senior Principal Fellow, Dr Philip Andrews-Speed, presented on ‘Governing Nuclear Safety in China’. Although China has suffered no serious nuclear accidents to date, he emphasised that the current rapid growth of the fleet of nuclear power plants may put strain on the system for regulating nuclear safety. |
