SINGAPORE - Keppel Offshore and Marine (O&M) has signed a $10 million partnership with the Energy Market Authority (EMA) to develop new innovations in the areas of distributed energy resources, digitalisation and emerging low carbon alternatives.

They are also asking for ideas related to energy storage systems and smart power grids for the offshore and marine environment, the organisations said on Wednesday (April 15).

Firms or research institutes whose ideas are selected in this initiative - it is known as a grant call - can get funding to test and develop their innovations.

"These solutions should seek to reduce overall energy usage and carbon footprint while enhancing overall operational efficiency," they added.

"The grant call serves to encourage innovation and capability building for the wider industry ecosystem in Singapore. The insights ... could be translated to potential solutions to enhance the grid."

Interested companies, research organisations and institutes of higher learning can apply. Applications close on June 24 and shortlisted participants can test their solutions at Keppel's floating living lab, an offshore testbed which will be the first of its kind here.

The living lab will be ready for operations by the end of next year and will provide a platform for testing and commercialising promising power and technology solutions for the marine sector.

It will also have liquefied natural gas bunkering facilities for harbour craft and small vessels and an embedded power generation system to power some Keppel operations, with excess electricity to be exported to the national grid.

EMA chief executive Ngiam Shih Chun: "We hope to develop innovative energy solutions for the marine sector through this partnership with Keppel O&M. We are seeking solutions that incorporate the use of cleaner energy, optimise energy consumption and reduce carbon emissions.

"By doing so, we are building Singapore's energy story by co-creating solutions for a more sustainable energy future with stakeholders."

Keppel O&M CEO Chris Ong added: "Our use of digitalisation and data analytics will reduce energy waste and increase the use of cleaner energy. The insights gleaned can also help us develop integrated solutions across the Keppel Group for sustainable urbanisation.

"Keppel's drive to provide clean floating energy solutions will complement EMA's work in ensuring energy sustainability."