We thank Mr Eric J. Brooks for his views on PUB’s plan to build a demonstration plant with Equatic and University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) to explore carbon dioxide removal from seawater (Amount of carbon dioxide to be removed by $27m facility just a drop in the ocean, March 5).

The United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has assessed that carbon dioxide removal will be a key contributor in limiting global warming to 1.5 deg C, and to offset emissions from difficult-to-decarbonise sectors.

The demonstration-scale plant is necessary to enable PUB and our partners to assess the potential of ocean carbon dioxide removal technology for Singapore and beyond.

Should the technology prove feasible for implementation at commercial scale, a single plant could potentially remove up to 110,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year – equivalent to the annual carbon emissions of more than 25,000 individuals – and in the process produce hydrogen, a clean fuel source. This project is also part of the Government’s broader decarbonisation effort.

PUB is committed to investing in research and development and sourcing for best-in-class solutions to meet our target of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2045, thereby contributing to Singapore’s net-zero targets.

The investment will also be crucial in ensuring that Singapore’s water supply remains climate-resilient and sustainable. 

Pang Chee Meng (Dr)
Chief engineering and technology officer
PUB, Singapore’s national water agency