新加坡：隨著電價持續攀升，越來越多能源密集型企業開始主動削減尖峰時段的用電量——這背後，是能源市場管理局（EMA）一項獎勵機制的強力推動。
EMA表示，參與其「需求響應計劃」的企業數量已從2023年的4家猛增至今年的16家，而作為電網與企業之間橋樑的服務提供商數量也翻倍，從3家增至6家。
該計劃主要面向製造業等高耗能企業，允許它們在電網負荷高峰期主動減少用電，並因此獲得現金獎勵。目前，參與企業累計削減的電力負荷已達167兆瓦（MW），足以支撐約30萬戶四房式組屋一小時的用電需求。
計劃如何運作？
EMA指出，需求響應旨在緩解電網壓力，穩定電價。企業可通過電力零售商或聚合商註冊，若能承諾削減至少0.1兆瓦的用電量，也可直接加入。
企業需提前在批發市場「競標」其可削減的用電量。當電價飆升或供電緊張時，EMA將激活這些承諾，企業隨即通過關閉非關鍵設備、啟用電池儲能或備用發電機等方式降低用電。
作為回報，企業每削減1兆瓦時電力，最高可獲得4500新元（約合3500美元）的激勵金——這正是新加坡批發電力市場的電價上限。
但若企業未能完成承諾，削減量低於80%的最低標準，不僅無獎勵，還將面臨財務罰款；若持續表現不佳，甚至可能被暫停參與資格。
成本飆升，企業轉向儲能方案
然而，並非所有企業都能輕易「關燈省電」。對於冷鏈物流、數據中心等24小時不間斷運行的行業，單純削減用電並不現實。
於是，企業紛紛轉向電池儲能系統——在用電低谷時充電，高峰時放電，實現「削峰填谷」。
Blue Whale Energy公司CEO林嘉偉表示，自今年3月荷姆茲海峽油氣運輸受阻、電價暴漲以來，客戶對儲能系統的需求激增。一家冷房客戶月電費從12月的5萬新元飆升至3月的8.5萬新元。
「那些電費占運營成本大頭的企業，受電價衝擊最嚴重，」林嘉偉說。該公司訂單量自危機爆發以來飆升151%，部署的儲能系統數量已從去年的3套增至本月的14套，年底有望突破40套。
太陽能擴張與能源自主
除了「節流」，新加坡也在大力「開源」。EMA太陽能與電網解決方案總監陳紫雲表示，過去一年，新加坡太陽能裝機容量增長約30%，從2024年底的1.6吉瓦峰值躍升至2025年底的約2.1吉瓦峰值，目標是2030年前達到至少3吉瓦峰值。
隨著太陽能板成本下降和融資渠道增多，企業與家庭安裝光伏系統的回報周期已縮短至五年以內。
但EMA也指出，受限於土地資源和太陽能的間歇性，太陽能僅能滿足新加坡約10%的電力需求——這意味著，該國仍需大量依賴電力進口。
對此，香港能源諮詢公司Lantau Group合伙人David Broadstock博士警告：隨著全球能源安全意識提升，鄰國正越來越傾向於「自用優先」，未來可能不再輕易「放行」電力出口至新加坡。
「可再生能源是明智之路，但要實現大規模進口，必須先投入巨額資金升級電網基礎設施，」他強調，「目前的電網，還遠不足以承載我們期望引入的所有電力。」
面對電價持續波動，業界普遍認為，更多企業將加速布局綜合能源管理方案——太陽能、儲能與需求響應三管齊下。
「這或許是新加坡能源主權的轉折點，」Blue Whale Energy的林嘉偉說，「我們必須儘可能多地發展本地可再生能源，因為每一度由太陽能板發出的電，都意味著我們少進口一度電。」
FIRMS TURN TO ALTERNATIVES AS COSTS SURGE
But not all firms can easily cut usage. For sectors such as cold chain logistics or data centres, where operations run round the clock, reducing power consumption is not always feasible.
Instead, companies are increasingly turning to battery storage systems.
These systems store electricity when demand is lower and release it when needed. This helps firms better manage costs.
Blue Whale Energy, which provides such systems, said interest has surged since disruptions to oil and gas shipments through the Strait of Hormuz began in March, driving sharp increases in electricity prices.
One of its cold room clients saw its monthly bill rise from about S$50,000 in December to S$85,000 by March, noted CEO Gabriel Lim.
Mr Lim said his company’s sales pipeline has jumped 151 per cent since the crisis began.
The firm is scaling up quickly, from three systems deployed last year to about 14 by the end of this month, and potentially 40 by year-end.
Battery energy storage systems allow businesses to store electricity and manage costs. 「Customers who consume a lot of electricity, where electricity is a very large and core part of their cost of goods … have been disproportionately impacted by the surge in wholesale electricity prices,」 he said.
He added that businesses are combining solutions such as solar panels, battery storage and demand response to cope with rising costs.
SOLAR EXPANSION AND ENERGY RESILIENCE
Beyond managing demand, Singapore is also expanding supply through solar as part of efforts to strengthen energy resilience.
Ms Violet Chen, director of solar and grid solutions at EMA, said solar capacity has grown strongly, rising by about 30 per cent over the past year from 1.6 gigawatt peak at end-2024 to around 2.1 gigawatt peak by end-2025.
Singapore is working towards a target of at least 3 gigawatt-peak of solar capacity by 2030.
Falling solar panel costs and new financing options are also making adoption more attractive for both businesses and households, with some able to recover installation costs in under five years, she added.
However, solar energy alone is expected to meet only about 10 per cent of Singapore’s electricity needs, according to the EMA, as limited land and the intermittent nature of solar power constrain how much can be deployed.
Floating solar panels in Singapore. This means the country will still need to rely on imports for a significant share of its electricity. But analysts warn that this may not be straightforward.
Dr David Broadstock, partner at the Lantau Group, a Hong Kong-based energy consultancy, said countries are increasingly looking to produce electricity 「as close to home as they can」 to improve energy resilience.
This could affect Singapore’s ability to import low-carbon electricity, as neighbouring countries may reconsider whether it would make sense to 「let it escape the country」 as energy supplies tighten.
He noted that while renewable energy is a 「very sensible pathway」, scaling it up will require significant investment in grid infrastructure to support imports and ensure a stable supply.
「There’s simply not enough of that in place at the moment to cope with everything that we hope to be able to bring in,」 he added.
As electricity prices remain volatile, industry players say more businesses are expected to explore ways to better manage their energy use.
「I think this is probably a defining moment for Singapore, where we think about our energy sovereignty,」 said Blue Whale Energy’s Mr Lim.
「It’s important that we really build as many renewable energy sources as possible, because every single kilowatt hour that's generated by a solar panel is a kilowatt hour that we don't have to import,」 he added.
