OFFSHORE WIND - A Game Changer in Our Future Energy Supply

Modern wind turbine development started back in the eighties. In 40 years, the size and capacity of wind turbines have grown enormously. Offshore wind turbines with sizes of 15 MW are in commercial operation and the R&D community is currently working on prototypes close to 30MW. These gigantic machines, spinning with diameters of 300 m and beyond, are double the size of the Singapore Flyer. With huge sizes and capacities, new markets are exploring Floating Offshore Structures. Large floating offshore wind turbines are able to produce large amounts of renewable electricity and other molecule-based energy carriers. This facilitates large scale energy storage and provides an excellent opportunity to decarbonize the world's fossil fuel-based transport system. This lecture will pinpoint some of the key developments that made this upscaling possible. It will also provide an outlook how the world and Singapore can benefit from this new stage in wind energy technology.

View the Seatrium Professorship Forum: Em. Prof. dr. Gerard van Bussel video:

What does the Long-Term Energy Future Hold?

This lecture will present the highlights of the 2024 DNV’s Energy Transition Outlook through to 2050. It will offer a regional perspective on Southeast Asia, and an industry perspective focusing on maritime. Nine of ten ASEAN countries have pledged to achieve net zero targets. The region’s expected decarbonization pathway to 2050 will be assessed. Maritime is a hard-to-electrify sector with uncertainties surrounding the availability of advanced biofuels and green hydrogen derived from fuels such as ammonia. Despite these uncertainties, it will be shown how the industry can best take positive steps towards decarbonization through efficiencies and cooperation around green shipping corridors along with a relatively newly introduced concept – carbon capture corridors. The lecture will also explore how digitalization and Artificial Intelligence could accelerate the much-needed decarbonization of our global energy system.

View the Seatrium Public Lecture: Mr Remi Eriksen video

Inaugural Seatrium Public Lecture

The Inaugural Seatrium Public Lecture (now known as Seatrium Professorship Forum) was held on 23 February 2024. Dr Christopher Wiernicki, the Chairman and CEO of the American Bureau of Shipping delivered his lecture on “What does the calculus of Net Zero by 2050 mean?”.

Dr Wiernicki is the first Visiting Seatrium Professor appointed under the Seatrium Professorship Gift Agreement between NUS and Seatrium. This Gift Agreement is designed to attract top talent in energy transition and sustainability to Singapore to promote knowledge transfer that will lead to the development of innovative technology.

With over 35 years of experience, Dr Wiernicki is a member of the National Infrastructure Advisory Council, where he advises the White House on risk reduction and resilience in America’s infrastructure sectors. In 2023, he was also a member of the Maritime International Advisory Panel, established by the Ministry of Transport and Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore. That same year, he received the GREEN4SEA Leadership Award for his outstanding contributions to sustainability.

View the Inaugural Seatrium Public Lecture video