On August 21, Singapore and Japan formalized their partnership by signing a memorandum of cooperation (MOC) to advance efforts in carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies.

CCS plays a crucial role in mitigating carbon emissions by capturing, transporting, and storing carbon dioxide.

This new agreement will facilitate the exchange of best practices in cross-border CCS, along with insights into related technological advancements. The two nations will combine their expertise and resources to accelerate the adoption of CCS solutions across the region.

The MOC was executed by Tan See Leng, Singapore’s Second Minister for Trade and Industry, and Ken Saito, Japan’s Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, during the second Asia Zero Emission Community (Azec) Ministerial Meeting held in Jakarta.

Launched by Japan, the Azec initiative aims to promote regional cooperation for energy transition and enhance Asia’s decarbonization efforts.

Dr. Tan praised Japan as a pioneer in CCS technology, emphasizing that Singapore stands to benefit from Japan’s experience in both research and the application of CCS systems.

“Singapore is eager to collaborate with Japan to establish uniform standards for CCS, fostering a more interoperable market for CCS solutions within the region,” he remarked.

Recognized globally as an essential strategy for climate change mitigation, CCS is supported by organizations such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the International Energy Agency, both highlighting its significance in reaching net-zero emissions by the middle of this century.

This agreement follows the recent collaboration between Malaysia’s state energy company, Petronas, and the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company along with the UK-based CCS firm Storegga, to explore carbon dioxide storage solutions in Malaysia.

Together, they plan to build CCS facilities in the Penyu basin, located off the coast of Peninsular Malaysia, with a target of capturing and storing at least five million tonnes of CO2 annually by 2030, starting activities later this year.