Background

The Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) are committed to meet our sustainability targets in line with the Singapore Green Plan 2030. We are on track to achieve these targets and have made progress in driving three major green initiatives – carbon emissions, water, and waste. In close collaboration with the Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA), we will reduce the growth of overall carbon emissions by two-thirds by 2030, and reduce our water consumption by 10 per cent and waste generation by 30 per cent by 2030. We also aim to halve the 2030 emissions by 2050.

Governance and Strategy

In 2021, we established the SAF Sustainability Office to implement sustainability efforts under the leadership of the SAF Chief Sustainability Officer. In 2022, we established the External Advisory Panel for Environmental Sustainability (EAPES) to advise us and ensure that our efforts are guided by science, data and evidence. The EAPES, comprising experts in various fields, provides assessment and recommendations on MINDEF/SAF's sustainability policies, strategies and initiatives, as well as shares knowledge, including latest developments, technologies and best practices. The inaugural meeting of the EAPES took place in February 2022.

Reduce Water and Electricity Consumption

Understanding our demands and strengthening ownership over resource consumption is key to reducing wastage. To reduce water and electricity consumption, we are installing over 300 smart metering systems as part of a pilot programme at three SAF camps: in Jurong Camp, Paya Lebar Airbase and Changi Naval Base. The pilot programme is expected to be completed by 2023 before it is rolled out in full to other camps/bases.

DSTA will leverage data analytics to help MINDEF/SAF analyse consumption patterns and trends through the smart metering systems, and ensure that the overall system is robust and resilient. The data collected will be processed, aggregated and presented on a user-friendly dashboard, where Unit commanders can view consumption patterns in one single picture and identify anomalies. With access to the data, these commanders will have sight of their unit's performance in comparison to other units, and can take concrete steps to encourage responsible behaviour among the servicemen in order to achieve desirable outcomes in green efforts.

Reduce Carbon Emissions

By 2022, about one in four of our camps will be installed with solar panels. These solar panels will deliver 20 mega-watt peak of electricity (equivalent to the consumption of about 5,000 four-room households). By 2025, two in three of our military camps will have solar panels generating 50 mega-watt peak of electricity.

This year, we will commence the conversion of our administrative vehicle fleet to Electric Vehicles (EVs). Charging stations will be built at Kranji Camp III and Gombak Base as part of our implementation trials. By 2030, we will replace our entire administrative fleet with EVs.

Reduce Waste

To reduce food waste, the SAF plans for meals at its cookhouses and accounts for them using the electronic meal accounting system. So far, we have reduced food waste to one per cent. The SAF has also commenced food waste recycling in 14 cookhouses. Food waste is collected and sent to the Ulu Pandan Water Reclamation Plant, where they are mixed with used water sludge to produce biogas for energy generation. The remaining cookhouses will be onboard this programme upon the completion of NEA's Tuas Nexus Plant in 2025.

For general waste, we have started to weigh our waste in all SAF camps to better understand our disposal patterns and where we need to intervene to reduce waste. We have also commenced efforts to equip recycling bins for paper, plastic, metal, and glass throughout SAF camps. We also have waste disposal contracts to recycle our scrap metals, electronic and chemical waste.