S’pore makes $118m push to manufacture materials from living organisms under bioeconomy initiative
Examples of such products include sustainable aviation fuel, or polymers that can substitute plastics.
Singapore plans to invest $118 million in its bioeconomy sector to harness the potential of living organisms to create sustainable materials and chemicals, with the goal of reducing reliance on fossil fuels. The Bioeconomy Funding Initiative, launched recently, aims to bolster research capabilities in areas where Singapore has a competitive advantage, such as South-east Asia's palm oil production.
This funding boost, the government's largest for bioeconomy development, will focus on transforming waste materials into sustainable resources, engineering microbes and enzymes using AI, and improving industrial processes with digital technologies. The initiative also aims to create new business opportunities, generate jobs, and strengthen Singapore's energy and chemical sectors, which account for roughly 20% of the country's manufacturing output.
Over the next five years, a total of around $200 million will be committed to bioeconomy-related projects. The newly established National Centre for Engineering Biology at the National University of Singapore (NUS), supported by a $50 million grant from the National Research Foundation, will nurture scientists and innovators to develop and harness living cells for various applications, including specialty chemicals and advanced materials.
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