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Challenge Statements

ABOUT THE CHALLENGE OWNERS


TotalEnergies
Present in Singapore for 41 years with more than 600 staff, TotalEnergies has activities ranging from regional headquarters, manufacturing, and research & development. Business divisions represented include Exploration & Production, Gas Renewables & Power, Trading & Shipping, and Marketing & Services (including the largest EV charging network in Singapore, TotalEnergies’ largest lubricants plant worldwide, and the global headquarters of TotalEnergies Marine Fuels). Singapore also houses Saft batteries activities, a Research & Development center of Hutchinson as well as Total Eren that focuses on business development and project financing.
Hutchinson
Hutchinson designs and manufactures smart solutions for a world on the move and contributes to future mobility on land, in the air and at sea. Hutchinson offers expertise in a variety of areas to enable mobility that is safer, more comfortable and more sustainable, today and tomorrow. The added value of their solutions extends from designing customised materials to integrating connected solutions.
Bluecharge by TotalEnergies
Bluecharge by TotalEnergies operates Singapore’s largest electric vehicle (EV) charging network of more than 1,500 charge points. Close to 500 EV charging points located across the island are available for public use. The network is monitored 24/7 to ensure a robust and reliable system. Bluecharge by TotalEnergies is committed to empower your transition to electric mobility.

CHALLENGE 1

New Markets for Repurposed EV Batteries

Repurposing EV batteries for a “second life” has emerged as a promising approach to maximise the value and longevity of energy storage systems. By finding new applications and uses for these batteries, we can unlock their remaining potential. Repurposed EV batteries are identified for reuse in stationary energy storage combined with renewable energy, in particular for off-grid applications. We not only enhance the sustainability of the fast-growing electric vehicle industry, but also create new opportunities for TotalEnergies to support green sectors.
How might we increase efficiency, reliability and deployment of repurposed batteries, so that we ensure them a second life and safely redeploy them in new applications?
The repurposing process typically involves assessing the health and performance of the battery, refurbishing or reconfiguring it as necessary, and finally integrating it into a new application. For the purpose of this challenge, our focus is on:

Battery collection process

Key challenge to address
Wide geographical spread of collection points; role of EV manufacturers to be leveraged




Battery Inspection

Key challenge to address
Lack of readily available information on state of health, and usage history, battery design and chemistry, requiring costly tests and limiting the ability to optimise reuse processes




Battery pricing

Key challenge to address
Absence of mechanism to forward price them for second life applications




Sorting and Regrouping

Key challenge(s) to address
  • Identifying the right set of indicators and thresholds to maximise performance of a battery in its second-life application
  • Developing a sorting algorithm for batteries with similar electrochemical properties




Battery Second-life Placement

Key challenge(s) to address
  • Adapting control strategies to stabilise power output or to limit events such as overheating or discharging
  • Developing effective equalisation strategies to reduce inconsistencies between the electrochemical behaviour of individual cells or modules
  • Developing fault-diagnosis algorithms adjusted to second-life batteries to quickly detect events such internal short circuits
  • Integrate second life battery into a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) solution.
  • Create a warranty programme for the second life battery system.
TotalEnergies is looking to conduct a pilot project in one or more Southeast Asian countries. The application can be targeted at the residential or commercial and industrial segments.

Info Session
Check out the recording from our Info Session, where the challenge statement owner shared more about the challenge statement:

CHALLENGE 2

Greater Penetration of Distributed Generation Systems 

Asia now accounts for just over half (53% in 2021) of the world’s energy demand. That will dramatically increase in the coming decades, as the region’s industries grow to meet consumer and industrial demand. The climate crisis triggers a fundamental and urgent requirement of transitioning from a fossil fuel-supplied energy system to one driven by renewables. Volumes of all these will increase significantly, as we move to renewables-based electrification.

This challenge is about accelerating the penetration of distributed generation system in Asia. Here, we are focusing specifically on the commercial and industrial segments, and installations in the 500kW to 20MW range.

There are several options to optimise existing technologies and business models:
  1. Improving the integration of multi-source of energies and of energy supply and use
  2. Improving the circularity of equipment used, in particular, photovoltaic (PV) panels and batteries
  3. Overcoming current limitations of business models, for example:
    - Redeployable systems to decrease time required to provide minimum return
    - Smart credit guarantees or grouping of customers to provide a solution to currently unserved or underserved customers

Notwithstanding the role renewables will play themselves, their impact in replacing fossil fuels will be complemented by the efficiency gains across the board through increasing sophistication of energy management systems along their full lifecycle.
How might TotalEnergies partner with you to accelerate the distributed generation system penetration in Asia?
TotalEnergies is looking at boosting the adoption of such systems through smarter energy management systems across the whole value chain. Here are some examples:
Opportunity

Smart energy combination

In a smart energy combination, different energy sources, such as solar, wind, hydroelectric power, biomass and geothermal, are combined and utilised based on their availability, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. 

The synergistic use of renewable sources, storage systems, electrical grid, and advanced management technologies in an intelligent and efficient manner optimise energy production, distribution, and consumption.            
Desired Outcomes
  • Creating a more sustainable energy system with lower reliance on fossil fuels.
  • Balancing the intermittent nature of renewable energy sources, ensuring a steady and reliable energy supply.
  • Allowing for a more resilient and reliable energy supply decentralised and distributed.
  • Optimising profitability of PPA business model.




Redeployable PV

One of the challenges of deployment of a PV system is the required time for providing minimum return, while some lease or industrial needs may be more limited in time.

Redeployable systems are designed for easy transport and relocation. Some solutions may be adapted to medium-size systems mounted on trailers or other mobile platforms capable of providing electricity to commercial and industrial installations.
Desired Outcomes
  • Powering off-grid or mobile applications - anywhere there is sunlight.
  • Powering temporary installations like construction sites, events, or remote field operations
  • Enabling emergency preparedness and disaster relief
  • Reducing installation complexity




Recycling PV 

When the solar panels reach their end-of-life (EOL), they need to be disposed of or recycled. Recycling PV involves the process of dismantling the solar panels and recovering the valuable materials that they contain for reuse.
Desired Outcomes
  • Recovering valuable materials, including silver, aluminium, silicon, and rare elements like gallium and indium
  • Reducing landfill waste and preventing hazardous waste like lead or cadmium from being released into the environment
  • Saving the energy that would have been used to produce new materials




Financing PV roll-out to currently unserved or underserved customers

This can be a complex task due to the potential issues related to cost, accessibility, maintenance, and financial resources. Models include:
  • Microfinancing – small loans provided to low-income groups or poorly-rated commercial and industrial customers  who do not have access to traditional banking services offering reasonable conditions
  • Community funding and cooperatives to enable pool of resources to finance a shared PV system
Desired Outcomes
  • Accelerating the transition to green energy of currently disregarded customers
  • Reducing energy costs over time for households and businesses
  • Improving resilience to power outages and natural disasters with a decentralised and reliable source of power
  • Providing access to more reliable and clean energy where grid connectivity is poor or non-existent

For companies that can address one or more aspects outlined above, the TotalEnergies Renewables team will explore with you a pilot project in Southeast Asia, India or Japan (depending on your proposal).

Info Session
Check out the recording from our Info Session, where the challenge statement owner shared more about the challenge statement:

CHALLENGE 3

Better Infrastructure and Greener Energy for EV Charging

Today, Singapore has over 650,000 vehicles; 12% of the new car registrations are electric vehicles (EVs). By 2030, EVs are expected to represent 30% of the total car population. The estimated number of charging stations needed to service these vehicles is 60,000. Today, we only have 3,600. The next six years will see an exciting transition and the development of new opportunities, as the ecosystem embraces the change. Critical to the adoption of EVs is an accessible and efficient charging system, without which adoption will stall. The majority of Singapore’s charging points are located in residential areas. Bluecharge, a TotalEnergies company, operates Singapore's largest EV charging network (close to 500 points) and continues to invest in developing the infrastructure to support Singapore’s EV revolution.
How might we optimise or increase the power for EV charging stations in a cost-effective manner:
  1. Increasing the efficiency of the charging stations to improve charging rate; and/or
  2. Integrating renewable energy sources to power charging stations and reduce dependency on the grid?
Bluecharge by TotalEnergies is looking to pilot hardware and/or software solutions that will allow our charge points to benefit from additional incoming power when the demand peaks (in particular in the evening). This could be through optimisation of the available power in HDB carpark’s switch rooms, the generation of local power (for example, solar, hydrogen fuel cells, or power storage) to be released when required. 77 percent of the resident population in Singapore live in public housing developed by the Housing and Development Board (HDB). Consequently, a convenient EV charging network requires an executable strategy to accommodate HDB estates. Singapore being a small island and the concentration on HDB estates provide certain advantages in planning a rollout. There are infrastructure challenges to be addressed. Car parks in these estates currently lack enough power to cope with a soon-to-be rapid increase in demand for EV charging, and it will take time and investment to upgrade the switch rooms. For example, most of the Bluecharge by TotalEnergies EV charging stations are currently equipped with four EV chargers; only 40A is available, delivering just 5.5 kW to each vehicle if all four bays are being used. The ideal target is 22kW per vehicle. One way is to increase overall charging efficiency through intelligent power generation, management, and delivery capabilities. In addition, Bluecharge by TotalEnergies is exploring the provision of green energy to their charging stations. For example, energy from rooftop solar panels or even hydrogen fuel cells to supplement existing power and reduce dependence on the grid.

Info Session
Check out the recording from our Info Session, where the challenge statement owner shared more about the challenge statement:

CHALLENGE 4

Greener Raw Materials for Manufacturing

Original equipment manufacturers (OEM) already face a growing demand to incorporate a specific percentage of recycled materials as raw materials, while ensuring price competitiveness and adhering to specified requirements. This is, in turn, a substantial challenge for their suppliers. With 160 years of experience in processing elastomers and a world leader in vibration insulation, fluid management, and precision and body sealing systems, Hutchinson is exploring how best to meet evolving customer needs. In addition to regulatory measures and policies aimed at promoting sustainability and circular economy principles, companies are also being incentivised to employ Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) – a method to evaluate the environmental impact of their products from extraction and processing of raw materials, manufacturing, distribution, use, and finally, recycling or disposal. Finally, there is a growing awareness and preference among consumers for products and materials that have a reduced environmental impact.
How might we increase the recycling of used materials to produce new products without compromising quality and efficacy, to help OEMs and their suppliers meet increasing sustainability standards globally, particularly in the automotive industry?
Hutchinson has undertaken an internal study on its manufacturing scraps and has started adapting their manufacturing processes to integrate recycled materials as raw materials into their manufacturing processes. By conducting thorough analyses and experiments, Hutchinson aims to optimise their processes and explore the feasibility of utilising recycled materials effectively. This proactive approach demonstrates Hutchinson's commitment to enhance their manufacturing practices, reduce waste, and contribute to the growth of the recycled materials market. Hutchinson is looking to conduct a pilot project with a suitable partner within its Asia Business Units (BUs). Part of the exploration of innovative solutions is carrying out LCA: assessing the quality of recycled materials, adapting processes to incorporate recycled materials, and developing the supply chain for recycled materials. Successful pilots will be adopted by Hutchinson's global BUs to address industry-wide sustainability challenges effectively.

Info Session
Check out the recording from our Info Session, where the challenge statement owner shared more about the challenge statement: