New US$1billion research fund to tackle Singapore's challenges

The Singaporean government has set aside US$1 billion for the next five years to study large, complex national challenges, such as energy and environmental sustainability. The newly launched National Innovation Challenge hopes to attract projects studying long-term solutions to major issues facing Singapore, such as sustainable urban development, efficient city transportation systems or cost-efficient clean energy, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Tuti Mariana Lim, a senior lecturer at Ngee Ann Polytechnic, noted that the program could help scientists work on significant breakthroughs as well as nascent clean-energy technologies, such as algal biofuel and hydrogen, which may not be immediately viable in the near term. (September 18, 2010)