The Energy Market Authority (EMA) plays a vital role in shaping and regulating Singapore’s energy landscape to ensure a sustainable and secure future. As an autonomous statutory board under the Ministry of Trade and Industry, the EMA is committed to promoting energy reliability, sustainability, and affordability in the country.

Ooi Ren Yi and Leck Luke Shen are recipients of the EMA Overseas Undergraduate Scholarship are aspiring engineers who are passionate about tackling energy-related issues with EMA. However, before making meaningful contributions to the organisation, they are determined to hone their skills and knowledge at renowned institutions overseas.

Ren Yi is completing his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in the United States while Luke is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Cambridge’s Saint Edmund’s College in the United Kingdom. With the opportunities presented by the scholarship, they are well-positioned to embark on promising careers in the field.

We speak to them to learn about their present and future aspirations in the energy sector.

How did you discover your interest in engineering?

Ren Yi: My interest in engineering was motivated by an internship with Sembcorp Industries awarded to winners of the Sembcorp Water Technology Prize. In observing the process of electricity generation being conducted at cogeneration plants on an industrial scale, I was better able to appreciate the behind-the-scenes work of Electrical Engineers involved in ensuring round-the-clock reliability and optimal operational efficiency of the plants. I began to realise how the study of electrical engineering would equip me with the knowledge to contribute effectively to the generation, transmission and distribution of electrical energy in a large-scale power network.

Luke: My interest in engineering truly sprung when I had the opportunity to step foot into Singapore’s Central District Cooling Plant. Witnessing the innovative applications of scientific principles in conjunction with mathematical models to maximise spatial and energy efficiency left me in admiration and appreciation for the discipline. Its unique fusion of science, human ingenuity and passion, all being meaningfully employed for purposeful action fuelled my desire to join engineering.

What is the most appealing aspect of engineering?

Ren Yi: What appeals to me most about my current field is the immense possibilities and exploration of new, exciting technologies. I am particularly drawn in by the breadth of the energy industry, with many new and exciting technologies, especially in the renewable energy sector to consider. This involves exploring the unknown and thinking of innovative and unprecedented ways to overcome existing constraints.

Luke: Engineering’s appeal to me can be condensed by these three attributes: omnipresent, dynamic and thrilling; all of which were encapsulated in Singapore’s energy scene.

What kind of support did you receive through the EMA Overseas Undergraduate Scholarship?

Ren Yi: Besides the support I received in financing my overseas studies, EMA also provided me with the opportunity to do internships with them across different departments over the summers. These internships gave me a better idea of the type of work I could expect when I eventually joined them full-time and served to keep me in touch with the latest trends and happenings in the industry while I was pursuing my studies.

Luke: Through the scholarship, I was able to have the opportunity to intern at EMA. The experience was eye-opening and deeply insightful. Experiencing the importance of ensuring reliable, sustainable and affordable energy in person reaffirmed my passion to contribute to our nation’s energy transition through a meaningful career in EMA.

Speaking of the scholarship, what are your key takeaways from studying overseas?

Ren Yi: Being open to interacting with people of diverse backgrounds. While it was tough adapting to life overseas initially, I am very grateful to have been able to hear the stories of individuals that I met during my time in college, which were both humbling and vastly expanded my worldview.

Luke: Outside of the academic rigour, the opportunity to study overseas has exposed me to a diverse range of perspectives, experiences, and cultures, broadening my understanding and appreciation of different ways of thinking. It has instilled in me a stronger habit of actively seeking to better learn from my peers, supervisors and professors and imagining how these ideas can potentially be applicable in Singapore’s context.

That’s really insightful! Tell us more about your career aspirations.

Ren Yi: I am inclined towards taking on an analyst role in shaping policymaking initiatives that grow Singapore’s future energy landscape. For instance, I am interested in working towards developing R&D in the industry, assisting with enterprise development and growing clean energy companies.

Luke: The challenge of ensuring the energy supply while meeting the rising energy demand is only exacerbated by the urgent need to tackle climate change. Yet, it is exactly this challenging roadmap ahead that creates a dynamic and thrilling landscape where creativity and innovation are keystones to success. Being able to contribute to this area of Singapore’s development during our nation’s critical transition to a clean energy future is an opportunity I look forward to grasping in EMA.

Do you have any advice for aspiring scholars who are considering joining EMA?

Ren Yi: EMA provides the opportunity for anyone who wishes to embark on a meaningful career in keeping the lights on for Singapore. It is not always that we get to be in a role where we are able to derive this sense of satisfaction in knowing that our day-to-day work contributes directly to securing a resource so indispensable for our country.

Luke: The road ahead of Singapore’s energy transition is bound to be riddled with potholes, rife with challenges and plagued by uncertainty. But it also promises a purposeful, exciting and impactful career. Given the novelty of sustainable energy transition, I strongly believe that with an open mind, a steadfast desire to learn and an innovative spirit, achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 will indubitably be a reality.