What Singapore’s New BESS Report Means for Contractors

How Choon Huat Engineering helps Singapore contractors switch to battery-powered sites, now backed by a new industry report

Source: Powering Progress: Energy Storage Systems in Singapore’s Built Environment, an industry report by Infinity Cube, the Energy Studies Institute and the Singapore Green Building Council. Read the full report.

The hidden cost of oversized generators

Construction power demand is uneven. Tower cranes, hoists and concrete pumps cause short, heavy peaks, so generators are sized for those peaks. For most of the day they then run at under 30% load, burning fuel inefficiently. The report notes that this leads to “wet stacking”, extra maintenance and unnecessary emissions.

Choon Huat Engineering, a Singapore equipment rental company and the official distributor of Infinity Cube, helps contractors solve this with mobile battery energy storage systems (BESS), available to rent with full on-site support.

Now backed by independent research

A new industry report, Powering Progress: Energy Storage Systems in Singapore’s Built Environment, confirms the case. It was co-authored by Infinity Cube, the Energy Studies Institute and the Singapore Green Building Council. It finds that mobile BESS can cut diesel use on construction sites by 20% to 80%. On LTA, HDB and private residential projects, Infinity Cube units saved:

56,000 to 288,000 litres of diesel saved per site, per year
SGD 73,000 to 375,000 in estimated savings per site, per year
150 to 770 tonnes of CO₂e avoided per site, per year

More than cost savings

Cutting diesel lowers a contractor’s Scope 1 emissions and a developer’s Scope 3 emissions. It also supports points under BCA Green Mark 2021’s Whole Life Carbon criteria and LEED credits. In addition, the system’s energy management software records data that supports ESG reporting and green tender requirements.

Safe and compliant

Infinity Cube systems use lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, which the report identifies as more thermally stable than other common lithium-ion chemistries. They include battery thermal management and fire suppression. Deployment in Singapore involves four regulatory areas: grid connection under SS 650, environmental standards under TR 77, LEW and QP licensing, and SCDF fire safety requirements. Choon Huat Engineering coordinates the approvals and compliance requirements for each deployment.

Rent first, then scale up

You don’t need a large upfront investment. The report recommends that contractors start with a trial rental on a medium-length project, which gives hands-on experience and site-specific data with little financial risk. Choon Huat Engineering provides BESS rental with end-to-end support:

Site power assessment: we study your load profile and peaks so the battery and generator are sized correctly. The report notes that wrong sizing is the most common cause of poor results.
Installation and commissioning: delivery, setup and synchronisation with generator or grid supply.
Approvals: we coordinate with LEWs and QPs on SP grid connection (SS 650) and SCDF fire safety requirements.
After-sales support: monitoring, maintenance and technical support for the whole rental period.

No capital outlay, no maintenance burden, and no need for in-house battery expertise.