SIPCOT and Singapore Govt Collaborate for India's First Net-Zero Estate
The Tamil Nadu and Singapore governments are actively collaborating to develop a comprehensive framework for India's inaugural Net Zero Industrial Park. Senthil Raj, the Managing Director of SIPCOT (State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu), announced at the Tamil Nadu Global Investors Meet (TNGIM) that this framework is expected to be finalized within the next year. The blueprint will serve as a guide for the creation of a net-zero industrial park, envisioned by SIPCOT for construction in the northern region of Chennai, potentially making it the country's pioneering Net Zero Industrial Park.
In the previous year, SIPCOT entered into a collaborative agreement with the Singapore-India Partnership Office (SIPO) under the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI). This collaboration was established during the visit of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, along with other state ministers and key officials from the Government of Tamil Nadu, to Singapore. The purpose of the agreement is to jointly work on the development of a sustainable industrial park, and this initiative was promoted during the Tamil Nadu Global Investors Meet (TNGIM).
The co-operation between SIPCOT and MTI-SIPO brings together Singapore agencies like the Centre for Liveable Cities and JTC Corporation as knowledge partners for SIPCOT, the developer of industrial spaces in Tamil Nadu. "After last year’s visit to Singapore and the signing of the MoU, we have been closely working with SIPO. Conversations have been going on between us. We keep learning from models of parks from several countries, such as Vietnam and Singapore, and trying to figure out how to arrive at our framework. We hope to conclude this in the next one year", he said during a session at the TNGIM.
Highlighting the net zero framework, Professor Tai Lee Siang, Head of Pillar, Architecture and Sustainable Design, Singapore University of Technology & Design, said the net zero industrial park project could be executed with a green masterplan and the establishment of green buildings that would tackle ‘business as usual. Other scopes would be “over” provision of renewable energy at the district and building level and increasing the network effect of a green district to mitigate logistics and supply chain carbon emissions. "The issue of climate change can no longer be tackled by increasing green spending without addressing “business as usual” thoroughly and systematically. We need a major reset", added Siang.
Simon Wong, the Singapore High Commissioner to India, emphasized the enduring partnership between Singapore and Tamil Nadu. He noted that Singapore companies, with a commitment of approximately Rs 31,000 crore, are poised to invest in Tamil Nadu across dynamic sectors like sustainability and infrastructure. Additionally, there is a collaborative focus on technology and skills development. Wong highlighted the cultural and historical connections between the two regions, stating that Tamil Nadu is often the primary choice for Singapore companies exploring opportunities in South India.
