With Singapore government’s help, SIPCOT gears up to set up India’s first net-zero industrial estate

A comprehensive framework for India’s first Net Zero Industrial Park, as a result of the collaborative efforts of the Tamil Nadu and Singapore governments, is likely to be finalised in the next one year, said Senthil Raj, Managing Director, SIPCOT (State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu), at the Tamil Nadu Global Investors Meet (TNGIM).

The framework will guide the establishment of a net-zero industrial park, which SIPCOT has plans to design and build in the North of Chennai. It will potentially be the first Net Zero Industrial Park in India.

Last year, SIPCOT signed an agreement with the Singapore-India Partnership Office (SIPO) under the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) to cooperate on a sustainable industrial park during the visit of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and other State ministers and key officials from the Government of Tamil Nadu to Singapore to promote the 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.

It is gathered that Singapore companies have developed expertise in these areas, which can be leveraged for mutual benefit through our cooperation with Tamil Nadu and Indian companies.

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.

Earlier, Simon Wong, Singapore High Commissioner to India, said Singapore has been a long-standing partner for Tamil Nadu, and Singapore companies have committed to investing about ₹31,000 crore in Tamil Nadu across high-growth sectors such as sustainability and infrastructure, as well as collaboration in technology and skills.

Given the cultural and historical familiarity between both states, he also said Tamil Nadu is often the first port of call for Singapore companies looking at South India.

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