新加坡——据当地官员表示，新加坡希望在该国核聚变产业中发挥更重要的作用，将这项技术视为资源匮乏国家的未来能源选择。
SINGAPORE -- Singapore hopes to play a bigger role in the nuclear fusion industry, exploring the technology as a future energy option for the resource-poor country, according to authorities.
本月，新加坡能源、贸易和工业部（METI）更名为“能源部”，以强调发电所需资源的重要性。周四，该部门明确表示将研究核聚变技术：通过将氢原子核在极高温度下结合来释放能量，这一过程类似于太阳的能量产生方式。
Singapore's Ministry of Energy, Trade and Industry (METI) was renamed this month to emphasize the importance of the resources needed to generate power. On Thursday, it signaled its intent to study nuclear fusion: combining hydrogen nuclei at extremely high temperatures to release energy, mimicking the sun.
“全球的发展态势为我们提供了新的动力，促使我们在能源转型过程中不放过任何可能性，并积极研究、发展这些新兴能源技术，”负责能源和工业事务的能源部长陈志龙在一场行业活动中说道。“核聚变能源是我们正在密切关注的一个潜在发展方向。”核聚变发电通常使用氚作为燃料，其半衰期为12.3年。尽管各国政府和企业已投入了数十亿美元用于这项技术的研究，但至今尚未有人成功建造出商用核聚变发电厂；持怀疑态度的人认为，第一座商用核聚变发电厂可能需要数十年才能建成。
"Global developments have given us new impetus to leave no option unexplored, in our energy transition, and diligently study and build capabilities in more nascent energy pathways," Tan See Leng, the Singaporean minister overseeing energy and industry at METI, said at an industry event. "Fusion energy is one potential pathway we are following closely." Fusion power typically uses tritium for fuel, which has a half-life of 12.3 years. While governments and companies are pouring billions of dollars into the technology, no one has yet managed to build a commercial fusion power plant and skeptics argue the first such plant could be decades away.
美国和中国在该领域处于领先地位，其中美国主要依靠私人资金推动研发，而中国的相关项目则主要由政府机构资助。
The U.S. and China are at the forefront of the technology's development, with the U.S. attracting most of the private funding and Chinese projects mostly funded by government entities.
尽管如此，陈志龙指出核聚变技术具有许多优势：它产生的放射性废物较少，且发生“失控反应”的风险较低。目前，新加坡约95%的电力依赖进口天然气生产。虽然新加坡尚未拥有自己的核聚变反应堆，但这位部长认为这座城市国家可以在核聚变技术的发展中发挥重要作用。例如，新加坡可以提供研究和工程领域的人才支持，并利用其完善的技术生态系统，促进产业与资本的结合。
Still, Tan said fusion energy had many attractive aspects, like generating lower levels of radioactive waste than conventional nuclear power, while having "limited risk of runaway reactions." At present, about 95% of Singapore's electricity is produced using imported natural gas. Although Singapore does not now have its own fusion reactor, the minister suggested the city-state could play an important role in fusion's development. It could, for example, provide a talent pipeline in research and engineering, and tap the country's deep technology ecosystem to bring together industry and capital.
新加坡科技研究局（Agency for Science, Technology and Research）正与先进制造企业 VDL Enabling Technologies Group 合作，共同开发适用于核聚变反应极端环境所需的材料与组件。
Singapore's Agency for Science, Technology and Research is working with advanced manufacturing company VDL Enabling Technologies Group to develop materials and components needed for the extreme conditions in which fusion reactions occur.
“核聚变是一个新兴领域，但其发展所需的技术其实建立在新加坡现有的技术基础之上，”该机构科学与工程研究委员会的助理首席执行官林肯辉（Lim Keng Hui）表示，“通过与全球核聚变研究机构及工业界的合作，我们可以进一步发挥自身优势，加深对这一领域需求的理解，从而为新加坡在未来核聚变产业的发展中发挥关键作用。”
"Fusion is an emerging field, but the technologies needed to support its development draw on capabilities that Singapore has today," said Lim Keng Hui, assistant chief executive for the agency's science and engineering research council. "Working with global fusion and industry partners allows us to build on these strengths and deepen our understanding of the sector's needs so that Singapore will be well positioned to play a key role in the industry as it develops."
关于太阳能发电，新加坡官员指出：到 2050 年，太阳能发电量最多只能满足该城市国家约 10% 的电力需求。
A solar farm in Singapore: Officials say solar power can only contribute up to around 10% of the city-state's electricity needs by 2050.
除了核聚变技术外，新加坡还在探索传统的核裂变技术，以满足未来的能源需求。明年，该国将接受国际原子能机构的评估，以评估自己在部署先进核能技术方面的能力。
Besides fusion, Singapore is already exploring conventional atom-splitting -- nuclear fission -- for its future energy needs. And next year, the country will undertake an International Atomic Energy Agency review to assess its ability to "make an informed decision" on potential deployment of advanced nuclear energy technologies.
“包括核裂变和核聚变在内的先进核技术，有望帮助新加坡实现能源安全与能源转型的目标，”风险情报机构 Verisk Maplecroft 的能源与资源研究负责人卡霍·尤（Kaho Yu）对《Nikkei Asia》表示，“不过仍需通过透明的沟通、严格的监管以及密切的国际合作来增强公众的信心。”新加坡已将能源安全视为国家的“生存攸关的问题”；由于数据中心的巨大能耗，该国的电力需求预计将持续增长。
"Advanced nuclear technologies, including fission and fusion, could potentially support Singapore's long-term effort to balance energy security and energy transition," Kaho Yu, head of energy and resources research at risk intelligence specialist Verisk Maplecroft, told Nikkei Asia. "Public confidence would still need to be built through clear communication, robust oversight and close international cooperation." Singapore has declared energy security "an existential matter" for the country, while electricity demand is set to rise, due in part to heavy consumption by data centers.
根据官员表示，新加坡主要的国内可再生能源——太阳能，到2050年只能满足其电力需求的10%左右，这促使该国探索替代清洁能源，包括核能。
Singapore's main domestic renewable energy source, solar power, can only contribute up to around 10% of its electricity needs by 2050, according to officials, pushing the country toward exploring alternative clean energy sources, including nuclear power.
今年因中东冲突导致的全球石油供应中断，凸显了这个城邦国家对飙升能源成本的脆弱性。
The global disruption in oil supplies this year as a result of the Middle East conflict has highlighted the city-state's vulnerability to soaring energy costs.
本周早些时候，国家公共交通委员会表示，巴士和地铁票价将从12月起整体上调7%。“2025年7月至2026年6月期间，因中东冲突导致能源价格大幅上涨，是票价公式计算结果偏高的原因，”该委员会表示。
Earlier this week, a national public transport committee said bus and train fares will be raised, starting in December, by 7%, overall. "The substantial increase in energy prices between July 2025 and June 2026, due to the Middle East conflict, was the reason for the higher fare formula output," the committee said.