Innovating for a smart, sustainable future

Victor Sun starts his workday with a big mug of coffee and bear hugs to his three young kids before getting to work. That is probably the most “routine” part of his workday. Everything else is never static, with new opportunities springing up, which he absolutely loves!

In keeping with SP Group’s ambition to be a key player in low-carbon, smart energy solutions, Victor Sun, Deputy Director from Sustainable Energy Solutions (SES) keeps a constant lookout for promising technologies in the energy space. With the aim of helping SP and our customers achieve their sustainability goals and energy savings, Victor works closely with internal and external stakeholders, to pilot innovative projects.  

“It excites me when I get the chance to work with some of the best in the field of energy technology,” Victor quips as he whips out his laptop to showcase emerging products that SP has a hand in shaping.

One such example is the Free Electrons programme. Co-founded and launched in 2017 by SP together with other international utilities, it offers a platform to bring together a global ecosystem of energy market leaders, innovators, corporates, academics and investors to drive open innovation with promising startups.

In the 2020 edition, Bootcamp and Finale were hosted by SP in Singapore in a virtual format. The event drew 850 applications – the highest number of entries from startups around the world to date!

Victor who holds a double degree in Electrical Engineering and Finance adds, “We identify innovative solutions relevant to our company. This year, we were able to have two startups working with us on pilot projects that aim to achieve energy savings and productivity gains. One was deployed at our customers’ premises to collect real-time energy data, enabling businesses and consumers to monitor and plan utilities usage within their budget.”

Victor puts his skills to good use in both his previous SP business development role and currently in Sustainability and Open Innovation, handling venture capital fund investments for SP. He and his team proactively seek potential collaborations, partnerships and investments to promote sustainability in the energy space.

Prior to joining SP, Victor has worked in the energy industry where he managed commercial operations, business development and investments.

He enthused, “I chose to join SP as I was sold on the vision and strategy in growing the business of smart, sustainable energy solutions. It is an area of work that’s not only highly sought after, but also resonates with my personal values in social responsibility.”

Victor is psyched up to play his part through open innovation, in enabling a low-carbon, smart energy future.