When most of us think about electricity, we think about the lights coming on when we flick a switch or our air-conditioning humming to life on a humid night.
But behind that invisible current powering over 170,000 homes in Singapore is a story that pulses with something far more electrifying: purpose.
This year, Geneco celebrates seven years of doing just that, Powering the Nation. To understand more, we managed to catch Lim Han Kwang, CEO of Geneco and Deputy CEO of YTL PowerSeraya, for a quick interview, and it quickly became clear that the company’s mission is no longer just about kilowatt-hours.
Rather, it’s about catalysing a kinder, greener future – one home, one customer, one choice at a time.
From Retailer to Changemaker.
“When we started, we weren’t just stepping into the Open Electricity Market,” Lim explains. “We were stepping into a bigger responsibility, to do more than just sell electricity.”
And that sense of responsibility shows. Since its early days, Geneco has racked up an impressive list of milestones. In 2019, just one year after Singapore’s energy market opened up, Geneco had already lit up over 100,000 homes. By 2021, the company introduced the Power Eco Add-on, Singapore’s first and only green customisable option for electricity plans, allowing consumers to offset their carbon footprint with renewable energy certificates (RECs) or carbon credits (CCs).
That initiative alone has already helped abate more than 12.9 million kilograms of CO₂ emissions, or, as Lim puts it, “the equivalent of planting 16,820 rain trees.”
In 2022, Geneco officially became Singapore’s No. 1 residential electricity retailer, and this year, the company launched the Get it 7 to 7 plan, introducing a two-tier pricing system that nudges households to be more energy-conscious during peak and non-peak hours.
Aligning With the National Agenda.
In a city-state that takes its Green Plan 2030 as seriously as its food, Geneco’s initiatives haven’t gone unnoticed. “We’ve always aimed to align with the national agenda,” says Lim. “That means going beyond business goals to build the low-carbon future Singapore envisions.”
Together with parent company YTL PowerSeraya, Geneco has poured over SGD$5 million into expanding its solar infrastructure fivefold, from a modest 1MWp to 5MWp. They’re also leading a massive SGD$800 million project to build a 600MW hydrogen-ready power plant at Pulau Seraya. Slated for completion by end-2027, this plant can power approximately 864,000 four-room HDB flats, and is designed to eventually run on 100% hydrogen.
Lim adds, “It’s about vision. SG60 is around the corner, and if we want to build a legacy of resilience, this is how we start.”
Empowering Everyday Sustainability.
Beyond infrastructure and innovation, Geneco’s beating heart lies in community engagement. Sustainability, in their eyes, isn’t top-down; it’s bottom-up.
Take their partnership with NParks, for instance. While they originally pledged to plant 250 trees to support the One Million Trees SG initiative, to date, 450 trees have already taken root, with a fresh pledge of another 250 trees to come.
“Sustainability isn’t one-size-fits-all,” Lim emphasises. “That’s why we focus on giving customers tools that match their lifestyle and values.”
The Power Eco Add-On gives customers a sliding scale of commitment, while initiatives like Get it 7 to 7 fit neatly into the rhythm of daily life, subtly encouraging smarter consumption without needing a PhD in climate science.
#Se7enbration
Which brings us to #Se7enbration, Geneco’s year-long campaign marking seven years of impact. “Our customers aren’t just buying electricity,” Lim reflects. “They’re helping to build a better Singapore.”
The campaign reinforces that message by putting customers front and centre, celebrating their role in shaping Geneco’s journey and, by extension, the nation’s sustainable future.
Looking ahead, Lim hints that this is just the beginning. Geneco will continue to evolve; innovating new products, supporting national efforts, and empowering Singaporeans to make greener choices without compromising on convenience or cost.
“We hope that one day,” he says, “sustainability won’t be a choice, it’ll be a way of life.”
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