Ellen Teo established Union Power and Union Solar, Union Energy’s respective electricity retail and clean energy arms. Photo: Mun Kong.
Back in the 1970s, Choon Hin Company was a modest sundry store that sold liquefied petroleum gas to households on the side. When HDB flats began surging in numbers a decade later, its founder Teo Kiang Ang identified an opportunity to expand the business through the sale of bottled gas for homes and businesses. Success led to a pivot in commercial strategy and the launch of Union Energy, and the company is today a well-recognised provider of liquefied petroleum gas, compressed natural gas, and diesel here.
Teo’s daughter Ellen Teo currently holds the reins as CEO. But the business wasn’t handed to her on a silver platter, she makes clear. Growing up, dinner time discussions constantly revolved around ideas for growth, challenges, and potential opportunities. “My father never treated me like a child when it came to business. He encouraged me to voice my thoughts, ask questions, and learn from real experiences,” she recounts.
These conversations not only became her first lessons in entrepreneurship, but also shaped her ambitions. To diversify the business and align with Singapore’s broader push for energy efficiency and innovation, she set up Union Power and Union Solar—Union Energy’s electricity retail and clean energy arms respectively—in 2017 and 2019. The objectives were to fill gaps in services and strengthen the company’s position in the local market.
However, the evolution has not been seamless. Teo singles out the complexity of leading a company-wide transition to green energy while ensuring the framework meets customer demands.
“The challenge lies in the nature of solar energy itself. It’s dependent on sunlight, which means supply is limited, even if the energy demand continues to grow.”
Ellen Teo on the biggest hurdle in solar provision
Space constraints further complicate the issue, but Union Energy overcomes them by installing solar panels in car parks and along walkways.
Furthermore, as Singapore remains in the early stages of its renewable energy journey, even as we’re more than halfway to our 2030 solar power deployment target, raising public awareness is crucial. For this reason, Union Solar actively informs home and business owners about the benefits of solar power and how it can be integrated into their energy mix.
Another hurdle Teo has had to grapple with is Singapore’s lack of solar energy specialists. According to her, local projects aren’t large or varied enough for engineers to gain hands-on experience and hone expertise, thus many engineering graduates eventually venture into other industries instead of pursuing a long-term career in renewable energy. To change the game, Union Energy invests in talent development and partners with institutions to create learning opportunities and career pathways.
Despite the difficulties, Union Energy remains committed to driving sustainability and is looking to switch up its role in the energy market. “While we continue to provide fossil fuel-based products to meet existing market demands, our long-term goal is clear: to accelerate the transition towards cleaner, low-carbon energy solutions,” Teo asserts.
It is why the company is looking to transform how energy is consumed through smart technologies such as the Internet of Things and energy storage solutions integrated into its sustainability ecosystem.
“By leveraging technology and innovation, we aim to help consumers use energy more efficiently and purposefully— ensuring that sustainability is not just a goal, but a practical, everyday reality.”
A version of this story appeared in the March 2025 - aplussingapore.com/article/ellen-teo-union-energy.