This Singaporean entrepreneur is powering communities without diesel

When Singapore’s National Day Parade lights up Marina Bay or the Singapore Grand Prix roars through the city, few people think about the electricity powering these events. Increasingly, much of that power comes from silent battery systems, thanks in part to Singaporean entrepreneur Colin Peh, 37.

Today, Colin runs GoRental SG, a Singapore-based clean energy company that provides portable battery generators for events, healthcare facilities and communities across Asia. But his journey into sustainable power began in a very different industry: filmmaking.

After earning a master’s degree in film from the University of California, Los Angeles, Colin founded production equipment rental house True Colour Media Group in 2014.

The company supplied cameras, lighting and technical support for productions ranging from Crazy Rich Asians and The Wolverine to films by local director Jack Neo. As a technical producer, Colin often worked in remote locations where power failures could bring entire productions to a standstill.

During those years, he noticed how diesel generators – reliable but noisy and polluting – powered everything from film sets to night markets.

Stallholders often paid a flat fee, in addition to fuel, cabling and maintenance costs, regardless of how much electricity they actually used. Over time, he began questioning this long-standing industry norm.

“There had to be a better way,” he says. “The future of backup power is no longer diesel-only. Companies today are looking for cleaner, smarter solutions that combine reliability with lower carbon impact and that’s accelerating the adoption of battery energy storage to reduce both emissions and fuel dependency.”

As global momentum shifted towards renewable energy, Colin invested $4 million and spent four years studying battery technology, travelling regularly to China to work with manufacturers.

“Backup power is no longer just about reliability, it’s increasingly about sustainability,” he adds.

“With ongoing volatility in global fuel markets, businesses are rethinking how they secure energy, and we’re seeing a clear shift toward hybrid and battery-supported solutions that reduce both fuel consumption and carbon emissions.” 

In 2017, he launched GoRental SG, becoming an early mover in portable battery generators that effectively scaled up the concept of a power bank to power entire events.

GoRental’s batteries first found a market at East Coast Park, where campers wanted to run air-conditioners and fans while glamping. Adoption was slow initially, as many people were sceptical of the technology. But as the systems proved their reliability, confidence grew.

Early batteries lasted around 800 charge cycles; today’s systems exceed 6,000 cycles and include features such as energy-use monitoring and solar recharging. Since then, the company has supplied clean energy for more than 200 projects, including large-scale festivals and concerts.

Beyond events, GoRental’s systems now support healthcare facilities and emergency operations. Long-term client SATA CommHealth uses them as backup power during outages to keep medical equipment and refrigerated medicines running.

In one early incident, a blackout disabled a grandmother’s oxygen machine, and GoRental was able to restore power in time.

Beyond Singapore, Colin increasingly sees his work intersecting with humanitarian needs. Through GoRental’s #PowerToEmpower initiative, the company deploys solar-powered battery systems to off-grid communities across Southeast Asia.

In Malaysia, it supports campsites and eco-tourism sites, while solar installations in Johor help power plantations and construction projects.

In late March, the team travelled to Huay Nam Rin village in northern Chiang Mai, Thailand, where around 200 residents across 30 households lack reliable access to electricity. Rather than selling the technology, GoRental sponsored the installations to support daily life in the community.

“When a village gains electricity, children can study at night, and communities benefit from more reliable energy,” Colin says.

Last year, Colin represented Singapore at COP30 in Brazil, where he highlighted GoRental’s clean-energy initiatives.

Looking ahead, he hopes to work with more non-profit and philanthropic organisations to expand energy access to indigenous and underserved communities across the region, including those in Indonesia and Cambodia.

To date, GoRental has delivered more than 600,000 kWh of clean energy, helping to avoid 1,500 tonnes of carbon emissions.

The company is now collaborating with A*Star and the Singapore Battery Consortium on battery innovation while exploring new applications for its technology, from food trucks, library buses and recreational vehicles to off-grid tiny homes.

Colin is focused on scaling the business across the region and preparing for a pre-IPO listing on the Singapore Exchange.

Reflecting on the broader energy landscape, he says: “With growing energy dependency, we need sustainable solutions for everyone. Social responsibility is part of sustainability – building a future that empowers communities while delivering power.”