Grid technology harnesses the computing power of thousands of computers to carry out complex functions like animations and scientific calculations.

It is a large-scale lab, now used mostly by researchers and scientists who have the power of thousands of computers at their fingertips.

Utility computing is similar to how you receive electric power - computing services are made available on demand and you are charged for what you use.

The partnership makes Singapore the first Asia-Pacific node to be plugged into one of the world's largest networks of computers for research and development run by members from the United States and Europe.

The tie-up, called Adaptive mailto:%20Enterprise@Singapore, will lead to more efforts to encourage local companies to exploit these new technologies and train local manpower to use them.

Singapore's research institutes and universities have the combined computing power of some 700 PCs on the National Grid Pilot Platform launched last November. Apart from the National Grid, there is also the Grid Innovation mailto:%20Zone@NUS launched last Thursday.

The Straits Times understands the National Grid Office has drafted a code of conduct and security which will be reviewed today by stakeholders, which include the Agency for Science, Technology and Research and universities.

Yesterday, the IDA said one of the first projects will be a Games Bazaar, which aims to draw games developers and publishers, or Games Service Providers (GSPs) from countries such as South Korea.

IDA chief executive Tan Ching Yee said: 'We're keen to attract them to host online games in Singapore.'

She said GSPs need a platform which lets them set up and test games quickly and make necessary modifications before they sell it.

Will ordinary Singaporeans be able to plug into the grid?

Technology research firm Gartner research director for servers and storage, Mr Phil Sargeant, said: 'In the short term, it's probably not that relevant. However, as it matures, the average Singaporean may have access to a broader range of cheap services.'

Mrs Tan said: 'Grid computing technology can be as big as the Internet. It opens up a whole gamut of things. It's a new industry... everything you saw in the Internet boom can be replicated.'