Singapore is making significant strides in its commitment to import low-carbon electricity, with plans to import two gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy annually from Indonesia within the next five years. This initiative, which represents about 15% of Singapore’s annual electricity needs, marks the country’s most substantial cross-border electricity contract to date. With a similar deal granting conditional approval to import 1GW of electricity annually from Cambodia, Singapore is well on its way to achieving its goal of importing up to 4GW of electricity per year by 2035.
The Energy Market Authority (EMA) has conditionally approved five projects for importing a total of 2GW of low-carbon electricity from Indonesia into Singapore. These projects, managed by companies such as Pacific Medco Solar, Adaro Solar International, and Keppel Energy, demonstrate Singapore’s commitment to its green energy ambitions.
The latest agreement was signed by Indonesia’s Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Arifin Tasrif and Dr Tan on the sidelines of the Indonesia Sustainability Forum in Jakarta. Singapore and Indonesia have signed related agreements in January 2022 and March 2023. These agreements reaffirm both nations’ dedication to advancing cross-border electricity projects, bolstering Indonesia-Singapore interconnections, and fostering renewable energy manufacturing. This includes solar photovoltaics (PV) and battery energy storage systems (BESS). The approved projects aim to gradually install about 11 GWp of PV plants and 21 GWh of BESS, commencing commercial operations by the end of 2027. The overseeing companies will also conduct marine surveys for subsea power cables, as per Indonesian authorities’ approval, further fostering the growth of renewable energy industries.
(Source: The Straits Times)
