Through the A$30 billion (S$30.15 billion) Australia-Asia Power Link (AAPL), Australian company Sun Cable aims to dispatch solar energy from a 12,000 ha solar farm in a northern Australian desert to Singapore through a 4,200km undersea cable. However, the country that most directly determines if Singapore can reach its electricity-importing goals is Australia. To meet Singapore’s climate target of peaking greenhouse gas emissions around 2030 and halving them by 2050, it is necessary to seek green energy from abroad. Plans to indigenously produce renewable energy through rooftop and floating solar installations are important steps but would at best fulfil 4 per cent of the island’s electricity needs by 2030.
Importing electricity is not simply a convenience for Singapore, but a necessary measure to meet its electricity needs and climate goals.Īround 95 per cent of Singapore’s electricity supply is dependent on imports of natural gas. However, purchasing electricity overseas exposes Singapore to the internal political dynamics of its partners. SINGAPORE: As COP26 approaches, Singapore has made several announcements regarding plans to decarbonise its energy sector.Ĭhief among them is its plan to import 30 per cent of its electricity from low-carbon or renewable sources by 2035.Īmid the global energy crunch and disruptions to the local electricity retail market, Singapore’s plans to diversify its energy sources are a welcome development.
