Solar Power, Imported Cleaner Energy Among Focus of Singapore’s Low-carbon Future: Gan Kim Yong

Singapore is looking at various strategies to decarbonise its electricity grid, including increasing solar power and importing low carbon energy from the region, said Gan Kim Yong, Minister for Trade and Industry.

He was speaking at the inaugural green plan conversation organised by the Ministry of Trade and Industry.

Singapore’s solar energy capacity has grown more than six times over the past five years and we aim to scale it up five times by 2030 to at least 2 GW peak, equivalent to powering around 350,000 households a year, he said.

Mr Gan said that the nation also plans to tap on regional power grids.

“We are embarking on a trial with Malaysia to import up to 100 MW of electricity. This trial will allow us to build up our knowledge on larger-scale low-carbon imports from the region,” he added.

The Lao PDR-Thailand-Malaysia-Singapore Power Integration Project has also started, which will include cross-border power trade of up to 100 MW between the four countries involved.

Mr Gan further said “Singapore is a small city state – without natural resources, land, nor the climatic conditions for large-scale deployment of renewable energy sources. We therefore take sustainable development very seriously.”

The Singapore Green Plan 2030 was launched earlier this year as a blueprint to help the nation reduce its carbon footprint.

There are five pillars in the plan, namely City in Nature, Sustainable Living, Energy Reset, Green Economy and Resilient Future.

Mr Gan said that the green economy will also present new opportunities for Singapore.