Singapore And Indonesia Boost Low-Carbon Electricity Imports With New Licences And Approvals

Singapore’s Energy Market Authority (EMA) has made significant strides in its commitment to low-carbon electricity imports by granting Conditional Licences for 2 gigawatts (GW) of imports and Conditional Approvals for an additional 1.4 GW. This development was announced at the Indonesia International Sustainability Forum in Jakarta.

Five Indonesian-based projects have been awarded Conditional Licences, marking a critical step in importing low-carbon electricity to Singapore. The approved projects include:

• Pacific Medco Solar Energy Pte Ltd: 0.6 GW
• Adaro Solar International Pte Ltd: 0.4 GW
• EDP Renewables APAC: 0.4 GW
• Vanda RE Pte Ltd: 0.3 GW
• Keppel Energy Pte Ltd: 0.3 GW

These companies, which received Conditional Approval in September 2023, are progressing through marine surveys and feasibility studies, aiming for commercial operations by 2028.

Conditional Approvals:
EMA has also granted Conditional Approvals to two additional projects:

• Singa Renewables Pte Ltd (a joint venture between TotalEnergies and RGE): 1 GW
• Shell Eastern Trading (Pte.) Ltd (in partnership with Vena Energy): 0.4 GW

These approvals facilitate the companies in obtaining necessary regulatory clearances and licences for their projects.

This progress is part of Singapore’s broader strategy to decarbonize its power sector, which currently accounts for around 40% of the nation’s carbon emissions. Initially aiming to import 4 GW of low-carbon electricity by 2035, Singapore has now increased this target to 6 GW due to strong interest and viable proposals from multiple source countries.

EMA continues to explore various decarbonisation pathways, including hydrogen, solar, deep geothermal energy, nuclear energy, and carbon capture technologies, balancing energy security, sustainability, and cost competitiveness.