Singapore to import 1.4 GW of low-carbon electricity from Indonesia

Conditional licences were also issued.

Singapore has granted conditional approvals to two companies to import 1.4 gigawatts (GW) of low-carbon electricity from Indonesia to the city-state.

The Energy Market Authority (EMA) said in a statement that Singa Renewables Pte Ltd, a joint venture between TotalEnergies and RGE, will import one gigawatt of solar energy. Also given the approval to import was Shell Eastern Trading (Pte.) Ltd, in partnership with Vena Energy, which will bring in 0.4 gigawatts of low-carbon electricity.

“This project is aligned with TotalEnergies’ integrated power strategy aimed at delivering clean firm power through a combination of Solar and Battery Energy Storage System to its corporate customers via corporate Power Purchase Agreement,” Olivier Jouny, senior vice president, Renewables at TotalEnergies, said in another statement.

EMA has conducted a preliminary assessment, determining these projects to be technically and commercially feasible. The conditional approvals are intended to streamline the process for the companies to acquire the required regulatory approvals and licences for their projects.

Authorities also granted conditional licences to import two gigawatts of low-carbon electricity from Indonesia. The five companies involved are 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), and Keppel Energy Pte Ltd (0.3 GW).

They were given conditional approval in September 2023.

“The progress of these seven projects build on multiple Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) between Indonesia and Singapore in the area of energy cooperation that were signed in January 2022, March 2023, and September 2023,” EMA said.

Singapore initially intended to import up to 4 GW of low-carbon electricity by 2035. However, due to the positive progress of electricity import projects and to meet rising demand, it has raised its target to 6 GW.