Latest news with #SingaporeEnergyInterconnections
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
SGEI and Singa plan subsea electricity link from Indonesia to Singapore
Singapore Energy Interconnections (SGEI) and Singa Renewables, a joint venture between TotalEnergies and RGE, have formalised a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the joint development of a subsea electricity interconnector between Singapore and Indonesia. The collaboration aims to enhance regional energy integration and the growth of renewable energy within the ASEAN region. The MoU was presented in the presence of government officials from Singapore and France during French President Emmanuel Macron's state visit to Singapore. TotalEnergies Renewables APAC head of business development Gregory Thomassin stated: 'We welcome SGEI to the Singa project, enhancing the resilience and viability of the interconnector and the entire project. Our combined expertise will improve energy access and security for Indonesia and Singapore, ensuring a reliable and sustainable energy future.' The agreement outlines the joint effort in planning, financing, constructing and maintaining the interconnector assets for low-carbon electricity imports to Singapore from Indonesia. The interconnector project is central to Singapore's aim of importing up to six gigawatts (GW) of low-carbon electricity by 2035. SGEI CEO Ong Teng Koon stated: 'SGEI is pleased to partner with Singa and bring together our complementary strengths to develop an interconnector between Singapore and Indonesia. 'The interconnector project will play a crucial role in enabling clean energy imports into Singapore while contributing to win-win outcomes for Indonesia and Singapore.' The initiative also bolsters the ASEAN Power Grid (APG) vision, which seeks to interlink the power systems of member states, fostering cross-border electricity trade and improving energy access across the region. RGE global head of renewable energy William Goh stated: 'In partnering with Singapore Energy Interconnections, we look forward to advancing the development of critical infrastructure to deliver reliable, low-carbon energy to Singapore and enable a greener and more connected energy future for the region.' The Energy Market Authority (EMA) of Singapore has granted Singa Renewables a conditional licence to import 1GW of renewable energy from Indonesia. This follows a co-investment agreement between the companies to develop a hybrid renewable power plant in Indonesia's Riau Province. The planned power plant will supply clean energy to Singapore and to industrial areas near the solar site in Indonesia. "SGEI and Singa plan subsea electricity link from Indonesia to Singapore" was originally created and published by Power Technology, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
Straits Times
7 days ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Asean grid makes headway with plans for new electricity interconnector from Indonesia to S'pore
The deal to develop the new Singapore-Indonesia interconnector for electricity imports was signed between SGEI and Singa Renewables. ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO Asean grid makes headway with plans for new electricity interconnector from Indonesia to S'pore SINGAPORE – The Asean Power Grid, in the works for decades, made further headway with two significant developments announced in Singapore on May 30. The first is the signing of a deal that would see a new subsea electricity cable being laid between Indonesia and Singapore. This infrastructure will support Singapore's target of importing from its neighbours up to six gigawatts (GW) of low-carbon electricity by 2035, about one-third of the country's energy demand then. The second is news that the Singapore Government has appointed the Singapore Energy Interconnections (SGEI), a newly incorporated government-linked company, to specialise in developing cross-border power infrastructure. Such infrastructure is key to enabling countries in the region to trade renewable-generated electricity with one another. Both announcements were made on May 30 at an event held in conjunction with the state visit by France President Emmanuel Macron to Singapore. The deal to develop the new Singapore-Indonesia interconnector for electricity imports was signed between SGEI and Singa Renewables – a joint venture between French energy giant TotalEnergies and Indonesian conglomerate Royal Golden Eagle , which has businesses in sectors such as energy and palm oil. The signing of the memorandum of understanding was witnessed by Dr Tan See Leng, Singapore's Minister-in-charge of Energy, and Science and Technology, and France's Minister of the Economy, Finance and Industrial and Digital Sovereignty Eric Lombard. The main focus of the MOU is for both companies to explore the planning, development, financing, construction, operation and maintenance of a subsea interconnector and associated assets for low-carbon electricity imports from Indonesia into Singapore, the companies said in a statement. In response to queries from The Straits Times, SGEI said that Singa Renewables will be tapping Indonesia's abundant solar resources to generate electricity. The Energy Market Authority (EMA) has granted a conditional licence to Singa Renewables to import 1GW of low-carbon electricity from Indonesia to Singapore. The project in Rangsang Island aims to achieve commercial operations from 2029. A regional grid will allow countries to share their renewable energy resources, which are unevenly distributed throughout the region. This can boost energy security among countries in a climate-friendly way, as they can tap their neighbours during periods when the supply of renewable energy is intermittent. 'With limited renewable energy options in Singapore, electricity imports will be needed to meet our nation's net-zero emissions goal by 2050. As power generation makes up around 40 per cent of Singapore's total carbon emissions, electricity imports will play a significant role in decarbonising the power sector,' SGEI chief executive Ong Teng Koon told ST. Incorporated on April 24, SGEI said in a separate statement that it was appointed by the Singapore Government to specialise in cross-border power infrastructure that will enable electricity imports that support Singapore's low-carbon future. This will be done by investing in, developing, owning and operating interconnectors to import electricity. Grid infrastructure, which includes overland and subsea cables, is critical in ensuring that electricity can be distributed from the generation source, such as a renewable energy project, to where users are. But policymakers in the region have said that more investments in grid infrastructure are needed to facilitate cross-border electricity trade as well as make the transition to renewable energy more affordable. SGEI said it will work with partners in Asean and other stakeholders to create the required infrastructure to enable cross-border electricity trade as it focuses on building, owning and operating regional power interconnections. Besides supporting cross-border electricity trade, SGEI said it will work closely with regional partners to develop renewable energy projects, and promote best practices as well as facilitate technical cooperation within the power sector. Mr Ong added that there are other ongoing commercial discussions with project developers at various stages of maturity. Power grid integration was first mooted in 1997 to enhance cross-border electricity trade in South-east Asia to ensure energy security. But the Asean Power Grid made headway only after Singapore said in 2021 that it plans to import around 30 per cent of its electricity from low-carbon sources, such as renewable energy plants, by 2035. In 2022, the Laos-Thailand-Malaysia-Singapore electricity import pilot was launched and the region's first multilateral electricity trade took place then. Recent developments include an agreement between government-linked firms from Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam signed on May 26 to jointly explore the export of renewable energy. Signed on the sidelines of the Asean Summit chaired by Malaysia, the pact will see the three countries collaborate on developing a new electricity link. EMA said Singa Renewables was given a conditional licence to import 1GW of solar electricity from Indonesia – an advancement from the previous 'conditional approval' awarded in September 2024 – as 'the project has made substantive progress, with marine surveys and feasibility studies completed'. 'These are key milestones in demonstrating the project's technical and commercial viability,' added EMA. 'Further progress was made recently, with the two companies signing a co-investment agreement for a solar photovoltaic plant with integrated battery energy storage.' A company has to undergo three stages before it is granted an electricity import licence from EMA. The first stage entails the firm getting 'conditional approval' from EMA, which means the regulator has found that a project's proposal is technically and commercially viable. The firm will then begin further surveys and feasibility studies. If it can demonstrate its ability to meet the requirements of both the host country and Singapore, EMA will then award it a conditional licence. At this point, the project will be in an advanced developmental stage. The third and final step is when EMA issues the importer licence. The development brings the number of electricity import projects with conditional licences from Indonesia to Singapore to six. A total of six projects from Indonesia have been granted conditional licences to export up to 3GW of greener electricity. Chin Hui Shan is a journalist covering the environment beat at The Straits Times. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
