By Romel S. Gurky
Singapore’s Energy Market Authority (EMA) has granted a Conditional Licence to Singa Renewables Pte Ltd to import 1 gigawatt (GW) of low-carbon electricity from Indonesia to Singapore. This is the sixth electricity import project to be awarded a Conditional Licence.
Singa Renewables, a joint venture between TotalEnergies and RGE (Royal Golden Eagle), had earlier received a Conditional Approval from EMA in September 2024. Since then, 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. Further progress was made recently, with the two companies signing a co-investment agreement for a solar photovoltaic plant with integrated battery energy storage. Singa Renewables aims to achieve commercial operations from 2029 onwards.
Conditional Licences may be issued to electricity import projects that have been assessed to be technically and commercially viable and are in an advanced developmental stage. When the obligations in the Conditional Licences are fulfilled, EMA may subsequently issue the companies an Electricity Importer Licence to commence construction and commercial operations.
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“This licence marks another step forward in our efforts to transform the power sector and deepen regional energy cooperation. Electricity import projects help diversify Singapore’s energy supply and reduce carbon emissions. They also bring broader benefits to the region by supporting investment, creating jobs and contributing to the growth of the clean energy sector in partner countries like Indonesia,” said Puah Kok Keong, Chief Executive of EMA, in a statement on Friday.
The Conditional Licence awarded to Singa Renewables contributes towards Singapore’s target to import up to around 6 GW of low-carbon electricity by 2035. Electricity imports form a key part of Singapore’s strategy to decarbonise the power sector, which currently accounts for about 40% of the country’s carbon emissions.
EMA will continue to engage companies with credible and commercially viable proposals that can contribute to Singapore’s 2050 net zero goal.
Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak
