Singapore Looks to Australia for Clean Power as It Ramps Up Solar Goals

Singapore, like other densely populated regions in Asia, has limited space and natural resources for large-scale renewable energy projects. To address this challenge, the country is taking bold steps to expand its solar power capabilities and import clean energy from abroad.

While Singapore and Macau both rely heavily on imported energy, Singapore is taking a more proactive approach by setting clear emissions targets and exploring long-term clean energy solutions. The city-state plans to cut its emissions to 60 million tonnes of CO₂ by 2030, and further reduce them to 45–50 million tonnes by 2035. These goals are part of Singapore’s commitment to reaching net-zero by 2050, as outlined in its 2025 submission to the UN.

Investing in Solar Power and Efficiency

To meet these goals, Singapore is working to improve energy efficiency across sectors like transportation, industry, and buildings, while also introducing a gradually increasing carbon tax and investing in low-carbon technologies.

A key part of the plan is expanding solar energy. Singapore aims to reach 1.5 GWp of installed solar capacity by 2025, and at least 2 GWp by 2030. Despite its land constraints, the country is making strong progress.

One of its major efforts is SolarNova, a program led by the Housing and Development Board (HDB) and the Economic Development Board (EDB). It combines the solar power needs of different government agencies into large contracts for private solar companies.

In 2019, Sunseap was awarded a contract to install 70 MWp of solar panels across government buildings. In 2024, EDP Renewables, global leader in renewables, won the biggest tender yet—installing between 130 and 200 MWp of solar panels across over 1,000 public housing blocks and 101 government sites.

Thanks to these efforts, Singapore reached its 2 GWp solar capacity goal two years early, in early 2025. SolarNova alone is expected to generate 420 GWh of electricity per year, meeting about 5% of the country’s electricity demand—enough to power around 88,000 four-room flats.

Big Bet on Australian Solar

Because of its limited land, Singapore is also planning to import clean electricity. The AAPowerLink project is central to this strategy. It will create the world’s largest solar farm, battery system, and submarine power cable to send solar energy from northern Australia to Singapore via a high-voltage cable.

The project is expected to deliver up to 1.75 GW of clean electricity, covering about 15% of Singapore’s total energy needs. Though the project has faced some delays, it’s now expected to start supplying power in the early 2030s. The investment will likely total tens of billions of Australian dollars.

As the cable passes through Indonesian waters, there may also be an opportunity for Indonesia to tap into the system and send its own renewable energy through the line.

Singaporean experts say this could be a model for large-scale, cross-border renewable energy trade in the future.

Lessons for Other Cities

While a massive project like AAPowerLink may not be realistic for every city, Singapore’s SolarNova program offers a more practical model. By focusing on rooftop solar across public buildings, it shows how dense cities can still play a big role in the clean energy transition.

Overall, Singapore is showing that with planning, innovation, and partnerships, even small, resource-limited nations can move confidently toward a low-carbon future.