'Strong response' to call for proposals to import renewable energy: EMA

SINGAPORE - The nation can soon import around 1.2 gigawatts (GW) of low-carbon electricity from South-east Asia, after the Energy Market Authority (EMA) received 20 proposals that tapped sources including solar, wind, hydro and geothermal.

This comes as Singapore plans to import up to 4 GW of renewable energy by 2035, which will make up around 30 per cent of the nation's electricity supply then.

Responding to media queries, EMA director of energy connections office Lee Seng Wai said on Friday (May 6) that there was a "strong response" to its first request to appoint importers, drawing proposals to secure energy from four countries - Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia and Thailand.

Announcing the nation's intent to import more clean energy in October last year during Singapore International Energy Week, industry regulator EMA said then that importers would be selected through two requests for proposals for low-carbon electricity imports.

The first request to appoint importers to import and sell around 1.2 GW of low carbon electricity into Singapore, to begin by 2027, was launched on Nov 12 last year, and closed on April 14.

Said Mr Lee: "The deadline for the final bid submission is on June 14, following which EMA will evaluate the proposals and expect to announce the results in the fourth quarter of this year."

The second request is expected to be issued in the second quarter of 2022, and will be for the remaining quantities of electricity imports by 2035.

This moves Singapore closer to its target of lowering carbon emissions to net zero by or around 2050.

Currently, the power sector accounts for about 40 per cent of the country's carbon emissions.

A recent report, commissioned by EMA and published in March, posits that the sector can realistically hit the target by the mid-century timeline in ways that will not compromise Singapore's energy security nor affordability, with renewable energy imports flagged as a key pillar.

A spokesman for EMA said then it will further study the recommendations in the Energy 2050 Committee Report and announce new developments when ready.

Climate scientists have recommended that for the world to have a better shot at curbing warming to the threshold set out in the Paris Agreement, emissions must be nearly halved by 2030 from 2010 levels, and hit net zero by 2050.

This article was originally published on The Straits Times. Its inclusion on this website is solely for education purposes. 

LET'S SHARE OUR THOUGHTS ON THE ARTICLE!