Singapore's renewables use hits record highs as solar output and imports rise
An analysis of the most recent market data revealed that Singapore increased the share of renewables to a new record in May. The country ramped-up renewable imports while accelerating local solar power production.
Data from the National Electricity Market of Singapore revealed that domestic solar generation rose in May at its fastest rate since March 2024, and that renewable imports increased for a third consecutive month, reaching their highest level in over two years. This boosted the share of renewables to 2,58% in the power mix of the city-state.
Singapore must trade regional electricity to achieve its goal of becoming carbon neutral by the year 2050. The country is Asia's second smallest and has limited potential for renewable energy. Cross-border trade in power is seen as a key way to reduce regional dependence on fossil fuels, despite the growing demand for power from data centres.
About 95% of Singapore's power is generated by gas-fired plants.
In the five months through May, the data showed Singapore imported 122.7 million kilowatt-hours of clean power - 0.52% of total generation - through the Lao PDR-Thailand-Malaysia-Singapore (LTMS) power trade route that was set up in 2022.
The data revealed that it did not import power in the same time period of last year and began importing only small quantities during the fourth quarter of 2024.
In May, the share of imported power in Singapore's mix increased for a third consecutive month. This displaced some fossil fuels-fired generation. The data revealed that Singapore's electricity production grew by 0.4% in the first five month period.
Source familiar with the issue who was not authorized to speak to media said that although the imported power came via the LTMS framework it all originated from Malaysia. The agreement for 50 megawatts of supply with Malaysian state utility Tenaga Nasional Berhad last year had been reached.
The Energy Market Authority of Singapore (EMA) has not responded to a comment request.
Last year, the EMA doubled the amount of electricity that could be traded under the second phase of LTMS by supplying additional power from Malaysia.
In October, it said that the final terms of a contract extension for the supply of hydropower generated by Laos to Singapore via Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam had not been agreed.
(source: Reuters)
