Sunseap Group has announced entering a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with various partners to explore and co-develop 7 GW solar power capacity on various islands with multiple energy storage systems of over 12 GWh. Power generated will be supplied to Indonesia as well to Singapore through a new subsea power cable.
Calling it one of the largest cross-border interconnect clean energy projects in Southeast Asia, Sunseap said the plans include a 2.2 GW floating solar farm in Duriangkang in Batam announced in July 2021 (see World's 'Largest' Floating PV Project Planned In Indonesia). Beyond Batam, this capacity is planned to be built around Riau archipelago.
Other signatories to the MoU are PT Mustika Combol Indah, PT Agung Sedayu, Sumitomo Corporation, Samsung C&T Corporation, Oriens Asset Management, ESS Inc and Durapower Group.
According to Sunseap the project will be built in phases and energy generated will match the required imports into Singapore. Sunseap's Co-Founder and CEO Frank Phuan said, "Through this arrangement, the combined generation capacity will be able to generate and transmit 1 GW of non-intermittent clean energy for both Singapore and Indonesia, establishing both Singapore and Batam as a clean energy gateway and hub in ASEAN and paving the way towards an ASEAN Green Power Grid."
Sunseap's plans follows Singapore government's announcement to import up to 4 GW of low-carbon electricity by 2035 to decarbonize its power sector and enhance energy security. It would represent about 30% of its total supply in 2035. Remaining electricity will be sourced from various other sources, including solar.
Singapore's Energy Market Authority (EMA) said it will launch 2 requests for proposals (RFP) for up to 4 GW capacity, with the 1st one with 1.2 GW planned for November 2021 to begin importing electricity by 2027. The 2nd RFP will be for the remaining quantities of electricity imports, to be launched in Q2/2022.
The Sunseap consortium said it wants to match the required low-carbon electricity imports into Singapore of 1.2 GW by 2027 and another 2.8 GW by 2035. The consortium, said Sunseap, aims to be one of the parties to help fulfil 20-25% of the 4 GW of low-carbon electricity imports to Singapore.
There is already a subsea cable solar project planned to come up in Australia's Darwin to supply power to Singapore starting from 2027, which would account for 15% of the island nation's total power needs (see More Partners For Sun Cable's AAPowerLink).