Singapore to import 1.2GW of low-carbon electricity from Viet Nam

The move will help fulfil Singapore's target of importing 4GW of renewable energy by 2035 via electricity imports.

This comes after similar deals were inked to import 2GW of low-carbon electricity from Indonesia, and 1GW of electricity from Cambodia – which is a mix of hydropower, solar and potentially wind power.

Electricity imported from Viet Nam could potentially constitute 10 per cent of Singapore’s annual needs, and will be transmitted through new subsea cables that will span a distance of around 1,000km, said the EMA on Tuesday.

During an official visit of Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh to Singapore in February 2023, PTSC and SCU signed an investment cooperation agreement for energy export to Singapore from offshore renewable energy in Viet Nam.

Accordingly, PTSC and SCU will cooperate to invest in an offshore wind farm in Viet Nam with an initial capacity of about 2.3 GW and export electricity directly to Singapore via a high-voltage underground cable.

Sembcorp said the Viet Nam offshore wind farm could start operating by 2033 subject to approvals and barring unforeseen events.

To achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050, the Singapore Government plans to import 30 percent of its electricity needs by 2035 from clean energy sources as well as introduce a progressive carbon tax roadmap.

According to the National Power Development Plan VIII, which guides the development of power plants and power grids between 2021 and 2030, with a vision until 2050, Viet Nam strives to increase the share of renewable energy in the country's power mix to between 67.5-71.5 percent by 2050.

It also seeks to generate green energy for exports, with a target of between 5-10 GW by 2030. Energy-related greenhouse gas emissions would be cut to around 27 and 31 million tons./.