SINGAPORE: Singapore has reached more than half of its solar power deployment target of at least 2,000 MW peak by 2030, Sustainability and Environment Minister Grace Foo said on Wednesday (Jan 10).
The country has doubled its solar power installation since 2021, now reaching more than 1,000 megawatts at peak capacity, he added.
The Minister revealed the latest figures in Parliament in response to a question on the progress of Singapore’s transition to renewable energy.
Mr Foo said that during the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28), Singapore co-sponsored negotiations on mitigation and the first global stocktake, which contributed to the successful adoption of the UAE Consensus calling for countries to transition away from fossil fuels. He said it was progressing.
The UAE Consensus also calls on countries to triple renewable energy and double energy efficiency globally by 2030.
At the conference, Singapore signed the Global Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Pledge.
“Singapore supports the UAE Consensus. As part of its long-term low-emissions development strategy, Singapore is a small city-state with few alternative energy sources and despite many natural limitations on climate action. “We have committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050,” the minister said.
The country is accelerating its energy transition, with solar energy as one of the key drivers.
Solar energy is one of four ‘switches’ that Singapore is deploying to reach its net zero target by 2050. The other three are natural gas, regional grids, and low-carbon alternative energy.
The Energy Market Authority (EMA) announced in November last year that solar energy would eventually enable Singapore to meet about 10% of its projected electricity needs in 2050.
The country is on track to meet its target of installing 1,500 megawatts of peak solar power by 2025.
According to EMA’s Singapore Energy Statistics 2023 report, the private sector is driving the growth in solar PV deployment, accounting for 63.5% of total installed capacity.
Apart from solar energy, Singapore is working on importing low-carbon electricity from the region.