Australia greenlights $19bn solar project to export power to Singapore

The Australia-Asia Power Link is expected to generate 6GW of renewable energy, with one-third of that power transmitted to Singapore through an undersea cable.

SunCable, owned by billionaire software entrepreneur and climate advocate Mike Cannon-Brookes, announced that its project will eventually meet up to 15 percent of Singapore’s energy needs by the early 2030s. Australia’s Environment Minister, Tanya Plibersek, stated on Wednesday that the 12,000-hectare (29,650-acre) solar farm in the remote Northern Territory will generate 14,300 jobs and position Australia as a “renewable energy superpower.”

“This is a generation-defining infrastructure project,” Plibersek said, highlighting that it will be the largest solar precinct globally, establishing Australia as a world leader in green energy. The approval for the project comes with “strict conditions” to safeguard the natural environment, including measures to avoid the habitat of the greater bilby, a vulnerable species.

SunCable Managing Director Cameron Garnsworthy called the government’s decision a vote of confidence in the project and in the company’s role as “responsible stewards of the local Northern Territory environment.” Garnsworthy added that SunCable will now focus on the next phase of planning, with a Final Investment Decision expected by 2027.

Despite receiving environmental approval in Australia, the project still faces additional regulatory challenges, including assessments by authorities in Singapore and Indonesia. The project’s future was uncertain after SunCable entered voluntary administration last January due to a dispute between Cannon-Brookes and fellow billionaire investor Andrew Forrest over the company’s direction.