Singapore Achieves 2025 Solar Goal Ahead of Schedule; Enters New Carbon Trade Agreement

Singapore Aims to Boost Solar Deployment and Green Data Centres

Singapore is pushing forward with its renewable energy goals, with plans to deploy 2 Gigawatt-peak (GWp) of solar power by 2030, equivalent to around 3% of the country's projected electricity demand in 2030, according to previous government estimates. This ambitious target sees the city-state building on its existing solar power capacity, which reached 1.5 GWp by the end of last year.

In 2021, Singapore constructed a 60 MW inland floating solar farm, and construction for a larger 141 MWp floating solar farm is set to begin this year. These projects are part of Singapore's broader efforts to increase its renewable energy capacity and reduce its carbon footprint.

However, the challenge of carbon trading agreements lies in the uncertainty about what can be correspondingly adjusted, as stated by the republic's director-general for climate change. To address this, Opposition Workers' Party member of parliament Dennis Tan has suggested developing voluntary guidelines that could eventually mandate the reporting of energy consumption by AI models.

Tan believes that such regulations could increase demand for products and services to support energy consumption disclosures of AI models and hardware, making it easier for AI developers to monitor their data centre power consumption. This, in turn, could encourage the adoption of energy-efficient practices and the use of smaller, task-specific AI models.

Downstream businesses could also become more discerning of the AI models they adopt due to these regulations, according to Tan.

Singapore's AI ambitions have been factored into its 2035 nationally determined contributions, recently submitted to the United Nations. The city-state is also exploring nascent clean energy technologies like nuclear power due to renewable energy constraints.

In addition to its renewable energy initiatives, the Ministry of Digital Development and Information will speak more about the country's plan to green its data centres this week. The Singaporean government's focus on energy efficiency and energy security is further underscored by its signing of carbon trading agreements with Bhutan, Ghana, and Papua New Guinea.

Under ideal conditions, the planned 2 GWp of solar deployment could potentially cover one-fourth of Singapore's current electrical power consumption. However, even after maximizing solar potential, solar power is estimated to generate under a fifth of Singapore's projected 2035 electricity demand.

As Singapore continues to navigate its energy transition, it remains committed to its goals of decarbonisation, net zero, and the Paris Agreement. The city-state's efforts are also aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) such as 7. Energy, 12. Consumption, 13. Climate, 16. Peace, and 17. Partnerships.

The story is related to topics such as Carbon & Climate, Energy, Policy & Finance, Asia Pacific, Singapore, Southeast Asia, carbon accounting, carbon credits, carbon trading, clean energy, data centres, energy efficiency, energy security, natural gas, nuclear, renewable energy, solar, climate, Paris Agreement, decarbonisation, carbon offsetting, energy transition, net zero, artificial intelligence.