Singapore is considering importing solar electricity in the future. At the moment, 95% of the electricity in the country is supplied by thermal power plants using imported natural gas including liquified natural gas. Under this situation, to achieve net-zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2050, a global target, the Singaporean government is planning to increase power generation using renewable energy. In particular, developing solar power generation by utilizing long sunshine hours, a characteristic in Southeast Asia, looks promising.

The Energy Market Authority (EMA) is planning to expand the capacity of solar power generation in Singapore to at least 2 gigawatts at peak demand hours by 2030. Solar power generation in the country in 2019 was 260 megawatts and in 2020, it is seen to increase to 350 megawatts, according to forecasts at the beginning of the year. If the capacity of 2 gigawatts is achieved by 2030, estimates show that electricity demand for about 350,000 households can be covered at that time.

To achieve this, Singapore will promote expansion of solar panels in the country. The country will install panels not only on roofs and the surfaces of reservoirs and seas but also on the sides of buildings. Further, it is considering importing solar electricity. In November 2019, a big project to supply solar power from northern Australia to Singapore via subsea a high voltage cable was proposed. But after that, it was reported that the project was shelved due to high risks in terms of profitability.