Sun Cable, a renewable energy developer backed by Australian tech billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes, aims to build a colossal solar farm in Australia's Northern Territory. The project would produce up to 10 gigawatts of power across an area twice the size of Manhattan, supported by massive battery storage. Electricity would travel 800km to Darwin, with most of it then sent onwards via a 4,300km transmission cable through the Indonesian archipelago to Singapore.
The plant would supply up to 1.75 gigawatts to Singapore, or about a quarter of the country's typical demand. The exact scope is hard to comprehend, said James Bowen, an energy and geopolitical analyst. "I'm not aware of too many other projects on this scale. I think we could safely call it a mega project," he said.
Singapore faces intense energy needs. Air-conditioning runs around-the-clock in the famously steamy climate and industry consumes up to 80 per cent of power demand, Puah said. The country has set a goal of reaching net zero by 2050. "You can imagine for a small country like Singapore how difficult that can be," he said.
Singapore is already doing what it can within its borders, installing solar panels on roofs, car parks and even reservoirs as floating installations. But with an area of fewer than 750 square kilometres, domestic options are limited. The Sun Cable proposal offers a way to import clean energy at scale.
Amid persistent questions about feasibility, the ABC travelled to Singapore to speak to potential customers. Puah said his country's energy needs were intense and that any new power source would be welcome, but the project's massive scale and technical challenges mean it remains a long-term prospect.