Singapore could soon be importing solar power from Malaysia as part of its clean energy initiatives. The Energy Market Authority (EMA) has granted conditional approval to two companies to import a total of 900 megawatts (MW) of electricity generated from solar and battery energy storage systems in Johor, Malaysia.
This import capacity is equivalent to meeting the annual electricity demand of one million four-room HDB households. With these new approvals, Singapore has now granted conditional approval or licenses for 13 electricity import projects, totaling 9.25GW. These projects encompass solar, wind, and hydropower sources from Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Australia.
Singapore aims to import approximately 6GW of electricity by 2035, which would fulfill about a third of its energy needs at that time.
The two companies that received approval are Sembcorp Utilities, for a proposed capacity of 300MW, and Southern Solar Alliance (a subsidiary of Malaysian developer Ditrolic Energy Holdings), for a proposed capacity of 600MW.
Both projects are expected to commence commercial operations around 2029, subject to obtaining all necessary approvals, securing financing, and meeting project development milestones.
SembCorp Utilities announced that its project will feature a large-scale development at Linggiu Reservoir in Johor, including a 2.2GWp floating solar photovoltaic system and up to 4.3GWh of battery energy storage. This project is designed to serve energy demands in both Singapore and Malaysia, utilizing existing and future subsea interconnections.
Experts believe this move enhances the diversity of Singapore's clean energy imports and could help establish the nation as a regional clean energy trading hub.
The process for obtaining an electricity import license from EMA involves three stages: conditional approval, followed by a conditional license upon demonstrating capability to meet requirements, and finally, the issuance of the importer license.
These approvals build on existing bilateral energy cooperation between Singapore and Malaysia. In October 2025, Singapore granted conditional approval for 1GW of low-carbon electricity imports from Sarawak, Malaysia. Additionally, a joint development agreement is in place to study a second electricity interconnection of up to 2GW between Singapore and Peninsular Malaysia, complementing the existing 1GW interconnection.
Low-carbon electricity imports are a critical component of Singapore's strategy to reduce emissions from its power sector, which is responsible for 40 percent of the country's total emissions. The EMA continues to encourage credible and commercially viable import proposals that contribute to decarbonization efforts.
