Singapore and other countries will import renewable energy from the "massive" Suncable project.

 

A huge solar energy farm in the Northern Territory has received approval from the federal government, and it may eventually export electricity to Singapore and other countries in Southeast Asia.

However, before that can occur, obstacles must be addressed, such as rivalry for important personnel with fossil fuel projects, according to Rod Campbell, research director at the Australia Institute.

Regarding the SunCable project, Campbell stated, It is a great idea to export clean electricity.

But there are still significant obstacles to overcome before it becomes a reality.

The first phase of SunCable's Australia-Asia Power Link received environmental permission on Wednesday from Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek, opening the door for what may grow to be the world's largest renewable energy farm.

Up to three million households might be powered by the 10 gigawatts of solar, wind, and battery storage that will be built.

This enormous undertaking is a piece of infrastructure that will define a generation. It will be the world's largest solar precinct, establishing Australia as a global leader in renewable energy, according to Plibersek.

Proponents of renewable energy are applauding the project, which has the financial support of billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes and aspires to export renewable energy to other countries in the future.

The corporation now has authority to install underwater cables to the end of Australian seas, although that portion of the scheme was not given final environmental approval on Wednesday.

The farm is expected to install up to 1.7 gigawatts of extra capacity for export abroad.

But according to Campbell, budget documents indicate that the government does not expect exports of renewable energy to become a major industry in the next decades.

"Whether or how renewable energy exports can operate is absolutely unclear," he stated.

"Even though the Australian government talks a lot about exporting hydrogen, it is evident from budget documents that they do not really anticipate significant export volumes over the next ten or two years."

enormous farm for renewable energy

In addition to providing for domestic electricity needs, investors have recognized Australia's advantages in producing renewable energy from the sun, wind, and land as a business potential.

However, Cannon-Brookes restructured the initiative to concentrate on exporting solar power directly into Southeast Asia through cables due to disagreements between the two about the program's purpose.

With Singapore now depending on natural gas for 95% of its grid, it is hoped that Australia might provide up to 15% of the country's electrical demands in the ensuing decades.

The amount of export revenue that will be generated is uncertain and will eventually rely on the electricity price and the final cost of building thousands of kilometers of sea cables.

However, Cannon-Brookes thinks renewables might lead to another Australian commodities boom.

The production and export of our renewable energy will serve as its foundation.

Although there is still much to be done, the most recent environmental approval mostly addresses the domestic electricity generation that will come from the power farm located in the NT.

Before any power can be transferred from Singapore or Indonesia, both countries must participate in the construction of thousands of kilometers of underwater cables within their respective borders.

Campbell stated that when building the renewable energy farm in the NT, workforce constraints must also be taken into account.