Singapore to build hydrogen-ready generator, operational by 2029

SINGAPORE: Singapore will build a new hydrogen-ready Combined Cycle Gas Turbine generating unit, slated to begin operations in 2029, the Energy Market Authority (EMA), a statutory board under the Ministry of Trade and Industry, has said in a press statement.

Puah Kok Keong, the chief executive of the EMA, emphasised the necessity of ensuring adequate energy generation to meet increasing demand and facilitate Singapore's transition to a low-carbon energy future.

The new unit, to be developed by PacificLight Power, a Singapore-based electricity retailer, is expected to have a generation capacity of at least 600 megawatts. Situated on Jurong Island in southwestern Singapore, the facility will initially operate with a minimum of 30 percent hydrogen, with future plans to utilise 100 percent hydrogen, as stated by the company.

Singapore's energy requirements have been consistently rising, driven by sectors with high electricity consumption such as advanced manufacturing, the digital economy, and the electrification of transportation. According to the EMA, the peak demand for the city-state's power system is projected to grow at an annual compound rate of 3.7% to 5.7% over the next six years, reaching between 10.1 gigawatts and 11.8 gigawatts by 2030.

In June 2024, the EMA called for proposals for new generation capacity. PacificLight Power was selected from six proposals submitted to develop the hydrogen-ready generating unit.  

By RSS/Xinhua