Sun Cable’s A$30+ billion Australia-Asia PowerLink (AAPowerLink) project is another step closer to generating, storing and transmitting renewable energy from Elliott, to Darwin and Singapore, with the Indonesian Government confirming key facilitation measures.
Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Mr Luhut Binsar Pan-jaitain has confirmed the Indonesian Government’s recommended route of the transmission cables through Indonesian waters, with the Ministry of Transportation granting the subsea survey permit.
Sun Cable is developing the AAPowerLink to deliver a significant amount of renewable electricity to Darwin, to support the Northern Territory’s ambition to develop a A$40 billion economy by 2030.
The project will be capable of supplying up to 15 per cent of Singapore’s electricity needs from 2028 which could reduce Singapore’s emissions by six million tonnes per year, matching the entire climate abatement gap in Singapore’s announced 2030 targets. In total, it will deliver abate an estimated 8.6 million tonnes of emissions per year.
The project will also create a pathway for a new export industry n Australia, with the AAPowerLink generating up to A$2 billion in exports, creating over 1500 jobs in construction, 350 operational jobs, and 12,000 indirect jobs.
Sun Cable will integrate a range of technologies and infrastructure in the AAPowerLink, including one of the world’s largest solar farms to be located in the Northern Territory (17-20GWp), the world’s largest battery (36-42GWh) and the world’s longest undersea High Voltage Direct Current cable system from Darwin to Singapore (approximately 4,200km).
David Griffin, Sun Cable CEO said the latest milestone brings the project closer to generating and transmitting affordable, dispatchable renewable energy to Darwin and Singapore, via the world’s largest renewable energy transmission network.
“We are developing the technology that integrates solar, storage and High Voltage Direct Current transmission technologies, to meet the large-scale demand for renewable energy.
We want this world-leading project to create a step-change in the Indo-Pacific’s capability to achieve net zero ambitions and economic growth sustained by renewable energy.
Michael Gunner, Northern Territory Chief Minister said Sun Cable has established an office in the Territory and employed more than a dozen Darwin firms for initial works.
“It will inject $8 billion into the Australian economy, with most of it being spent right here in the Northern Territory.”
The AAPowerLink received Major Project Status from the Commonwealth Government in July 2021.
