unCable's Australia-Asia PowerLink is a renewable generation and transmission project that aims to build a brighter, more sustainable future for Australian people and businesses. Australia's abundant renewable resources will be harnessed to support decarbonisation of the Northern Territory and Asia-Pacific region. They will power new green industries and cities, drive new economies and, support communities across the footprint of the project.
Over two stages of development, SunCable’s AAPowerLink project aims to deliver up to 6GW of 24/7 green electricity, of which:
• ~4GW will go to green industrial customers in Darwin over two stages; and
• 1.75GW to customers in Singapore via a 4,300km subsea cable through Indonesia.
The AAPowerLink is the world's largest renewable energy and transmission project in development and is projected to be one of the largest economic industrial developments in
Australian history. The Australia-Asia Power Link encompasses five key infrastructure components:
1. Solar precinct: located in the Northern Territory
2. Overhead transmission line: approximately 800km HVDC overhead transmission line (OHTL) from the solar precinct to subsea cable beginning at Murrumujuk (Gunn Point,
north-east of Darwin)
3. Darwin converter site: terminal location for the OHTL and converts electricity from HVDC to HVAC for connection to Darwin, before being converted back to HVDC for
transmission to Singapore
4. HVDC subsea cable system: approximately 4,300km in length from Darwin converter site to Singapore via Indonesian waters
5. Singapore converter site: The HVDC power is converted via a Voltage Source Converter (VSC) to connect to the local Singaporean electricity network
SunCable is working closely with governments and communities in Australia, Indonesia, and Singapore, and partnering with scientists, engineers, infrastructure experts and First Nations Traditional Land Owners to make the dream of a brighter, renewable energy future for the Asia-Pacific region a reality. SunCable is owned by a consortium led by Grok Ventures. The AAPowerLink project is being developed by SunCable's executive leadership team.
In a world first SunCable was recently granted Conditional Approval by the Singaporean Government’s Energy Market Authority (EMA) to import green electricity via its flagship project the Australia-Asia PowerLink (AAPowerLink).
Speaking to WIP magazine Mitesh Patel, Interim CEO of SunCable International, has welcomed the announcement and thanked the EMA and the Singaporean Government for their support:
"This announcement is a vote of confidence in the commercial and technical viability of our project,” he said.
“Obtaining Conditional Approval means SunCable can move forward with the next phase of development and commercial activities and strengthening our partnership with Indonesia.
We will also make progress in commercial discussions with industrial customers in Singapore and engagement with the Northern Territory Government and the Traditional Owners of the project site. We are seeking to supply up to 1.75GW (15 per cent) of Singapore’s total electricity needs, and to critically diversify Singapore’s technology and import origin mix, which will improve the resilience of the country’s energy grid and help it achieve its Net Zero goals.”
The AAPowerLink aims to deliver 1.75GW of green electricity to customers in Singapore.
This is in addition to the planned 4GW staying in Australia to power future green industries in Darwin.
SunCable will uniquely offer customers a firm 24/7 load sourced from solar and wind energy backed by storage to meet Singapore’s day and night-time renewable energy demand. Energy will be generated in the Barkly region of the Northern Territory, which offers some of the world’s best renewable resources, facilitating globally cost-competitive and secure green power. To date, SunCable has invested over AUD $250 million across Australia, Singapore and Indonesia to support the development of the project.
“Receiving Conditional Approval provides increased confidence in the concept of developing cross-border electricity trade, and establishing a new export industry for Australia,” Mr Patel tells WIP.
“High voltage long-distance subsea cables are critical to the global energy transition, and solve for the transmission of green electrons within and between countries.”
Electricity demand in the Asia-Pacific is set to increase by 70% by 2040 and more than double by 2050, Mr Patel explains.
“SunCable has identified the opportunity for Australia to play a key role in meeting this demand by building landmark projects that utilise High Voltage Direct Current subsea cable to connect high-yield renewable energy generation in the Northern Territory to major cities throughout the region,”
he confirms. This new approval effectively builds on a series of recent project milestones reached by SunCable.
In August 2024, the AAPowerLink received its principal Commonwealth Government environmental approval, allowing the company to pursue the next phase of development, working closely with valued stakeholders in Australia and overseas.
The project will create thousands of jobs and an estimated AUD $20 billion in economic value to the Northern Territory over its construction and operation phases. SunCable is advancing key authorisations and approvals with the Northern Territory Government and with the Traditional Owners of the generation site and is progressing commercial offtake discussions with green industrial proponents in the Darwin region.
The company will also continue development activities in Indonesia and Singapore. It will spend US$ $2.5 billion directly in Indonesia over the project’s lifespan, creating an estimated 7,500 jobs across sectors including manufacturing, construction, marine, maintenance, and energy.
SunCable is already helping Indonesia’s renewable energy workforce by investing in and funding various partnerships, scholarships, and joint research projects.
In Singapore, SunCable’s clean energy import will increase energy security and resilience; drive green industrial development; support Net Zero goals; create jobs; and directly abate six megatons of carbon each year.
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