Singapore has updated its renewable energy certificate standard to strengthen corporate sustainability claims and potentially improve the commercial viability of clean electricity imports, Minister of State for Energy, Trade and Industry Gan Siow Huang said on Tuesday.
Speaking at the Asia Clean Energy Summit (ACES) in Singapore, Gan said the amended Singapore Standard 673 requires renewable electricity claims to be supported by certificates linked to power physically supplied to the country’s grid, whether through domestic generation or imports.
Renewable energy certificates, or RECs, from overseas projects that do not supply electricity to Singapore can still demonstrate support for renewable energy development abroad. However, they cannot substantiate claims that electricity consumed in Singapore is renewable, she said.
“We have heard from businesses that they want greater clarity on what different types of RECs represent, and what claims they can credibly support,” Gan said, addressing policymakers, clean energy executives, investors and researchers at ACES, held as part of Singapore International Energy Week.
“The updated SS673 will strengthen trust in corporate sustainability reporting and reduce the risk of greenwashing concerns,” she added.
Gan said recognising certificates associated with renewable electricity imports could give businesses “greater confidence” in their claims, potentially encouraging them to pay more for such electricity and improving import projects’ commercial viability.
The announcement comes as Singapore pursues regional electricity imports alongside expanded domestic solar deployment.
On Monday, the Energy Market Authority (EMA) granted energy and urban development company Sembcorp Utilities conditional approval to import 1.3 gigawatts (GW) of electricity from or through Peninsular Malaysia. The proposed project would draw on sources including Vietnamese offshore wind and Malaysian solar.
Gan said cross-border projects require long-term regulatory certainty and competitive pricing. Singapore will also work towards regional endorsement next year of guidelines covering submarine power cable activities.
Despite raising its solar deployment target to 4 GW-peak by 2035, the city-state expects solar to meet at most 10 per cent of its electricity needs in 2050, reinforcing the importance of imports while it studies nuclear and geothermal options.
Expanding solar beyond rooftops
Singapore is aiming to install more solar panels in public spaces, including carports and building façades, to meet its newly announced target of 4 gigawatt-peak by 2035, Gan said in her speech.
The government will also look to develop a one-stop digital portal to encourage owners of landed homes to install panels, connecting homeowners with suitable installers.
Gan said Singapore would intensify deployment in two ways: expanding installations across available spaces, including rooftops, vacant land and water surfaces; and using advanced technologies to unlock unconventional surfaces.
“To get there, we will harness solar energy wherever we can across Singapore,” she said.
Conventional rooftop solar has already been deployed on more than 5,000 Housing and Development Board blocks and public buildings through HDB’s SolarNova programme and other initiatives.
EMA is launching a tender to extend installations to more public premises, including solar carports and building-integrated photovoltaics. By aggregating demand across government agencies, the tender aims to create greater scale and more opportunities for the solar industry.
Singapore will also explore containerised solar systems to make better use of vacant land. Gan cited Equator Renewables Asia among companies pioneering systems that can be deployed rapidly and flexibly.
Private homes offer another opportunity. Singapore has more than 8,000 residential solar installations, but Gan said more homeowners could participate. EMA will partner the Sustainable Energy Association of Singapore to help homeowners connect with suitable installers, with further details expected next year.
Meanwhile, JTC Corporation is piloting an overhead solar canopy between two buildings at Woodlands East Industrial Estate and seeking innovations for building façades and containerised solar paired with mobile batteries.
Singapore is also exploring solar roof tiles for heritage state buildings. Despite these efforts, Gan said solar would meet at most 10 per cent of electricity needs in 2050, reinforcing the importance of regional low-carbon power imports.
