Jakarta. Indonesia’s upcoming exports of solar power to its close neighbor Singapore is set to become a “new growth engine”, according to the visiting Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.

Preparations are already underway for Indonesia to begin supplying low-carbon electricity to Singapore in late 2027 or 2028. President Prabowo Subianto also received Wong as his first foreign leader guest at Jakarta’s Merdeka Palace on Wednesday. As Singapore counted the days until receiving the first electrons of green electricity from Indonesia, the cross-border power trading became an inevitable topic of discussion when Prabowo and Wong met.

“We have had very good discussions on how we can work together on clean energy and sustainability. This can be a new growth engine for both our countries, especially when we realize cross-border energy exports as well as cross-border carbon capture and storage in the coming years,” Wong said in a joint press statement after his conversations with the Indonesian leader.

Prabowo called Singapore a key partner to Indonesia, saying that his visit would be "the perfect moment to strengthen strategic areas that are important to both countries". This includes cooperation on energy security, among other areas. 

Earlier this year, Singapore’s Energy Market Authority (EMA) granted the so-called “conditional licenses” for five Indonesia-based projects to supply green power totaling 2 gigawatts.  This conditional license puts Indonesia a step closer to exporting green electricity to its close neighbor, although there are still many steps ahead before the cross-border power trading can actually happen. 

Adaro Solar International (0.4 gigawatts) and EDP Renewables APAC (0.4 gigawatts) are among the five companies that earned the conditional license. Other licensed electricity exporters include Pacific Medco Solar Energy (0.6 gigawatts), Vanda RE (0.3 gigawatts), and Keppel Energy (0.3 gigawatts). For reference, a conditional license proves that the projects are technically and commercially viable, and are in an advanced developmental stage.

EMA has also issued conditional approvals to two more companies, including Singa Renewables (1 gigawatt).  Shell Eastern Trading, which has partnered with Vena Energy to supply 0.4 gigawatts of green power, has also obtained conditional approval. This is a permit that precedes the aforementioned conditional license. Electricity import projects that have gone through preliminary assessments are eligible for conditional approval.

Singapore aims to import 6 gigawatts of low-carbon electricity to decarbonize its power sector by 2035.

Prabowo also told Wong that Indonesia wished to push forward other existing low-carbon technology partnerships, including the bilateral green hydrogen project. PLN EPI and Singaporean state-owned energy company Sembcorp recently struck a deal to construct ASEAN’s largest green hydrogen facility in Sumatra. The former is a sub-holding of the Indonesian state electricity utility firm PLN.