Written reply to PQ on ensuring energy resilience and supply stability given increased renewable energy deployment

Question:

Mr Edward Chia Bing Hui: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry (a) what is the Ministry’s assessment of Singapore’s energy resilience and grid stability in light of the anticipated increase in renewable energy deployment; and (b) what measures are being taken to manage intermittency risks and ensure reliability of supply.

Written Answer by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong

1.             Our main renewable energy today is solar energy. We have about 1.7 gigawatt peak (GWp) of solar photovoltaics deployed in Singapore as of June 2025, and we are making good progress towards meeting our current target of 2 GWp by 2030. 

2.             The average amount of electricity from solar energy at any point in time is much lower. No electricity is generated at night, and in daytime, solar generation fluctuates with cloud cover and weather patterns. To address the intermittency, the Singapore energy market provides regulation reserves, which are generation capacities used to balance minute-to-minute variations in electricity consumption and generation output. Additionally, EMA has deployed battery energy storage systems (BESS) to provide instantaneous response to demand and supply fluctuations. The BESS can store energy generated during periods of high power output, and discharge the energy when required. These measures keep our power supply reliable. 

3.             Another potential source of renewable energy for us is via electricity import from the region. We will require the developers of these projects to mitigate intermittency through the use of BESS at source or other energy solutions. 

4.             As we further increase the deployment of solar energy in Singapore and introduce imports and new energy sources, we will continue to maintain stringent reliability standards, perform real-time monitoring of system demand and network conditions, and invest in new grid infrastructure and technologies such as BESS to ensure a reliable power supply.