Singapore's Energy Story
Discover how the Singapore Energy Story sets the vision towards a net-zero energy future.
Last updated on 16 October 2026
Singapore's energy sector has come a long way since its early days. Over the last 50 years, we have moved from oil to natural gas for cleaner power generation. We have also seen an increased use of solar energy, particularly on rooftops and reservoirs.
With challenges brought about by climate change, we will need to change how we produce energy while keeping supply secure through a diversified energy mix including Solar, Regional Power Grids, Low-Carbon Alternatives, and Natural Gas.
Solar:
Solar energy is harnessed from the sun's radiation and is converted to electrical energy to power electrical appliances. This is made possible using photovoltaic (PV) systems.
Located near the equator, Singapore is one of the most solar-dense cities in the world. We enjoy relatively high solar irradiance of an average annual solar irradiance of 1,580 kWh/m2/year. This makes Singapore an ideal location to tap on solar energy as a clean energy source to generate electricity.
Singapore has achieved our 2030 target of deploying 2 gigawatt-peak of solar ahead of schedule. We will therefore raise our target to 3GWp by 2030. We will also continue to maximise solar deployment across all viable surfaces and progressively set more ambitious targets further into the future.
Regional Power Grids:
While Singapore has limited renewable energy resources, we are able to access low-carbon electricity that is abundant in the region by connecting to regional power grids. This also promotes the development of renewable energy in the region and paves the way in realising the ASEAN Power Grid vision.
Low-Carbon Alternatives:
Technologies such as hydrogen, geothermal energy, nuclear energy, and carbon capture and storage (CCS) can potentially help us further reduce our carbon emissions. We are currently exploring these technologies to ensure we are ready to harness them if they become technically and commercially viable in the future.
Natural Gas:
As a small country with limited natural resources, there are limitations on how we can deploy renewable energy sources.
Thus, natural gas remains a key fuel source while we scale up our renewable energy deployment. Currently, about 95% of our electricity is generated using imported natural gas.
Watch this short video on our Energy Story
