SINGAPORE (Jan 4): Singapore will build a new hydrogen-ready combined cycle gas turbine generating unit, slated to begin operations in 2029, the Energy Market Authority (EMA), a statutory board under the Ministry of Trade and Industry, has said in a press release, reported Xinhua.  

"With rising energy demand, it is imperative to ensure adequate generation to power our daily lives," said Puah Kok Keong, the EMA's chief executive, noting Singapore's transition towards "a low-carbon energy future".

The new generating unit, to be developed by PacificLight Power, a Singapore-based electricity retailer, will have a generation capacity of at least 600 megawatts.

To be constructed on Jurong Island, located in southwestern Singapore, the facility will be capable of operating with at least 30% hydrogen at inception, with plans to burn 100% hydrogen in the future, the company said.

Singapore's energy needs have been steadily rising, driven by electricity-intensive sectors such as advanced manufacturing, the digital economy, and the electrification of transportation, according to the EMA. The city state's power system peak demand is projected to grow at a compound annual rate of 3.7% to 5.7% over the next six years, reaching between 10.1 gigawatts and 11.8 gigawatts by 2030.

In June 2024, the EMA requested proposals for new generation capacity. The PacificLight Power was selected from six proposals submitted to develop the hydrogen-ready generating unit.

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