Southeast Asia's Largest Energy Storage Unit Opens in Singapore

On Thursday (Feb 2), the largest energy storage system in Southeast Asia opened on Jurong Island, adding to Singapore's push for solar power adoption.

With a maximum storage capacity of 285 megawatt-hours (MWh), the Sembcorp Energy Storage System can meet the electricity needs of approximately 24,000 households in four-room flats for one day in a single discharge.

The 2ha facility, which is roughly the size of three football fields, began operations in December of last year. In June 2022, the Energy Market Authority (EMA) appointed Sembcorp Industries to develop it.

Because of ongoing developments in the global energy market, EMA required the energy storage system to be completed by December of last year, according to Ms Jeanette Lim, EMA's director of industry development.

This was so the facility could "provide energy, reserves and/or regulation services to enhance Singapore's grid resilience and manage any protracted market and energy supply volatility", she said.

"Its rapid response time to store and supply power in milliseconds is essential in mitigating solar intermittency caused by changing weather conditions in Singapore's tropical climate," Sembcorp and EMA said in a joint media release.

"It can also provide reserves to the power grid, which frees up power generation plants to generate more electricity to meet demand, when needed."

According to EMA CEO Ngiam Shih Chun, the energy storage system will complement the authority's efforts to increase solar adoption while also improving the power grid's stability and resilience.

He noted that the deployment of the utility-scale facility means Singapore has met its 200 MWh energy storage target ahead of schedule.

As part of the Singapore Green Plan 2030, Singapore previously announced a target of deploying at least 200 MWh of energy storage systems beyond 2025.

Tan See Leng, Minister for Manpower and Second Minister for Trade and Industry, stated that solar power is Singapore's most viable source of clean energy, and that increasing its deployment is a critical initiative to decarbonize the power sector.

Since 2020, the country's solar capacity has more than doubled, with more than 700 megawatt-peak (MWp) currently installed, according to the minister, who spoke at the facility's opening.

Singapore aims to increase solar capacity to at least 2 gigawatt-peak (2 GWp) by 2030, which would be enough to power approximately 350,000 households per year. This is expected to meet approximately 3% of the projected electricity demand.

The Sembcorp Energy Storage System consists of over 800 large-scale battery units, with charge and discharge cycles centrally managed based on grid supply and demand.

Sembcorp has a battery storage portfolio of 709 MWh and also operates an energy storage system fleet in the United Kingdom.