Seems complicated, land neighbor would be only Malaysia right? By water, Indonesia?
Vietnam is close but already under heavy growth, not sure they have any reasonable landmass or supply of electricity. Not as familiar with Thailand but would be surprised.
All of those above players could be wild cards. Australia is massive and I am making this up but like 95% of it is empty. Perhaps solar could be so incredible cheap that the transmission cost is bearable.
Australia is risky because as a member of AUKUS they are likely to be a combatant in the anticipated war between America/Taiwan aligned countries and China. This puts Singapore's power supply in the crosshairs.
Eh, Singapore is a bridge country for China to western markets. And is 80% ethnic Chinese.
At the point random power plants in the Australian Outback are being bombed to get to Singapore, Singapore has gotten so fucked already they can’t stand.
Im not sure the project makes economic sense even if the power were free.
Typical wholesale contract prices for solar production in the US are on the order of $0.04-0.05/kwh.
If this $17B cable delivers the full 1.75 gigawatts for 12 hours a day for 20 years, the transmission cost alone is $0.055/kwh.
This doesnt even take into account the time value of money, which would radically increase the cost. The line would have to charge $0.30/kwh for transmission to break even with a 5% interest rate. [1]
Singapore likes to have good relations with everyone. Now Australia has an additional reason to be displeased with anyone who attacks Singapore or threatens their electricity.
Singapore also doesn't like any one country to have excess leverage. Many countries supply them with electricity, this adds one more.
Pretty much. Guess it would have been as viable getting electricity from Thailand (one nearby country that could supply it electricity) as it is getting cheaper electricity from Australia + laying the cable.
Vietnam is close but already under heavy growth, not sure they have any reasonable landmass or supply of electricity. Not as familiar with Thailand but would be surprised.
All of those above players could be wild cards. Australia is massive and I am making this up but like 95% of it is empty. Perhaps solar could be so incredible cheap that the transmission cost is bearable.