Massive SunCable project gets environmental green light

SunCable’s flagship AAPowerLink project to take Australian renewable electricity to Singapore via a high voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission system has received major environmental approval.

The approval allows the company to progress the development, commercial, and engineering activities required to advance the project to Final Investment Decision.

SunCable has obtained its principal environmental approval from the Northern Territory Government and NT Environment Protection Authority for the giant project.

The project seeks to develop the world’s largest renewable energy precinct in the Barkly region of the Northern Territory.

Over two stages of development, it aims to deliver up to 4GW of 24/7 green electricity to green industrial customers in Darwin (900MW in Stage 1 and a further approximately 3GW in Stage 2), and 1.75GW to customers in Singapore via a 4,300km subsea cable.

SunCable Australia’s Managing Director Cameron Garnsworthy said: “SunCable is founded with the belief that Australia can lead the world’s energy transition.

“AAPowerLink presents a unique opportunity for the Northern Territory to be at the forefront of this global shift through the development of its world-class renewable energy resources to supply customers in Darwin and Singapore with 24/7 green electricity.

“This will underpin a new wave of green industrial development in the NT, via prospective projects that include green minerals, hydrogen, e-fuels, and data centres.”

The AAPowerLink is the world’s largest renewable energy and transmission project in development and is projected to be one of the largest economic industrial developments in Australian history, according to the company.

A Final Investment Decision (FID) is expected in 2027, with electricity supply to commence in the early 2030s.

The environmental approval covers a significant portion of SunCable’s AAPowerLink project infrastructure, which includes:

• The solar generation and utility-scale storage site at Powell Creek with generation capacity of up to 10GW
• An approximately 800km High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) overhead transmission line running from the solar precinct to Murrumujuk, north-east of Darwin
• The Darwin converter site, which includes the terminal location for the transmission line and will convert electricity from HVDC to High Voltage Alternating Current (HVAC) for connection to Darwin, before being converted back to HVDC for transmission to Singapore
• And a subsea HVDC cable from the Darwin Converter Station to the end of Australian territorial waters to the Indonesian border.

The project is expected to deliver more than $20 billion in economic value to the Northern Territory during the construction period and first 35 years of operation.

Image: SunCable Australia