Singapore’s electricity system faces long-term limits linked to land scarcity, a lack of local energy resources, and rising demand from cooling, electrification, and digital services. As a country that imports most of its energy and has limited alternatives, Singapore bases its energy policy on the government’s Four Switches framework. This approach combines natural gas, solar power, regional electricity imports, and new low-carbon options. Within this structure, solar power remains the main local renewable source. Against this backdrop, Singapore’s installed solar PV capacity is expected to rise to 5.33GW by 2035, up from about 1.57GW in 2024, according to GlobalData.
According to GlobalData’s report, “Singapore Power Market Trends and Analysis by Capacity, Generation, Transmission, Distribution, Regulations, Key Players and Forecast to 2035,” solar PV capacity in Singapore is forecast to grow at a compound annual rate of around 11.7% between 2024 and 2035. This increase reflects steady deployment across rooftop systems, floating solar projects, and larger installations, supported by policies that promote solar use in dense urban and industrial areas.
Solar growth is supported by national policies under the Singapore Green Plan 2030, which sets a target of at least 2GW of solar capacity by 2030. Programmes such as SolarNova, the Simplified Credit Treatment scheme, and the Enhanced Central Intermediary Scheme help improve project financing, allow excess power sales, and reduce barriers for solar systems in homes, businesses, and factories.
Mohammed Ziauddin, Power Analyst at GlobalData, comments:
“Singapore’s clean energy strategy reflects the constraints of a dense, import-dependent system. Solar PV is being scaled within physical limits through targeted policy mechanisms and urban deployment models, while parallel investment in storage, gas modernization, and regional interconnections support reliability and system balance.”
Even as solar capacity grows, natural gas continues to dominate Singapore’s power generation mix, accounting for around 94–95% of electricity output. Gas plants provide the flexible and controllable power needed to keep the grid stable, given limited energy storage and the variable nature of solar output. Supported by LNG imports, fuel storage, and requirements for hydrogen-ready upgrades, gas-fired capacity is expected to rise from about 10.38GW in 2024 to roughly 14.82GW by 2035 as electricity demand increases.
Singapore is also working to diversify supply beyond its borders. The government has issued conditional approvals for importing low-carbon electricity from neighbouring countries, with plans to bring in up to 6GW by 2035. At the same time, the National Hydrogen Strategy identifies hydrogen as a longer-term option, with trials and hydrogen-ready power plants designed to keep future options open beyond 2035.
Zia concludes:
“Singapore’s power sector is evolving through a pragmatic pathway that prioritizes reliability while gradually reducing emissions intensity. Solar PV remains the cornerstone of domestic renewable growth, supported by targeted policy mechanisms and urban deployment models, while natural gas, regional power imports, and hydrogen readiness collectively ensure system resilience through 2035.”
