Australia-Asia Power Link (AAPowerLink)

SunCable’s flagship development project, AAPowerLink, will harness and store renewable energy from one of the world's most reliably sunny places – Australia’s Northern Territory – for 24/7 transmission to Darwin and Singapore through a high voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission system.

The project proposes to develop the world’s largest renewable energy generation and battery storage precint in the heart of the Northern Territory, and a 5,000km high voltage direct current (HVDC) system, to deliver up to 6GW of 24/7 green electricity to industrial customers in Darwin and Singapore.

Around 4GW of this electricity will be transmitted to Darwin to underpin a new wave of green industrial development in emerging green industries such as hydrogen, e-fuels, green minerals, data centres, and other processing and manufacturing opportunities.

SunCable is working with the Indonesian Government as a key partner to agree a subsea cable route through Indonesian waters, following a path of minimal impact to the natural environment. This will support a further 2GW of transcontinental transmission to deliver a flat load of 1.75GW to Singapore.

AAPowerLink will integrate wind, solar and battery capacity at scale, to supply industrial customers with a flat load profile of 24/7 renewable electricity.

Impact and delivery

AAPowerLink will harness the NT’s world-class renewable energy potential to position Australia, Indonesia, and Singapore as leaders in the global shift to renewable electricity. AAPowerLink is a once in a generation scale infrastructure project, backed by a compelling scientific, economic and social evidence base that is set to deliver a triple win for the Asia-Pacific Region.

Key benefits across the three countries include:
Australia:

  • Around AUD $8bn investment to Australia during the construction phase
  • Around AUD $20bn investment into the Northern Territory across the first 40 years of construction and operation.
  • Creation of a significant number of jobs in the Northern Territory:
    ○ 1,750 direct jobs during construction
    ○ around 6,800 jobs during each year of construction
    ○ around 350 long-term operational jobs
  • Supply of up to 4GW of renewable electricity to industrial customers in Darwin to underpin a new wave of green industrial development in Northern Australia.
  • Creation of a new renewable energy export market for Australia
  • Development of green energy supply chains at scale.

Indonesia:

  • Around USD$2.5bn investment to Indonesia over the lifetime of the project
  • Creation of around 7,500 jobs in Indonesia
  • Support for local industry and procurement
  • Local capacity building and development of the future workforce through ~5,000 knowledge sharing participants.

Singapore:

  • Diversification of renewable energy supply and increased energy security through supply of 1.75GW renewable electricity
  • Support for Singapore’s internationally recognised position as a business and digital hub through 24/7 supply to customers in technology, data centres, and heavy industry.
  • Abatement of 6Mt in CO2 per annum to support Singapore’s goal to reach net zero emissions by 2050.

AUD ~$8billion investment in Australia

Up to 1,750 direct jobs

Around 350 long term operational jobs

Around 6,800 indirect jobs during construction

Environmental and Social Peformance

SunCable is committed to delivering beneficial outcomes for the environment and society. We achieve this by embedding environmental and social considerations into our development and commercial decision-making processes. We aim to protect the local environment, and the people and communities that live and work near our project areas.

AAPowerLink Project Environmental Approvals
The AAPowerLink Project went through a rigorous environmental impact assessment process under the NT Environment Protection Act 2019 and the Environment Protection Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. Approvals secured in mid-2024 are posted below.

NT Environmental Approval - EP2020-002-001 - 14 July 2024
Commonwealth EPBC2020-8818 Approval - 19 August 2024

Environmental Compliance
As a condition of the AAPowerLink EPBC Approval, SunCable is required to submit Annual Compliance Reports on each anniversary of the approval. Compliance reports submitted to the Regulator are posted below.

2025AnnualComplianceReport-AAPowerLink_EPBC2020-8818.pdf

Community Sponsorship Program
SunCable is committed to building regional partnerships, providing local benefits, and investing in the communities where we work. Our NT Community Sponsorship Program offers funding of $500-$3000 per application for community-led projects and activities in the AAPowerLink Project footprint and surrounding areas. The program guidelines and eligibility requirements, and application form are posted below.

Community Sponsorship Program Guidelines
Community Sponsorship Application Form

A project like SunCable which has the potential to export clean energy to Singapore is the ultimate win-win.

Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese 18 October 2022

The original SunCable vision of exporting solar power by undersea cable…is more readily achievable because it relies on a mix of tried and tested technologies – solar panels, batteries, AC terrestrial transmission and DC undersea cable – connected together in a standard way, albeit at much larger scale and in remote locations.

Director of the Monash Energy Institute, Ariel Liebman

The NT Government is aiming for a $40 billion economy by 2030 to accelerate jobs and population growth. Projects like SunCable’s Australia-Asia PowerLink are exactly the sorts of projects which will help us get there. The Territory Government welcomes today’s announcement. SunCable’s project will position the Territory as a renewable energy powerhouse – powering Territory industries with Territory sunshine, creating new permanent jobs, and establishing a new export industry

Chief Minister of The Northern Territory,  Natasha Fyles