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There was once a proposal to run an extension cord from Australia to Singapore [1] since Australia could have plentiful and cheap solar power. However, the proj

There was once a proposal to run an extension cord from Australia to Singapore [1] since Australia could have plentiful and cheap solar power. However, the project collapsed after the capricious billionaire backers ditched it. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia-Asia_Power_Link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia-Asia_Power_Link

scarab92 2y ago
The SunCable project is still moving forward. There was a disagreement between the co-founders. One wanted to use HVDC cable to transmit power, the other wanted to use electrolysis to produce Hydrogen, put that on ships, then burn it in Singapore to produce electricity. To resolve the dispute, they both agreed to put the project into administration, then both made bids to take full control, with HVDC proponent Mike Cannon-Brooks (co-founder of Atlassian btw) eventually winning control. I wouldn't be surprised if the Green hydrogen plan eventually makes a come back, as solar power from Northern Australia has a compellingly low LCOE.
- TheSpiceIsLife 2y ago
  Twiggy was also talking about producing hydrogen in Tasmania from largely unavailable hydropower, or so the argument goes. If I recall correctly then turn that in to green ammonia. Many of those dams are full to excess, at least sometimes. And what Twiggy doesn’t waste turning falling water in to energy anaemic hydrogen gas, ammonia is handy though, we can keep selling to Victoria for a profit, for the Tasmanian government to, what, waste on a footy stadium no one wants? No no, to waste storing the new Spirit of Scotland ferries. Cynical bugger.
  - throwup238 2y ago
    > for the Tasmanian government to, what, waste on a footy stadium no one wants? It’s a Utopia: https://youtube.com/watch?v=3XUn-EsThcE https://youtube.com/watch?v=3XUn-EsThcE (That video was uploaded a year ago but the episode the clip is from aired years before the new stadium was even proposed. And that’s not the only time that the TV show predicted a useless government project)
crowcroft 2y ago
This is an insane idea, but would be epic if someone could figure it out. I don’t know much about how electricity grids work, but that seems fraught with so many challenges, not all of them technical.
- scarab92 2y ago
  I believe they have the technical challenges solved (at least on paper), and the Singaporean and Australian governments have both approved the project. I'm a little surprised Singapore approved it, as it'll need to supply about 10% of Singapore's power in order to cover the cost of the cable, which seems like a big vulnerability to me. Next question is, can they find enough buyers in Singapore for that much power.
  - decimalenough 2y ago
    Singapore's electricity is currently produced mostly from LNG piped in from Malaysia and Indonesia, so more diversification is welcome.
    - crowcroft 2y ago
      At least there’s a fairly direct route from those countries to Singapore. Australia is pretty far, and there are some countries in between that could be a menace at any point in the future. Pretty big challenge for Singapore to figure out a way to guarantee security long term.
Mengkudulangsat 2y ago
Why bother going all the way to Singapore when their neighbor (Java) has 100 million people?
- porphyra 2y ago
  Singapore rich. Indonesia poor.

scarab92 2y ago

The SunCable project is still moving forward. There was a disagreement between the co-founders. One wanted to use HVDC cable to transmit power, the other wanted to use electrolysis to produce Hydrogen, put that on ships, then burn it in Singapore to produce electricity. To resolve the dispute, they both agreed to put the project into administration, then both made bids to take full control, with HVDC proponent Mike Cannon-Brooks (co-founder of Atlassian btw) eventually winning control. I wouldn't be surprised if the Green hydrogen plan eventually makes a come back, as solar power from Northern Australia has a compellingly low LCOE.

TheSpiceIsLife 2y ago
Twiggy was also talking about producing hydrogen in Tasmania from largely unavailable hydropower, or so the argument goes. If I recall correctly then turn that in to green ammonia. Many of those dams are full to excess, at least sometimes. And what Twiggy doesn’t waste turning falling water in to energy anaemic hydrogen gas, ammonia is handy though, we can keep selling to Victoria for a profit, for the Tasmanian government to, what, waste on a footy stadium no one wants? No no, to waste storing the new Spirit of Scotland ferries. Cynical bugger.
- throwup238 2y ago
  > for the Tasmanian government to, what, waste on a footy stadium no one wants? It’s a Utopia: https://youtube.com/watch?v=3XUn-EsThcE https://youtube.com/watch?v=3XUn-EsThcE (That video was uploaded a year ago but the episode the clip is from aired years before the new stadium was even proposed. And that’s not the only time that the TV show predicted a useless government project)

crowcroft 2y ago

This is an insane idea, but would be epic if someone could figure it out. I don’t know much about how electricity grids work, but that seems fraught with so many challenges, not all of them technical.

scarab92 2y ago
I believe they have the technical challenges solved (at least on paper), and the Singaporean and Australian governments have both approved the project. I'm a little surprised Singapore approved it, as it'll need to supply about 10% of Singapore's power in order to cover the cost of the cable, which seems like a big vulnerability to me. Next question is, can they find enough buyers in Singapore for that much power.
- decimalenough 2y ago
  Singapore's electricity is currently produced mostly from LNG piped in from Malaysia and Indonesia, so more diversification is welcome.
  - crowcroft 2y ago
    At least there’s a fairly direct route from those countries to Singapore. Australia is pretty far, and there are some countries in between that could be a menace at any point in the future. Pretty big challenge for Singapore to figure out a way to guarantee security long term.

Mengkudulangsat 2y ago

Why bother going all the way to Singapore when their neighbor (Java) has 100 million people?

porphyra 2y ago
Singapore rich. Indonesia poor.