Electricity in Singapore in 2024/2025
Over the past year, from June 2024 to May 2025, Singapore's electricity consumption has overwhelmingly relied on fossil sources, accounting for more than 97% of its energy production. Notably, natural gas constitutes the bulk of this fossil energy at approximately 95%. Low-carbon or clean energy sources are still in their infancy in Singapore, with solar energy making up 2.32% of the total. While the dependence on fossil fuels is stark, the presence of solar energy, albeit minimal, signals the beginning of a transition towards more sustainable energy sources. However, the pressing need for a broader adoption of clean energy, including nuclear, remains as a key strategy to combat the challenges of climate change and air pollution.
Is Electricity Growing in Singapore?
Currently, there is concerning evidence that Singapore's electricity consumption is experiencing stagnation or slight decline. In 2025, the electricity consumption per person was 10,334 kWh, witnessing a decrease of 66 kWh from the previous record in 2024. This drop is most striking in the realm of low-carbon electricity generation, where output fell short by 271 kWh/person compared to the preceding year. Such reductions signal a need for urgent efforts to revitalize and grow Singapore's electricity sector, ensuring both the overall and low-carbon electricity demands are met to support future needs, including the energy-intensive demands anticipated from advancing technology like AI.
Suggestions
To increase low-carbon electricity generation, Singapore can draw lessons from various successful regions. Nuclear energy, as seen from countries like France and Slovakia where it comprises more than 60% of electricity generation, presents a promising avenue for significant clean energy contribution. Similarly, expanding solar energy, inspired by sun-rich countries such as Lebanon where solar contributes 31%, can also accelerate Singapore's transition to greener sources. Moreover, regions like Denmark and Iowa have capitalized on wind, an avenue less applicable to Singapore, but which exemplifies the potential of focused infrastructure investment. Prioritizing solar and nuclear technologies would position Singapore strategically to meet its low-carbon electricity goals.
History
In reviewing the historical trajectory of Singapore's low-carbon electricity generation, it is noticeable that biofuels were the initial stepping stone, with modest gains in the late twentieth century and early 2000s. Beginning in 2016, solar energy began contributing to the electricity mix, showing consistent, albeit small, growth until the present. The last few years have seen marked increases in solar contributions, with 2022 to 2024 each adding 0.3 TWh. However, by 2025, this growth slowed to an additional 0.1 TWh, highlighting a potential plateauing that underscores the need for bolstered efforts in expanding solar and integrating nuclear energy more prominently. Such strategic expansion is key to overcoming the challenges posed by fossil reliance.
Electrification
We estimate the degree of electrification by comparing electricity and total energy emissions. More about methodology.