Singapore to further study geothermal energy potential for power generation: Tan See Leng

Singapore will further its assessment on the feasibility of harnessing geothermal energy for power generation, cooling, and heating, said Minister for Energy, Trade and Industry (Energy and Industry) Dr Tan See Leng.

Announcing this at the Singapore Energy Lecture at the Singapore International Energy Week 2026 (SIEW) on Monday (Oct 26), Dr Tan pointed to the positive preliminary findings from a non-invasive geophysical survey last year.

The survey found that Singapore has high-temperature geothermal resources at depths of several kilometres underground, which may be suitable for electricity generation.

Its technical potential of geothermal energy for power generation is more than 60 times of the country's annual electricity consumption of around 60 terawatt-hours (TWh).

In a media release issued after the lecture, the Energy Market Authority of Singapore (EMA) said the survey assessed that there are lower-temperature geothermal resources at shallower depths.

This could potentially support industrial heating and cooling using heat pumps and absorption chillers, it added.

However, the feasibility study of deploying next-generation geothermal power plants in Singapore is not a straightforward one, the energy and industry minister highlighted.

"Our geothermal resources are located several kilometres underground, the amount of electricity we can eventually generate will depend on the cost and technical feasibility of extracting these resources, as well as the pace of advances in deep drilling technology," he said.

Dr Tan added that Singapore's dense urban environment will also affect how many geothermal power plants it can feasibly deploy.

In addition, safety has to be the top-of-mind consideration for energy planners, the minister cautioned.

Now, following a request for proposal launched in April this year, EMA has appointed a consortium formed by Surbana Jurong and Canadian energy consulting group GLJ to conduct the next-phase of this feasibility study.

The study, expected to take about 15 months from the end of 2026, will cover safety considerations, technical viability, and the cost of geothermal energy production.

EMA chief executive Puah Kok Keong highlighted that geothermal energy is an indigenous source of clean energy that can provide constant power, and can potentially play an important role in the country's energy mix.

"If proven to be viable for electricity generation, Singapore’s geothermal energy resources will strengthen our energy resilience and support the decarbonisation of the power sector,” he said.

EMA added that any decision to deploy geothermal will also be taken after further technical and feasibility studies are completed and will depend on the progress of technologies for deep geothermal energy.

The move is the latest in a series of energy-related announcements made at SIEW.

In his energy lecture, Dr Tan emphasised that energy is existential for Singapore.

"We must ensure that our system resilience continues to be a source of confidence for our people," he said.

新加坡能源、贸易和工业部长（能源和工业）陈思龙博士表示，新加坡将进一步评估利用地热能进行发电、制冷和供暖的可行性。

陈博士在周一（10 月 26 日）于 2026 年新加坡国际能源周 (SIEW) 期间举行的新加坡能源讲座上宣布了这一消息，他指出去年进行的一项非侵入性地球物理调查取得了积极的初步结果。

调查发现，新加坡地下数公里深处拥有高温地热资源，可能适合用于发电。

其地热能发电的技术潜力是该国年用电量（约 60 太瓦时）的 60 多倍。

讲座结束后，新加坡能源市场管理局 (EMA) 在一份新闻稿中表示，调查评估显示，在较浅的深度存在温度较低的地热资源。

报告还指出，这可能有助于利用热泵和吸收式制冷机进行工业供暖和制冷。

然而，能源和工业部长强调，在新加坡部署下一代地热发电厂的可行性研究并非易事。

他说：“我们的地热资源位于地下数公里处，我们最终能够产生的电量将取决于开采这些资源的成本和技术可行性，以及深钻技术的进步速度。”

陈博士补充说，新加坡密集的城市环境也会影响其能够实际部署的地热发电厂的数量。

此外，部长还告诫说，安全必须是能源规划者首要考虑的因素。

现在，继今年 4 月发布征求建议书之后，EMA 已任命由盛邦裕廊集团和加拿大能源咨询集团 GLJ 组成的联合体开展这项可行性研究的下一阶段工作。

该研究预计将从 2026 年底开始，历时约 15 个月，将涵盖安全考虑因素、技术可行性以及地热能生产成本。

EMA首席执行官蒲国强强调，地热能是一种本土清洁能源，可以提供持续的电力，并有可能在国家的能源结构中发挥重要作用。

他说：“如果证实新加坡的地热能源资源可用于发电，将增强我们的能源韧性，并支持电力行业的脱碳进程。”

EMA补充说，任何部署地热的决定也将在完成进一步的技术和可行性研究之后做出，并将取决于深层地热能技术的进展。

这是新加坡能源周 (SIEW) 上发布的一系列能源相关公告中的最新一项。

陈博士在能源讲座中强调，能源对新加坡至关重要。

他说：“我们必须确保我们的系统韧性继续成为人民信心的来源。”