(Yicai) May 20 -- Singapore is intensifying its relations with China's energy market, exploring opportunities in power grid connectivity and natural gas cooperation, according to the chief executive of the Southeast Asian country's energy authority.

Singapore is advancing its "four energy switches" strategy to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, with renewable energy imports and natural gas infrastructure upgrades as the main pillars, Puah Kok Keong said in an interview with Yicai on the sidelines of an event part of the Singapore International Energy Week in Beijing yesterday.

The Beijing event focused on natural gas' strategic role in the energy transition. SIEW 2025's main conference will be held from Oct. 27 through 31 in Singapore, exploring nuclear power, carbon capture, and artificial intelligence applications in the energy sector. 

Potential synergies exist with Chinese expertise in photovoltaic technology, energy storage systems, and small modular reactors, Puah pointed out. Chinese firms could establish PV factories or develop hydropower projects in Southeast Asia to create technological and industrial complementarity, he noted.

Singapore has set up the state-owned Singapore GasCo to centralize gas procurement in the natural gas sector, enhancing bargaining power and supply diversity, Puah said, noting that this approach aligns with China's experience as the world's largest natural gas importer. 

China and Singapore are exploring liquefied natural gas trade cooperation and emergency resource-sharing mechanisms, including power-gas swap arrangements during supply fluctuations, Puah pointed out.

Puah advocated for stronger power grid connectivity between China and Southeast Asia, proposing a "trans-regional energy network." This could enable seasonal complementarity, with Singapore and Southeast Asian nations supplying stable power to northern Chinese regions during winter when solar resources are limited, he said.

Pilot grid integration projects are already underway between China's Yunnan and Guangxi provinces and Laos and Vietnam, Puah noted.

With Southeast Asian countries planning to replace coal power with natural gas, new opportunities are emerging for Chinese and Singaporean companies in gas-fired power generation and infrastructure development.

Bilateral cooperation extends beyond technical collaboration to policy coordination and standards recognition, Puah said. The alignment of China's Belt and Road Initiative with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations' energy integration plans will likely create new paradigms in green energy trade, talent development, and low-carbon tech standards, he added.

Editor: Martin Kadiev