Singapore to assess deep geothermal energy in 15-month study
A survey indicated potential exceeding 60 times Singapore’s annual electricity use, but no decision has been made on tapping the resource.
Singapore will begin a 15-month study at the end of 2026 to examine whether underground heat can provide electricity, cooling and heating, energy minister Tan See Leng announced on 26 October. A consortium comprising Surbana Jurong and energy consulting group GLJ will carry out the work.
The assessment follows a survey commissioned by the Energy Market Authority (EMA) that indicated geothermal resources could potentially produce more than 60 times Singapore’s current annual electricity consumption of around 60 terawatt-hours. Conducted between 2024 and 2026, the survey mapped underground geology to depths of up to 10km using aircraft and ground sensors.
The new work will examine costs, safety and the technical, environmental and commercial feasibility of deep geothermal systems. The consortium will also select locations for further investigation, which could involve drilling. EMA said the findings should clarify how much energy could be extracted.
Speaking at the opening of Singapore International Energy Week, Tan cautioned that the country’s dense urban setting would constrain plant deployment. He said electricity output would depend on extraction costs, technical feasibility and progress in deep-drilling technology. Singapore has not decided whether to use geothermal energy, and a decision could take many years.
Singapore’s potential resources may lie in dry, unfractured hot rocks deep underground. Mark Lim, an adjunct research scientist at the Energy Research Institute @ NTU, said systems that widen or create rock fractures to extract heat carry risks including tremors and earthquakes. He described an alternative using closed underground pipes to circulate fluid without direct contact with the rock.
