Sun Cables solar project is in voluntary administration

It's an ambitious project that was destined to be difficult. The mission: To turn the blistering heat of the Northern Territory into a solar energy powerhouse supplying electricity to Singapore and Darwin.The method: By building a giant 20-gigawatt solar farm — supported by the world's biggest battery network — that connects to Darwin, before continuing to Singapore via a 4,200-kilometre-long cable running along the sea floor. The cost: More than $30 billion.


The promiseWhen Sun Cable launched its enormous Australia-Asia PowerLink project in 2018, the company offered a new vision for Australia as a major exporter of renewable energy instead of fossil fuels.For years, climate scientists have warned the Australian government will not reach its goal of net zero by 2050 if it keeps opening new coal, oil and gas projects.Export figures show Australia continues to remain among the world's largest exporters of fossil fuels, alongside Russia and Saudi Arabia.

Sun Cable's enormous solar project — backed by billionaires Andrew "Twiggy" Forrest and Mike Cannon-Brookes — promises to supply up to 15 per cent of Singapore's energy needs from 2028, and almost double Darwin's current demand.Its total carbon emissions abatement was estimated at 8.6 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent per year.But last week, the company went into voluntary administration.

This would have been very handy purely for the amount of copper it would have demanded for its construction - 4200 kms of copper carrying tens of gigawatts is no joke - tons of coppers!!