Solar Power Subsea Cable from Australia to Singapore
Australian tech billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes is pushing forward with one of the most daring clean energy projects ever imagined. Through his company Grok Ventures, he has taken full control of SunCable, a plan to build the world’s largest solar farm in Australia’s Northern Territory and send clean electricity to Singapore using a 4,200-kilometer underwater cable. This massive effort could help entire nations switch from dirty fossil fuels to renewable power.
The idea is bold but straightforward. Australia has huge areas of sunny, empty land perfect for solar panels. Singapore is a crowded city with almost no space for big solar or wind farms. SunCable connects the two with a long submarine power line that carries electricity under the ocean. Cannon-Brookes sees this as the beginning of Australia becoming a global leader in green energy exports.
Via Recessary
Grok Ventures recently completed the purchase of SunCable after the project hit financial trouble. The team is now working with officials in Singapore and Indonesia to get the needed approvals. They also plan to build a factory to make the special high-voltage cables required. This factory will create jobs and supply similar projects around the world.
The Man Behind the Vision
Mike Cannon-Brookes is a different kind of billionaire. He helped start Atlassian, a software company that makes tools for teams to collaborate. Born in 1979, he grew up in Australia and turned his tech success into a fortune worth billions. Now he uses that money to fight climate change.
Via ABC News
He is famous for taking strong stands. He once bought shares in large coal companies just to push them toward cleaner energy. Through Grok Ventures, he backs startups that work on big environmental problems. The name “Grok” comes from a word meaning to understand something deeply. That fits his goal of finding smart solutions for a healthier planet.
Cannon-Brookes lives in Sydney with his family. He often speaks out on social media about the urgent need to act on global warming. He believes business leaders have a duty to lead the change. SunCable is his largest investment yet in renewable energy.
Via PV Tech
How SunCable Hit a Roadblock
SunCable began in 2018 with a grand plan to link Australia’s sunny interior to cities across Asia. The founders pictured it as part of a future super-grid stretching from Japan to India. Early designs showed a solar farm larger than many cities, plus batteries to store energy and cables to send it thousands of kilometers away.
The estimated cost was A$30 billion. It drew attention from wealthy investors, including Cannon-Brookes and mining billionaire Andrew Forrest. But in early 2023, the two disagreed strongly. Forrest wanted to convert sunlight into green hydrogen or ammonia for shipping. Cannon-Brookes believed sending electricity directly through cables was better.
Via Wire & Cable India
The argument forced SunCable into voluntary administration, a process to rescue struggling companies. Many people thought the project was finished. Cannon-Brookes saw a chance to save it. His team bought the assets and started over with updated plans.
Grok Ventures Steps In
By late 2023, Grok Ventures had won the rights to SunCable. The purchase was complete, giving Cannon-Brookes full control. He partnered with Quinbrook, an Australian firm experienced in renewable projects.
Via AFR
In 2025, things are moving fast. The team plans to submit a request to Singapore’s Energy Market Authority for a license to import power this month. Discussions continue with Indonesia about routing cables through its waters. Indonesia is an important partner, and the project could bring billions in economic activity to the region.
Cannon-Brookes explained to reporters that the cable idea uses technology that already exists. Strong interest from Singapore customers shows the plan can make money. He called it the least expensive way to send large amounts of Australian energy overseas.
Via The Jakarta Post
Breaking Down the Project Stages
The core of SunCable is called the Australia-Asia Power Link. It starts with a huge renewable energy park in the Northern Territory. Plans include 17 to 20 gigawatts of solar panels and 36 to 42 gigawatt-hours of battery storage.
In the first phase, the solar farm near Darwin will supply 900 megawatts to factories and businesses in the area. Another 1.7 gigawatts will travel to Singapore. Future stages will add 3 gigawatts more for Australian users. The system can handle up to 6 gigawatts total, with 4 gigawatts staying in Australia to power green industries like data centers and metal processing.
Via The Australian
The project now includes wind turbines as well. Large batteries make sure power is available around the clock, even when the sun is not shining. High-voltage direct current lines lose very little energy over long distances.
Building the Largest Solar Farm
The main solar area is at Powell Creek Station, covering 12,000 hectares of desert land. It is designed to become the biggest solar farm in the world. Rows of panels will cover the red earth, turning sunlight into electricity. In November 2025, SunCable asked to expand onto Muckaty Station, land owned by Aboriginal groups.
Via YSG Solar
This could add 50,000 hectares and up to 20 gigawatts of capacity. The extra space will help meet growing demand from data centers and heavy industry. Construction may begin soon, with the first electricity flowing in the late 2020s. The building phase will create thousands of jobs. Once finished, the farm will employ hundreds of people for maintenance and operations.
Engineering the Submarine Cable
The underwater cable is the most impressive part of the engineering. It will stretch 4,200 to 5,000 kilometers from Darwin to Singapore. Most of the route is beneath the ocean, laid by specialized ships that carry giant spools of cable. The cables are thick and covered in protective layers to handle deep water pressure. High-voltage direct current technology keeps energy loss low compared to traditional lines.
Via OWC
The path crosses Indonesian territorial waters, so international agreements are required. Laying the cable will take several years. Ships dig shallow trenches on the seabed and bury the cable to protect it from anchors and fishing gear. Similar cables already connect countries in Europe’s North Sea.
Creating a Cable Factory in Australia
To avoid delays from overseas suppliers, SunCable plans its own manufacturing plant. The leading location is Bell Bay in Tasmania. This factory will produce high-voltage submarine cables for the project and for other renewable efforts worldwide.
Via YouTube
Construction could start in 2025, with the first cables ready by 2029. The facility may include a tall testing tower. It will bring new jobs and technical skills to Tasmania. Australia currently imports all its submarine cables. This factory will change that and position the country as a leader in green infrastructure manufacturing.
Economic Wins for Australia
SunCable will boost the economy in northern Australia. Darwin will gain steady, clean power for factories, ports, and data centers. Major technology companies are discussing off-grid locations powered by the project.
Via zms cable
Estimates show A$8 billion in spending during construction and A$20 billion over 40 years for the Northern Territory. Thousands of jobs will come from building solar panels, wind turbines, cables, and the factory. Australia already exports coal and natural gas. In the future, it could export sunlight as electricity. This new industry could be worth billions each year.
Supporting Singapore’s Green Goals
Singapore imports nearly all its energy. The government has set tough targets to reduce emissions, but has little land for renewable projects. SunCable could provide 15 percent of the city’s electricity with zero-carbon power.
Via Zion Communication
This will help data centers, factories, and homes run more cleanly. It reduces dependence on coal and gas plants. Singapore aims for net-zero emissions by 2050, and imported renewable power fits that plan. The government gave early approval in 2024.
Overcoming Obstacles
Challenges remain. The project needs final approvals from multiple governments. Environmental studies check impacts on marine life and desert ecosystems. Costs are high, though falling prices for solar panels and batteries help. The earlier investor dispute showed how quickly things can go wrong.
Via Reddit
Cannon-Brookes is open to bringing in new partners to share the risk. Storms, supply chain issues, and technical problems could cause delays. However, the team points out that every major part uses proven technology already in use elsewhere.
SunCable sets an example for the world. It proves countries can share renewable energy over long distances. Crowded nations in Asia can import clean power from places with open land and strong sun. The project will cut millions of tons of carbon emissions each year.
Via The Australian
Replacing fossil fuel plants prevents air pollution and slows climate change. Skills learned here will help build more green power grids. Partnerships with Indigenous groups show how to develop land respectfully. Community funds will support schools, health clinics, and other local needs.
Future Growth and Expansions
Later phases could increase capacity further. Some discussions explore cables to other Asian countries. Rising demand from data centers drives the need for quick expansions like the Muckaty site. Electricity could reach Singapore in the 2030s. Full completion may take decades.
Via Renew Economy
Cannon-Brookes views it as the next great Australian achievement. SunCable shows that big dreams can become reality with determination and teamwork. Clean energy can power modern life without damaging the environment.
Explore the Australia-Singapore Solar Power Cable
Mike Cannon-Brookes and SunCable prove that bold action can tackle climate change. Turning sunlight into exportable electricity creates jobs, cuts emissions, and builds international cooperation. The project faces hurdles, but each step forward brings the world closer to a sustainable energy system.
Via The Conversation
Australia’s outback could power cities thousands of kilometers away, showing that geography is no longer a barrier to clean power. When completed, SunCable will stand as a landmark achievement. It will remind future generations that solving big problems starts with big ideas and persistent effort
