Renewable energy giant project backed by Mike Cannon-Brookes wins first regulatory approvals

The mega renewable energy project backed by billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes has secured in principle environmental approvals.

SunCable, the mega renewable energy project backed by billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes, has secured in principle environmental approval from the NT Government and NT Environment Protection Authority for its flagship Australia-Asia Power Link project.

The project, which plans to include the world’s largest solar plant, battery, and longest undersea power cable, will now enter the next phase of development, though the project remains some way from materialising.

SunCable Australia’s managing director Cameron Garnsworthy said this decision is a major milestone that provides significant momentum to the project.

“This approval allows us to progress the development, commercial, and engineering activities required to advance the project to the Final Investment Decision targeted in 2027,” said Mr Garnsworthy.

SunCable has grand plans, which if delivered would be a defining moment for Mr Cannon-Brookes – who has taken a prominent role in leading Australia’s energy transition through his advocacy stake in AGL Energy and clean energy investments via his private investment company, Grok.

In its first iteration, SunCable has plans to deliver 900MW of green power to industrial customers in Darwin, with a further 1.75GW via an expansion. The project aims to supply 1.75GW of electricity to Singapore by an undersea cable stretching more than 4,000KM.

Mr Garnsworth said the project would ignite a wave of economic growth for the NT.

“This will underpin a new wave of green industrial development in the NT, via prospective

projects that include green minerals, hydrogen, e-fuels, and data centres.”

But the scale of the challenge has been widely disparaged, with critics questioning the investment rationale for sending renewable energy to Singapore.

At 4200km, the link to Singapore would be more than five times bigger than the longest submarine link yet proposed – the 767km Viking link between the UK and Denmark – testing engineering capabilities and exposing the project to a sovereign risk as it flows near Indonesian territorial waters.

Mr Cannon-Brookes said he was confident SunCable can be a significant contributor to Singapore’s target of importing 4GW from low-carbon sources by 2035.

But Sun Cable is still awaiting a energy export licence from the Singapore government, and there are a growing list of competitors vying to tap the new market.

If unsuccessful, SunCable could concentrate on demand from the Middle Arm Sustainable Development Precinct in Darwin, Northern Territory.

The Middle Arm Sustainable Development Precinct is the centrepiece of the NT’s economic growth plan. It wants to lure development in renewable hydrogen, advanced manufacturing, carbon capture and storage, and minerals processing, which will all need significant amounts of electricity.

Mr Cannon-Brookes, however, remains steadfast in its belief in the project. The project was stymied when it was placed into voluntary administration in 2023 following a disagreement between then shareholders Mr Cannon-Brookes and fellow billionaire Mr Forrest over funding, management and strategy of the company.

Both billionaires had sought full ownership of SunCable, though Mr Cannon-Brookes eventually won out after partnering with Quinbrook to oversee Sun Cable Australia, the domestic part of the renewable energy project.

Following the voluntary administration of Sun Cable, Mr Cannon-Brookes provided the venture with an interest-free loan of $65m to continue operations for six months. The funding arrangement led to suggestions that Mr Cannon-Brookes was in pole position for the renewable energy project.