In a world where the next power struggle isn’t over oil but over what comes after it, Sweden and Singapore are teaming up to light the way.

Both countries — one Nordic, one equatorial — have kicked off a new partnership on clean energy and research, aimed at reshaping how nations think about power generation and regional energy trade.

A Nordic Blueprint for Fossil-Free Power

Sweden already runs mostly on low-carbon energy: hydropower, wind, and nuclear. Six nuclear reactors generate nearly a third of its electricity, and the country plans to build up to five Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) — a new generation of compact, flexible nuclear plants — within the next decade.

Deputy Prime Minister Of Sweden, Ebba Busch, called it a “fossil-free electrification” plan — a way to power heavy industry and homes alike without relying on gas or coal.

And unlike the solo race for renewables many nations are running, Sweden’s approach leans into regional teamwork. Busch has proposed coordinated SMR development across the Nordic-Baltic region — pooling costs, research, and innovation through joint construction and shared university networks.

Singapore’s Next Energy Question

Singapore’s situation is different — and far more constrained. With no mountains for hydro and no endless fields for wind turbines, the city-state relies heavily on natural gas, a fossil fuel.

Singapore has begun building expertise in nuclear safety and clean fuel research, especially in hydrogen and ammonia. No decision has been made to go nuclear — the island’s density and safety concerns make it a tough call — but policymakers and analysts see lessons in Sweden’s model of regional interconnectivity.

A Forum for Shared Futures

This collaboration took shape at the Singapore–Sweden Forum, held during Singapore International Energy Week 2025. It builds on a Memorandum of Understanding signed during the Swedish king’s visit in 2024.

At the forum, both sides agreed to strengthen clean energy technologies, cross-border electricity trade, and nuclear safety research. They also discussed expanding the ASEAN Power Grid — the ambitious plan to connect Southeast Asia’s power systems through overland and subsea cables using High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) technology.

Why It Matters

For Sweden, this partnership deepens its influence in Asia’s clean energy race. For Singapore, it’s a chance to learn how small nations can achieve energy security without fossil dependency.

But beyond policy, this partnership signals something bigger — a global mindset shift. The future of energy isn’t about which country dominates based on geological luck in finding oil fields but about which countries collaborate in creating clean energy..