LUBOK ANTU: Sarawak will become the beacon of solar power energy for the nation once the construction of Sarawak Energy’s 50 megawatts (MW) Batang Ai Floating Solar Farm is commissioned by the end of October this year.
Once completed, it will be Malaysia’s largest floating solar plant, spanning 190 hectares of the reservoir surface area and occupying less than three per cent of the total lake surface area.
Sarawak Energy Group chief executive officer, Datuk Sharbini Suhaili announced that the project, a joint venture between Sarawak Energy, China Power International Holdings, and solar energy firm Trina Solar, has reached 35 per cent completion since commencing on June 20 last year.
“It will be the nation’s first major hybrid generation system combining hydro and solar power,” he said.
Sharbini stated this in his welcoming speech during Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg’s working visit to the Batang Ai Floating Solar Farm project site here today (June 20).
He further explained that the project was expected to offset around 52 kilotonnes of carbon emissions annually, contributing to the further decarbonisation of Sarawak’s power system.
“In developing this project, we have taken an approach that prioritises sustainability, aligning with our commitment to maximising the positive impacts on the environment while minimising the negative ones,” he added.
He also mentioned that the farm will address some of the inherent intermittency issues of variable renewable energy sources.
“The solar farm will leverage solar power while conserving hydropower, and then use hydro resources to generate more power at night,” he explained.
Additionally, Sharbini noted that Sarawak Energy is exploring the possibility of a phase 2 facility in Batang Ai, with a capacity of up to 160MW.
He said studies for this expansion are ongoing, and an announcement will be made if the studies reaffirm its feasibility.
Sarawak Energy, as the primary implementing agency of the Ministry of Utility and Telecommunication, has made significant strides towards achieving its goal of 10 gigawatts (GW) of generation capacity by 2030.
Currently, plans are in place to add 3 to 4GW to the existing capacity of 5,745MW as of December 2023.
“We plan to leverage hydropower, solar, gas turbine, and biomass energy to achieve our 10GW goal by 2030,” said Sharbini.
He also mentioned that Sarawak Energy’s projects have secured the necessary funding, with a mix of internally generated funds and a successful RM3.5 billion issuance under SEB’s RM15 billion Sukuk programme, which has received an AAA credit rating from RAM Rating Services Berhad.
“Every year over the next ten years, we plan to invest around RM4 to 5 billion per annum in our generation, transmission, and distribution projects.
“This is an increase from our previous estimate of RM3 to 4 billion per annum, to provide the modern and reliable power system that Sarawakians deserve,” he said.
