KUCHING: The Long San Solar Hybrid Station is the first solar hybrid station in Sarawak to utilise advanced Lithium-Ion battery and energy management system to optimise renewable energy generation and reduce dependence on costly diesel fuel.
Chairman of Sarawak Energy Datuk Amar Abdul Hamed Sepawi said the RM10 million solar hybrid station was donated by Shanghai Electric to the state.
“I understand that during a state visit to Shanghai a few years back, Shanghai Electric offered to share its technologies and to transfer technical skills to Sarawak as a gesture of goodwill.
“That led to the donation of the solar hybrid station and together with the Premier’s office, we decided to station this advanced system at Long San, Baram, to better support the growth and increasing energy demand in the area,” he said.
He said this in his speech during the handover ceremony of Long San Off-Grid Solar Project between Shanghai Electric and Sarawak Energy at Pullman Hotel yesterday (Thursday).
“We in Sarawak are very grateful for this donation from Shanghai Electric as it will help further drive our rural electrification efforts to ensure everyone in Sarawak has access to 24/7 reliable and affordable electricity supply alongside other innovative solutions like the SARES (Sarawak Alternative Rural Electrification Scheme).
“As Sarawak’s primary electric utility under the guidance of the Ministry of Utility and Telecommunication, Sarawak Energy’s holistic view of energy development — addressing the energy trilemma by balancing energy security, sustainability, and affordability via renewable hydropower development — has enabled us to progress Sarawak’s full domestic electrification goal,” he added.
Hamed said Sarawak Energy was currently on track to achieving full electrification by 2025 although wayleave issues and lack of proper access to rural communities remained key challenges to realising the goal.
“We will continue to leverage both conventional approaches and new innovative methods, such as microgrids, to bring electricity to the remaining isolated communities in Sarawak,” he said.
