It seems more renewable energy projects are being green lit in East Malaysia, after announcing a large scale solar venture in Sabah in 2017, BP Energy Sdn Bhd, a wholly-owned power subsidiary of Bina Puri Holdings Bhd has finally received the go ahead by the Energy Commission.
The company will undertake a 5.00 MWa.c. Large Scale Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Plant in Kunak, Sabah, set to go into operation by end 2022.
Bina Puri Group Executive Director, Datuk Matthew Tee Kai Woon said: “Moving forward, we are indeed very positive with the new development in the project implementation, despite having faced with various challenges in the early stage including the changes in local government and authorities. With this announcement, we are confident to secure more power projects into the portfolio“.
Having been involved in energy, Bina Puri had moved out the country securing projects in Indonesia, its Bina Puri Power Unit, PT Megapower Makmur, an independent power producer was successfully listed on Indonesia Stock Exchange a first for a non GLC to be listed on the foreign stock exchange.
As for renewal energy, the company was involved in the installing of solar panels along the KL-Kuala Selangor Expressway (LATAR) tin efforts to reduce energy bills under an arrangement with Tenaga Nasional Berhad. The solar panels were mounted on useable rooftops and on designated land area with a combined capacity of 413.60kWp.
Malaysia is ambitiously looking at reducing its dependency on fossil fuel alone, the large scale solar plant is an initiative to increase the penetration of Renewable Energy in the market. The aim is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions intensity by 45 percent by 2030, and have 30 percent of Renewable Energy including hyro and solar farms by then. Sabah’s electricity is forecasted to grow at a rate of 5 percent (medium term) in year 2019-2024, after the short term forecast of 6.1 percent in 2015-2018. By the year 2035, demand of electricity in Sabah is forecasted at 1,238 MWac daily usage.
