SUNGAI PETANI: TNB Renewables Sdn Bhd (TRe), a subsidiary of Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) has set its eyes on floating solar operations as future growth for the renewable energy sector.

TRe managing director Mohd Yusrizal Mohd Yusof the unit has embarked on floating solar studies as part of its initiative to achieve TNB's accumulative 8,300MV renewable energy production capacity target by 2025.

"As a renewable energy developer, we are studying new locations for solar farms beyond the northern states of Kedah and Perlis.

"At the same time, we are also working with TNB Research in carrying out studies on the potential of floating solar farm operation in lakes and seas for future expansion.

"We are looking at expanding into floating solar operation soon, but we have not set any timeframe for now," he told reporters during a media tour to its large-scale solar farm in Bukit Selambau here yesterday.
On the company's third large-scale solar project in Bukit Selambau, Yusrizal said the new farm with 50MWac capacity was expected to be ready by the end of this year as scheduled.

The project, under the government's Large-Scale Solar 4 (LSS4) programme, is being developed on a 70ha secondary plantation land adjacent to the TRe's large-scale solar farm here which commenced operations in September 2020 with 30MWac capacity.

TNB's first large-scale solar facility located in Sepang, Selangor, with a capacity of 50MWac has been operating since 2018.

Yusrizal added that the two projects, which were obtained through LSS1 and LSS2 bids, mitigated up to about 89,400 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent or carbon sequestered by 2.12 million trees per year, or by taking 22,245 gasoline-powered passenger vehicles off the road for one year.

He added that the 50ha Bukit Selambau solar farm with 134,880 photovoltaic solar panels has generated some 150,000 MWh or 3.7 per cent higher than its Declared Annual Quantity.

"The amount of energy generated here is capable of catering daily energy consumption needs for some 30,000 homes.

"This project symbolises TNB's capability to execute LSS projects in support of the government's vision towards achieving a sustainable environment through renewable energy as well as our environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals.

TNB has set a target to achieve 8,300MWac renewable energy capacity by 2025, which includes its existing large-scale hydro power generation assets.

The initiative is in support of the government's aspiration to reduce carbon emission intensity by 35 per cent by 2035, as part of the vision to achieve zero carbon emission by 2050.

Adie Zulkifli, New Straits Times