UiTM’s second large scale solar photovoltaic plant in Pasir Gudang, Johor has started commercial operations.
KUALA LUMPUR: Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) has made its mark in Malaysia as the only university to own and operate two large scale solar photovoltaic (LSSPV) plants with combined renewable energy generation capacity of 75MWac (92.58 MWp)
It said in a statement on Friday its second LSSPV plant in Pasir Gudang, Johor has started commercial operations.
This new LSSPV plant will augment the 61MWp LSSPV plant in Gambang, Pahang which began its commercial operations in April 2019.
The planned development of 66MW of on-campus rooftop solar power generating systems which will be in full commercial operations by the end of 2022.
“Together, these installations will produce enough clean renewable electricity each year to equal the university’s annual electricity consumption, ” it said.
With this increased capacity from the two LSSPV plants, UiTM is now amongst globally renowned public and private universities such as University of California, Stanford University and University of Queensland, that own and operate large scale solar power plants.
UiTM vice-chancellor, emeritus Prof Datuk Dr Mohd Azraai Kassim explained the decision to commercially own multiple LSSPV plants is part of the university’s drive to become carbon neutral whilst at the same time generating sustainable income for the university.
This new LSSPV Plant, will augment the 61MWp LSSPV plant in Gambang. The on-campus rooftop solar power generating systems will be in full commercial operations by end-2022.
“Together, these installations will produce enough clean renewable electricity each year to equal the university’s annual electricity consumption, ” he said.
“As a university, we are pursuing an ambitious plan to reduce our carbon footprint, and our second solar plant is a critical new component of that plan” he said.
Sustainability is a major focus for UiTM. Moving forward in our transition to clean power builds on the collaborative work between our faculties, students and industries, and it marks a major advance in our efforts to provide a sustainable learning environment for our campus, ” he said.
The RM125mil LSS 2 @ USP II, Pasir Gudang, Johor or UiTM Solar Park II was undertaken by UiTM Holdings Sdn Bhd (UHSB) through its unit UiTM Solar Power Dua Sdn Bhd (USPDSB). It started commercial operations on Dec 2,2020.
USP II, which operates on a capacity of 31 megawatts (MWp) is equipped with 92,500 solar photovoltaic panels and 160 inverters.
The facility, built on 112 acres of land, is estimated to contribute towards the avoidance of 28,000 tonnes of carbon emission, generating 40,000 MWh of clean energy annually.
UHSB’s group CEO Norzaimah Maarof said despite the challenges brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, he attributed the successful commissioning of the plant to hard work, expertise and experience of USPDSB’s team.
“It is also a reflection of the group’s commitment and dedication in contributing to the nation’s renewable energy (RE) aspiration, ” he said.
Construction of USP II took 11 months, including the delay and suspension caused by the Movement Control Order amidst the Covid-19 outbreak. It was undertaken in collaboration with the engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning (EPCC) contractor, SPIC Energy Malaysia Bhdd.
UHSB’s first LSS project in Gambang, UiTM Solar Park I (USP I) with a generation capacity of 61MWp achieved commercial operation on April 5,2019.
USP I and USP II were both awarded by the Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water (KeTTHA or now known as Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources – KETSA) through Suruhanjaya Tenaga via LSS competitive bidding exercises.
Both plants, USP I and USP II, were developed by UHSB’s wholly owned subsidiaries, UiTM Solar Power Sdn Bhd (USPSB) and USPDSB, respectively.
The subsidiaries are part of UHSB’s energy division which is mainly involved in renewable energy, energy efficiency and green technology businesses.