UiTM, Petronas ink renewable energy collaboration

KUALA LUMPUR: UiTM Energy & Facilities Sdn Bhd (UEFSB) has signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with Petroliam Nasional Bhd’s (Petronas) New Energy unit, to collaborate and jointly develop large scale solar photovoltaic power plants and on-campus energy optimisation and solar rooftop projects.

UEFSB is a wholly-owned subsidiary of UiTM Holdings Sdn Bhd (UHSB), the investment arm of Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM).

Under the agreement, both parties aim to leverage on each other’s strengths and experiences to jointly develop and execute renewable energy and energy optimisation projects.

“We are looking at opportunities to develop large scale solar photovoltaic power plants and implement energy efficiency and optimisation programmes, as well as the installation of solar generators on the rooftop of selected buildings in UiTM campuses nationwide.

“With over 30 campuses throughout the country, UiTM can potentially save up to 30 per cent on its annual energy expenditure,” according to a joint statement by both entities yesterday.

Present at the LOI signing ceremony here on March 7 were UiTM vice chancellor Prof Ir Dr Mohd Azraai Kassim, Petronas’ senior vice president of corporate strategy Mohamed Firouz Asnan, UiTM Holdings group chief executive officer Norzaimah Maarof and Petronas’ head of new energy, Dr Jay Mariyappan.

Mohd Azraai said: “This collaboration will strengthen UiTM’s competitive advantage in the higher education sector to become a premier university of outstanding commercial growth, towards a greater sustainable future.”

UHSB currently owns a 61 megawatt (MW) large scale solar photovoltaic power plant in Gambang, Pahang, which commenced operations on March 8, 2019, and is expected to generate over 80,000 MWh of clean energy per annum and yield RM650 million in revenue over the next 21 years.

UHSB has also commenced development of its second 31 MW large scale solar photovoltaic power plant in Pasir Gudang, Johor. The solar plant, when ready in the first quarter 2020, is expected to generate over 40,000 MWh of clean energy and yield RM315 million in revenue over 21 years, with the potential of avoiding 28,000 tonnes of carbon emission every year.

“By 2020, UiTM, via the two large scale solar power plants with a combined capacity of 92MW, will be contributing to almost four per cent of Malaysia’s renewable energy production,” said Mohd Azraai.

Meanwhile, Mohamed Firouz said the move into clean energy is seen as crucial to securing Petronas’ business sustainability.

“It is part of the company’s ‘Step Out’ strategy into new business areas that open up with the transformation of the energy sector, and plays a role in protecting our business from future disruptions,” he added.

Petronas is already working on a number of initiatives in Malaysia which aim to help the government meet its target for 20 per cent of the country’s electricity to be generated by renewable sources by 2025.

These include a solar project on the rooftop of Suria KLCC shopping mall here, a 10MW solar photovoltaic plant in Gebeng, Pahang, and installation and application of solar power at Petronas’ buildings and assets nationwide. — Bernama