Sarawak can produce 3,000 MW from floating solar panels once UAE, China investments come through, says Premier

KUCHING (July 27): Sarawak is capable of producing at least 3,000 MW of power from floating solar panels installation on existing hydro dams, said Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Abang Openg.

He said this was based on investment proposals from companies from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and China, he said when officiating at the Natural Resources and Environment Board (NREB) 30th anniversary celebration dinner held at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) last night.

He said the two companies had expressed their interest to invest in Sarawak when they came to see him this week, according to the state government official Facebook page Sarawakku.

“This week I had two delegations, one from UAE and the other from China, who are willing to invest and produce solar power from our dams.

“The combination of the two is expected to produce an estimated three gigawatts (3,000 MW) of solar power,” said Abang Johari.

The Chinese company’s total investment may come to the tune of RM10 billion and the one from UAE, another RM10 billion, he added.

He expressed high hope for the potential of floating solar panels to produce green energy judging from the success thus far of a pilot project in the Batang Ai hydro dam.

The project currently occupies about three per cent or the 86 hectares out of 8,500 hectares of the dam’s reservoir, producing about 50 MW of power.

The government had also agreed to another proposal to generate solar power from elevated solar panels earmarked for the Bario area in upper Baram, he said.

While describing the proposed project as “something new”, he said the areas underneath the panels would be used for agriculture, and thus dubbed as “agrovoltaic”.