Sarawak govt approves in principle major solar agrovoltaic project in Baram

Abang Johari (tenth right) with other dignitaries and officials in a photo-call following the special meeting.

By DayakDaily Team

KUCHING, July 25: In a significant move toward renewable energy and food security, the Sarawak government has granted in-principle approval to Planet QEOS’s ambitious solar agrovoltaic initiative in the Baram region.

The decision, made during a special meeting chaired by Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg, aligns with the Premier’s vision for sustainable development and economic empowerment in Sarawak.

“This project, which captures the vision of the Premier, not only aims to revolutionise how renewable energy is generated, but also addresses critical food security components, while creating thousands of new jobs in renewable energy and food technology within the Baram region,” a press release said.

According to the release, the Sarawak government has granted in-principle approval for Planet QEOS to conduct feasibility studies for generating between 500 MWac to 4000 MWac of renewable power through solar energy in Baram.

“This approval paves the way for the swift commencement of solar plant construction.

“The study will also include a dedicated 180 km Green Energy Grid to be established along the decommissioned Sabah Sarawak Gas Pipeline, directly connecting renewable energy from Baram to Tanjung Kidurong, Bintulu, ensuring efficient distribution and utilisation.

“The project’s ambitious vision includes the installation of up to 20 GWp of solar capacity and potentially up to 40 GWhr of battery storage by 2030,” it said.

UEM Lestra, a key player in the renewable energy sector, has been introduced as the Phase 1 partner for Planet QEOS.

Their initial focus will be on developing 500 MWac of solar agrovoltaic, which will seamlessly integrate with the main grid operated by the Sarawak Energy Berhad (Sarawak Energy), pending the conclusion of the feasibility study.

The Phase 1 project represents a substantial investment of up to RM2 billion.

UEM Group chairman Datuk Amran Hafiz Affifudin in the release said: “We are very pleased to have the opportunity to present our proposal to the Sarawak government and the Premier has agreed in principle to continue this project.

“We feel that this project will be a driving project and benefit the Sarawak Government, the people of Sarawak and Malaysia.”

Meanwhile, Planet QEOS chairman Dino Bidari emphasised the project’s core mission: “This is Sarawak engineering at its best. We engineered the solar agrovoltaic with the primary goal of achieving greater wealth distribution among the people of Sarawak, specifically in Baram.

“By incorporating elements that enable economic participation from rural communities, we aim to create thousands of specialised and stable jobs over the next 30 years.

“The economic impact from land use is more than 50 times compared to oil palm. This allows minimal impact on rural land which still generates huge economic impacts to the rural community. It’s a winning formula for the rural communities of Sarawak.”

The Planet QEOS delegation was also attended by its Chief Executive Officer Dr Gabriel Walter and Chief Operations Officer Lam Poh Lian. — DayakDaily