© Nikkei Markets
KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 15) — Malaysia plans to tender two billion ringgit ($478 million) worth of 500 mega-watt solar power project in January next year, the federal minister of energy, science, green technology, climate change and environment said Thursday.
“The government will implement open tenders for the third large-scale solar project (LSS3) with a total capacity of 500MW,” Yeo Bee Yin said in parliament. “Details of the package will be announced in January 2019.”
The push for large solar projects is part of Malaysia’s efforts to raise the renewables energy capacity to 20% of total energy mix by 2025.
“To achieve the 20% target, the government did an analysis via the Electricity Supply and Tariff Planning and Implementation Taskforce and found that about 3,991 mw of renewable energy capacity needs to be added into the electricity supply system,” Yeo said.
Southeast Asia’s third-largest economy has launched two large-scale solar projects with a total capacity of 958 mw. Only 32.5 mw has started operating commercially and the remainder is estimated to go on steam between 2018-end and 2020.
The government will open an electronic bidding for 30 mw biogas project on Nov. 19, and on Nov. 27 bidding process for 10 mw biogas project and a 74 mw mini-hydel project will be launched, Yeo said.
– By Pei Ling Gan
– Edited By Abhrajit Gangopadhyay