TNB Renewables and TNB Research sign LOI with SolarDuck and Hydro
As part of the global roll out of offshore floating solar, SolarDuck together with its project partners, TNB Renewables (TRe) and TNB Research (TNBR), wholly owned subsidiaries of Tenaga Nasional Berhad, the largest electricity utility in Malaysia, and Hydro Extrusion Norway, a leading aluminium and energy company committed to a sustainable future, is pleased to announce an exciting new project in Malaysia.
“We are extremely pleased to start our work together with TRe, TNBR and Hydro. For SolarDuck this means that we are building a footprint in Malaysia, a country in a region with the world’s largest potential for OFS”, says Koen Burgers, CEO of SolarDuck. SolarDuck will install a 780kW offshore floating solar (OFS) plant off the coast of Tioman island in Malaysia, to assess technical and economic feasibility of OFS in Malaysia. The installation is targeted to be completed by 2025. The Tioman island project will accelerate technology development for stand-alone use in the tropical areas, and support to drive the cost competitiveness of OFS as the most affordable marine energy technology by 2030.
The signing of the LOI illustrates the commitment of all four companies to the OFS technology. To this cause, their expertise is leveraged, and synergies created that will enable the acceleration of the development and adoption of offshore floating solar energy in Malaysia and the wider region. This collaboration represents a significant step towards a net zero future for Malaysia, as the country seeks to diversify its energy mix and create a renewable energy system. “The main goal of TNB is to get to net zero while providing a reliable and cost competitive energy supply without jeopardising the environment. Offshore floating solar provides an exciting opportunity for achieving this”, says Zarihi Hashim, Chief New Energy Officer of TNB.
Southeast Asia is wind scarce and therefore lacks opportunities for wind energy. Furthermore, large scale solar developments on land in Southeast Asia are increasingly hampered by land scarcity issues and increasing public resistance. Taking solar out to sea, allows for new and unprecedented opportunities for TNB, Malaysia and the region. The focus on renewable energy and circularity is also shared by Hydro which will supply the aluminium profiles for the project. Hydro is on an ambitious path to net zero. As aluminium is a highly circular material, recycling is at the core of this circularity approach, and Hydro actively participates in innovative projects and new industry initiatives. The project with TNB will include deliveries from Hydro plants in Lichtervelde, Belgium, and Magnor, Norway. “We are excited to be part of building a new industry for offshore floating solar. Solar energy is an important part of the necessary shift to renewable energy, and aluminium profiles is the perfect fit for such installations being light-weight and requiring no maintenance for several decades”, says Bruno D’hondt, Senior Vice President at Hydro Extrusions.