Penang Powers Ahead: Massive Solar Push Set to Supercharge State’s Green Energy Drive

Penang is expanding its photovoltaic generation capacity through utility-scale solar farms, industrial rooftop deployments, and technical assessments for floating arrays in reservoirs and coastal waters. The expansion is anchored by the Large-Scale Solar Farm Project 5 (LSS5), a RM103 million development projected to deliver 29.99-megawatt peak (MWp) capacity by July 2027.

Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow confirmed the infrastructure supports the national target of 40 per cent renewable energy (RBE) by 2035 and will function as a “magnet” for green investment across the state’s high-tech manufacturing base. “The LSS5 project in Byram will complement the state’s existing green energy portfolio, such as LSS4 in Seberang Perai Tengah, the solar project in Bukit Bendera, as well as future plans for floating solar at the Mengkuang and Teluk Bahang Dams,” he told reporters after the Groundbreaking Ceremony for the LSS5 project here today.

Implementation is coordinated by Penang Development Corporation (PDC) subsidiary Solar Voltech Sdn Bhd, with Solarvest Holdings Bhd contracted as the Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Operation contractor. This joint execution model demonstrates how integrated public-private frameworks and local engineering capacity are capable of directing high-impact energy transitions.

State Infrastructure, Transport and Digital Committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari outlined parallel reservoir deployments at Mengkuang and Teluk Bahang. He confirmed that project progression remains contingent on definitive federal regulations to protect potable water standards before Penang Water Supply Corporation implementation.

“This floating solar project in particular faces greater challenges than hydroelectric dams because it requires approval from various agencies, including the Department of Environment (DOE), to ensure that the quality of drinking water is not affected. ” “The lack of these guidelines has been the ‘bottleneck’ in the delay in the implementation of floating solar projects in the state so far,” he said.

Beyond inland reservoirs, technical evaluations for offshore solar generation are underway, with local developers including Solar Voltech assessing coastal deployment viability. Zairil Khir Johari confirmed that Penang Port Sdn Bhd has engaged an external consultant to execute a feasibility study within its operational maritime jurisdiction.