Head of SE Asia Elva Wang says that Trina Solar will capitalize on the success of its hybrid solar power plant project in Malaysia and will pursue similar initiatives across Southeast Asia.
In Southeast Asia, rapid economic development and a surge in energy demand are accompanied by limited land availability. To this end, installation of floating solar power plants is one solution to produce clean energy without requiring a large amount of land. In addition, floating solar installations may reduce water evaporation from dams, as well as provide greater production efficiency thanks to the cooling effect of water.
However, the cost of engineering and construction of floating solar PV is usually more expensive than round-mounted solar PV. For this reason, hybrid solar PV offers the advantages of both types of solar PV in the development of large-scale solar PV projects.
One such successful implementations is the 100MWac hybrid solar power plant — owned and developed by Malaysia company Cypark Resources Berhad located in Merchang, a coastal city in the northeastern region of Malaysia.
Already commercially operational (COD) on 9 June, this solar power plant claims that it will produce an adequate amount of clean energy to remove 202,024 tons of CO emissions2 every year.
Commenting on performance of the plant, Cypark Resources Executive Chair Dato Ami Moris explains.
“This project is the largest hybrid solar PV in Malaysia that uses 35 MW of solar panels floating on the water surface, as well as 65 MW of solar panels installed on land. This project proves Cypark’s ability to integrate solar power plants with natural conditions in Terengganu which is prone to flooding,” says Moris.
Trina Solar Head SE Asia Elva Wang agrees.
“This complex project has been commercially operational, proving the effectiveness of the design and implementation stages. We assess that Southeast Asia has great potential for large-scale hybrid solar PV projects that integrate floating installations and are located on land. We would like to continue collaborating with Cypark Resources and appreciate the trust that has been placed in Trinasolar in this ambitious project. Moreover, this project is in line with Malaysia’s target of achieving a renewable energy mix of 70% by 2050,” says Wang.
According to Wang, the usability of Trinasolar Vertex solar panels greatly determined the success of this project.
The 35 MW segment of floating solar panels, located in a lake adjacent to the sea, faces high levels of humidity and salt content. The dual-glass design of Vertex solar panels ensures durability against harsh terrain conditions. Wang says that TÜV Rheinland, a provider of independent product testing services, has also recognized the performance of Vertex solar panels in challenging coastal conditions.
Thanks to the bifacial aspect, Vertex solar panels are able to capture sunlight on both sides so that they generate more and more energy. This advantage is particularly advantageous on installations in terrestrial areas, especially when the white sandy soil layer exerts a strong albedo effect, reflecting sunlight onto the underside of the solar panels.
“This project is a testament to the potential of hybrid solar projects in Southeast Asia. We want to expand similar initiatives and contribute to renewable energy ambitions in the region,” says Wang.
