Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) will be saving a whopping RM114 million on electricity bills over the next quarter of a century after the education institution installed a photovoltaic (PV) solar system throughout its campus. The solar panel system itself would be the largest solar project involving a public university in Malaysia. Awesome!
As reported by national news agency Bernama, UPM Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Mohd Roslan Sulaiman said that the 16.18 -megawatt peak (MWp) project involves the installation of solar panels at 16 sites around UPM beginning at the end of January 2022. It is expected that the installation process would be completed by July this year.
Datuk Seri Abdul Razak Jaafar (middle) witnessing the agreement signing between TNB through its subsidiary GGSPARX Sdn Bhd with UPM yesterday.
Prof Dr Mohd Roslan further elaborated that the solar panels would be installed on the rooftops of the UPM’s faculty and administration buildings, mosques and even at the lake inside the campus. The solar panel at the lake involves a floating solar project, the first Large Scale Integrated Hydroponics-Aquavoltaic for research which is a collaboration between UPM and Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB).
The UPM Vice-Chancellor said so yesterday after the signing ceremony of the Supply Agreement for Renewable Energy in UPM today. According to the agreement, TNB’s subsidiary GSPARX Sdn Bhd will install the solar system with an installation cost of RM45 million funded by TNB.
UPM Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Mohd Roslan.
Prof Dr Mohd Roslan further asserted that the varsity electricity bills, covering the Serdang campus and the Teaching Hospital, would reach up to RM40 million a year, which needed to be allocated under its operating expenses.
What do you guys think of this PV solar system project by UPM and TNB? Would you like to see such initiatives be taken by other education institutions in Malaysia? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.
Also read: PM: TNB Offers One-off 100% Electricity Bill Rebate For Flood Victims
