Brunei Shell Petroleum (BSP) has launched its Flagship Solar PV Plant, comprising of nearly 7,000 bifacial solar panels that are used to power its head office in Seria.
The inaugural event was graced by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office in his capacity as the Chairman of Brunei Shell Joint Ventures Board of Directors.
Sitting on a four-hectare land at G11 along Jalan Tengah, the 3.3 Mega Watt Peak (MWp) plant generates low carbon electricity that is equivalent to power 600 homes per year.
The plant is Brunei’s second solar plant after the on-grid 1.2 MWp Tenaga Suria Brunei began its operations ten years ago.
BSP Managing Director & Shell Country Chair Brunei Agnete Johnsgaard-Lewis in her welcoming remarks said that the new solar plant was completed within seven months and produced its first power on 30 March 2021.
“For the nation, this is our commitment to support the country’s target of producing 100 Mega Watt peak of renewable energy by 2025,” she said.
On the sidelines, BSP Head of Energy Transition Shirley Sikun said that the bifacial solar panels have an efficiency rate of 20 per cent with an expected output of 5000MWh per year.
For power delivery, she added that the team leveraged the sultanate’s ideal geographical location to configure the arrangement of the solar panels that can capture both the morning and afternoon sun.
“Through this experience, the BSP team has learnt what it takes to construct and maintain a solar plant. We have demonstrated our ability to use existing skills and deliver a quality solar plant safely. We are going to reflect on what we did well as we assess what steps are required to enable an attractive transition,” she said.
BSP Flagship Solar PV Plant signifies the company’s strong commitment to pursue energy diversification and decarbonisation, and in support of Brunei’s target of increasing the total share of renewable energy to at least 30 per cent of total power generation capacity by 2035.
Reopening of Seria Energy Lab
Prior to the solar plant launch, HRH Crown Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah revealed the revamped Seria Energy Lab that was previously known as the Oil and Gas Discovery Centre.
The science centre aims to inculcate youth’s interest and knowledge on renewable energy featuring exhibits related to the Oil and Gas Industry as well as topics on energy transition.
Since its first debut in 2002, SEL now adds five new exhibitions including an interactive showcase on smart drilling technology, an Aqualab that highlights “Life Beneath the Platforms” and a helicopter simulator experience that is based on BSP’s own aircraft services at Anduki Airfield.
Fully run and operated by Bruneians, the centre is part of BSP’s Social Investment programme and is one of the many examples of the company’s commitment towards contributing to nation-building particularly in the areas of education.
In attendance at the ceremony were Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Finance and Economy II YB Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Amin Liew Abdullah, as a member of the Board of Directors of BSP; Acting Minister of Energy Dato Seri Paduka Haji Matsatejo Sokiaw; Acting Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Energy Pengiran Haji Jamra Weira Pengiran Haji Petra; Acting District Officer of Belait District Mohammad Yassin Haji Ahmed, and Deputy Managing Director and Technical Director of BSP Yap Kong Fah.
THE BRUNEIAN | BELAIT
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