KUALA LUMPUR: Tenaga Nasional Bhd's (TNB) maiden large scale solar (LSS) farm in Sepang, Selangor has exceeded its maximum annual energy declared for two consecutive years.
TNB said the maximum annual energy had been achieved through its smart plant management combined with the adoption of artificial intelligence and data analytics technologies.
"For its first operational year in 2019, the solar power plant surpassed its maximum annual energy declared to the off-taker (TNB) by six per cent or at more than 110,000 megawatt-hours (MWh).
"This commendable operational performance was replicated in 2020, with the solar farm generating 108,900 MWh or five per cent more than declared," it said in a statement.
TNB wholly-owned's TNB Renewables Sdn Bhd (TRe) managing director Mohd Yusrizal Mohd Yusof said it was able to optimise the solar farm's operation by leveraging on data analytics and monitoring technologies.
Yusrizal said the technologies had allowed TNB to calculate the best timing to wash the solar panels based on output levels and weather forecast.
"By utilising the latest analytics tool (Wash optimisation), we can save up to RM160,000 of operation cost annually," he said during a visit by TNB board of directors Datuk Ir. Nawawi Ahmad and Datuk N. Rawisandran to the solar farm last week.
Located at Mukim Tanjung 12, Kuala Langat, Selangor, the 50 Megawatt (MW) solar farm is equipped with 238,140 solar photovoltaic panels.
The solar farm, which began commercial operation in November 2018, and managed by TRe has contributed to TRe winning the Frost & Sullivan's Best Practices Awards for 2020 Malaysia Renewable Energy Developer of the Year.
Besides LSS Sepang, TRe also developed LSS Bukit Selambau in Sungai Petani, Kedah.
The latter started its commercial operation on September 8 last year, 114 days ahead of schedule.
The 30MW plant is equipped with 134,880 solar photovoltaic panels.
Both LSS Sepang and LSS Bukit Selambau were awarded by the Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water (now Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources - KETSA) through the Energy Commission (EC), via the LSS competitive bidding exercise program 1 and program 2 respectively.
TNB is one of the 30 companies shortlisted by the EC to bid for the development of the fourth large-scale solar (LSS4)@MEnTARI.