KUALA LUMPUR: Leader Energy Group Bhd's subsidiary Leader Solar Energy II Sdn Bhd has partnered with Plus Xnergy Services Sdn Bhd to deploy the country's first sodium-sulfur (NaS) battery energy storage system (BESS).
Leader Energy executive deputy chairman and co-group chief executive officer Datuk Sean H'ng said the project will improve the efficiency and reliability of its solar energy operations at LSE II.
It will also demonstrate the broader potential of NaS BESS for grid firming and energy stability.
"Together with Plus Xnergy, we are setting a new benchmark for sustainable and advanced energy solutions in Malaysia's energy sector," he said in a statement.
Leader Energy said Plus Xnergy will install the 1.45 megawaMWh capacity BESS in LSE II's large scale solar (LSS) farm in Bukit Selambau, Kedah.
The system utilises NaS battery technology which has greater energy density and can fully discharge without cell degradation.
"As a result, it can store more energy in a smaller footprint while having a longer life span," it said.
Leader Energy said the project is also Malaysia's first utility-scale BESS connected to an operational LSS farm.
BESS alleviates intermittency challenges by enabling excess energy from the LSS farm to be stored and discharged as required for a stable and uninterrupted output of energy.
"This system's scalable design allows for future expansion through a two-layer stacked configuration, further enhancing energy security in a highly efficient manner," it added.
Construction of the NaS BESS system will commence in mid-October 2024, with completion expected by the end of the year.
Once operational, the system will contribute to an estimated annual carbon avoidance of 126.5 tCO2e and support Malaysia's net-zero ambitions.