Penang explores floating solar projects for renewable energy goals
State Infrastructure, Transport and Digital Committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari said the project is seen as a suitable alternative in efforts to expand the use of renewable energy sources due to land constraints in Penang and the high cost of developing ground-mounted solar farms.
He said presently, his team is considering various strategic locations with potential to implement the project, including dam areas such as the Teluk Bahang Dam and Mengkuang Dam.
'Dams are most suitable for a floating solar project in terms of area and water stability, unlike the sea where there are unique challenges and even the panel installation methods are different.
'However, many matters need to be examined first, considering that the dams are sources of drinking water supply and are under the management of the Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP). So, it requires approval and also more thorough study,' he told reporters after attending the Malaysian Photovoltaic Sustainable Energy Association (MPSEA) Solar Roadshow 2025 here today.
Zairil also emphasised the importance of the floating solar project in Silicon Island, considering the area is being actively developed and requires renewable energy sources as an alternative energy supply.
Therefore, he said the state government will try to expedite the implementation of the project, especially to support development on the artificial island as the state's new green technology hub.
'It is really necessary on Silicon Island because the first area to be developed is the technology park. In two years, the factory will start operating, so we need renewable energy, especially solar,' he said.
Earlier in his speech, Zairil said the state government is committed to promoting energy efficiency through the Penang Energy Framework adopted in 2024, which sets clear targets of 10 per cent renewable energy and 25 per cent energy efficiency improvements by 2030.
'The framework mandates the installation and use of renewable energy systems for all new non-residential buildings and also requires the collection of building energy intensity data for all buildings in Penang,' he also said.
He added that the Penang government will also expand its energy framework to include energy use in other sectors, such as industry and transport. - Bernama
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
17 hours ago
- The Star
Penang targets RM156bil GDP by 2030 under Digital Economy Master Plan
GEORGE TOWN: Increasing Penang's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) contribution from RM116bil in 2023 to RM156bil by 2030 is among the key success metrics under the newly launched Digital Economy Master Plan (DEMP) 2025-2030. Penang infrastructure, transport and digital committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari said the strategic plan aims to raise the digital economy's contribution to 35% of Penang's GDP by 2030, while targeting digital investments of up to RM20 billion, including in integrated circuit design and RM130bil in advanced semiconductor manufacturing. He said the plan also outlines several socio-economic targets, including increasing the state's median household income by approximately 17% to RM7,700 by 2030, creating 50,000 new digital jobs and upskilling 30% of the workforce. "The Penang DEMP 2025-2030 is not just a document, it is a blueprint for action, a call to build a connected, competitive and inclusive digital Penang. "We aim to transform civil service delivery, boost the number of digital-ready businesses and digitally savvy workforce, attract greater digital investment into our economic ecosystems, and make Penang a testbed and hub for emerging and frontier technologies," he said at the launch of DEMP 2025-2030 at the Penang Digital Economy Summit (PDES) 2025 here on Saturday (Aug 9). Other goals include reducing energy intensity by 25% and increase renewable energy usage to 10% by the end of the plan period. Zairil noted that the DEMP is structured around four strategic pillars which is Digital Government, Digital Economy, Digital Society and Digital Foundation, supported by 16 initiatives to ensure Penang can achieve its vision, mission and strategic goals. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, who officiated the launch, said the DEMP 2025-2030 serves as a long-term strategic roadmap aimed at positioning Penang as a digital-first economy focused on innovation, infrastructure, talent development and inclusive digital access. He emphasised that the plan lays out clear strategies to ensure that mature workers and senior citizens are empowered through digital tools, skilling programmes and services that are accessible and age-friendly, "With the recent tabling of the 13th Malaysia Plan, the national agenda is shifting towards a more inclusive, high-tech and aging-resilient economy. Here in Penang, we are responding in kind. "The digital economy plays a vital role in our economic resilience, contributing significantly to our services sector, which adds up to 50% of the state's GDP annually. It is a clear signal that we are on the right path," he added. Chow also pointed out that under the previous Digital Transformation Master Plan (DTMP) 1.0 from 2021 to 2023, more than 60% of the 21 outlined initiatives were either completed or currently ongoing, with strong alignment to the state's strategic goals. DEMP 2025-2030 represents a long-term commitment to advancing Penang's digital ecosystem and fostering collaborative efforts between the state and federal governments, government-linked companies, industry players and technology leaders. – Bernama
The Sun
19 hours ago
- The Sun
Penang aims for RM156 bln GDP by 2030 with digital economy plan
GEORGE TOWN: Penang aims to boost its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from RM116 billion in 2023 to RM156 billion by 2030 under the newly launched Digital Economy Master Plan (DEMP) 2025-2030. State Infrastructure, Transport and Digital Committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari said the plan targets raising the digital economy's contribution to 35 per cent of Penang's GDP by 2030. The state also aims to attract RM20 billion in digital investments, including in integrated circuit design, and RM130 billion in advanced semiconductor manufacturing. Zairil added that the plan includes socio-economic goals such as increasing median household income by 17 per cent to RM7,700 by 2030. It also seeks to create 50,000 new digital jobs and upskill 30 per cent of the workforce. 'The Penang DEMP 2025-2030 is not just a document, it is a blueprint for action, a call to build a connected, competitive and inclusive digital Penang,' he said. The plan aims to transform civil service delivery, increase digital-ready businesses, and position Penang as a hub for emerging technologies. Other targets include reducing energy intensity by 25 per cent and increasing renewable energy usage to 10 per cent by 2030. Zairil noted that the DEMP is structured around four strategic pillars: Digital Government, Digital Economy, Digital Society, and Digital Foundation. These pillars are supported by 16 initiatives to ensure Penang achieves its vision and strategic goals. Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the DEMP serves as a long-term roadmap to position Penang as a digital-first economy. He emphasised the plan's focus on innovation, infrastructure, talent development, and inclusive digital access. 'The digital economy plays a vital role in our economic resilience, contributing significantly to our services sector, which adds up to 50 per cent of the state's GDP annually,' Chow said. He added that the plan includes strategies to empower mature workers and senior citizens through accessible digital tools and skilling programmes. Chow also highlighted the success of the previous Digital Transformation Master Plan (DTMP) 1.0, with over 60 per cent of initiatives completed or ongoing. The DEMP 2025-2030 represents a commitment to advancing Penang's digital ecosystem through collaboration between state and federal governments, industry players, and technology leaders. - Bernama
Malay Mail
19 hours ago
- Malay Mail
Penang sets RM156b GDP target by 2030 with new Digital Economy Master Plan
GEORGE TOWN, Aug 10 — Increasing Penang's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) contribution from RM116 billion in 2023 to RM156 billion by 2030 is among the key success metrics under the newly launched Digital Economy Master Plan (DEMP) 2025-2030. State Infrastructure, Transport and Digital Committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari said the strategic plan aims to raise the digital economy's contribution to 35 per cent of Penang's GDP by 2030, while targeting digital investments of up to RM20 billion, including in integrated circuit (IC) design, and RM130 billion in advanced semiconductor manufacturing. He said the plan also outlines several socio-economic targets, including increasing the state's median household income by approximately 17 per cent to RM7,700 by 2030, creating 50,000 new digital jobs and upskilling 30 per cent of the workforce. 'The Penang DEMP 2025-2030 is not just a document, it is a blueprint for action, a call to build a connected, competitive and inclusive digital Penang. 'We aim to transform civil service delivery, boost the number of digital-ready businesses and digitally savvy workforce, attract greater digital investment into our economic ecosystems, and make Penang a testbed and hub for emerging and frontier technologies,' he said at the launch of DEMP 2025-2030 at the Penang Digital Economy Summit (PDES) 2025 here today. Other goals include reducing energy intensity by 25 per cent and increase renewable energy usage to 10 per cent by the end of the plan period. Zairil noted that the DEMP is structured around four strategic pillars which is Digital Government, Digital Economy, Digital Society and Digital Foundation, supported by 16 initiatives to ensure Penang can achieve its vision, mission and strategic goals. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, who officiated the launch, said the DEMP 2025-2030 serves as a long-term strategic roadmap aimed at positioning Penang as a digital-first economy focused on innovation, infrastructure, talent development and inclusive digital access. He emphasised that the plan lays out clear strategies to ensure that mature workers and senior citizens are empowered through digital tools, skilling programmes and services that are accessible and age-friendly, 'With the recent tabling of the 13th Malaysia Plan, the national agenda is shifting towards a more inclusive, high-tech and aging-resilient economy. Here in Penang, we are responding in kind. 'The digital economy plays a vital role in our economic resilience, contributing significantly to our services sector, which adds up to 50 per cent of the state's GDP annually. It is a clear signal that we are on the right path,' he added. Chow also pointed out that under the previous Digital Transformation Master Plan (DTMP) 1.0 from 2021 to 2023, more than 60 per cent of the 21 outlined initiatives were either completed or currently ongoing, with strong alignment to the state's strategic goals. DEMP 2025-2030 represents a long-term commitment to advancing Penang's digital ecosystem and fostering collaborative efforts between the state and federal governments, government-linked companies, industry players and technology leaders. — Bernama
