Melaka state water firm Syarikat Air Melaka Bhd (SAMB) and its joint venture partner Nusa Baiduri Consortium have inked a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to study the feasibility of a RM600 million floating solar farm over a dam in Melaka.

The MOU was signed during the “Melaka Week” at the Malaysia Pavilion in Expo 2020 Dubai earlier this week, according to a joint statement.

The solar farm, with an installed capacity of 150 megawatts by phases, will float over an area of 570 acres (230.67 hectares) at the Durian Tunggal dam in Melaka.

"Once ready, it will be one of Southeast Asia’s largest floating solar facilities. The floating solar farm will support the Melaka government’s drive towards being a green technology city and achieving zero-carbon by 2030," they said.

Under the MOU, Nusa Baiduri Sdn Bhd will be an investor and facilitator, while Shizen Malaysia Sdn Bhd, together with Malaysia Solar Resources Sdn Bhd, will be the project implementer.

Shizen Malaysia is part of Shizen Energy Inc, a leading Japanese renewable energy investor and developer.

"Nusa Baiduri, Shizen Malaysia and Malaysia Solar Resources will take ownership to provide relevant information specific to the scope of the project, providing technical assistance and expertise in ensuring the success of the project.

“The proposed development of a ‘floating solar’ (farm) can benefit the Melaka government in general and SAMB in particular, and in optimising existing water assets," according to the statement.

It will also help cut the cost of power from Tenaga Nasional Bhd and generate new sources of income for SAMB, the statement said.

By BERNAMA