Brunei’s largest solar photovoltaic power plant (SPVPP) with a 30-megawatt (MW) capacity in Kg Belimbing is slated to launch by the end of 2026, following a groundbreaking ceremony on August 11.
Located on a remediated landfill site spanning 32.29 hectares, the plant will generate 64,440 megawatt-hours of electricity annually for the national grid – enough to power more than 15,500 homes each year.
The project is expected to supply electricity to areas including Subok, Kebangsaan, Mengkubau and Sg Akar.
It will offset an estimated 41,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually – the equivalent of planting 1.87 million trees, removing 5,144 cars from the road, or displacing 219,932 MMBtu of natural gas consumption.
The Belimbing SPVPP is developed by Seri Suria Power (B) Sdn Bhd, a joint venture between Malaysia’s Solarvest – through its wholly owned subsidiary Atlantic Blue – local partner Serikandi Oilfield Services, and the Brunei government via the Ministry of Finance and Economy’s Khazanah Satu.
“Beyond environmental benefits, this plant will create opportunities for local employment, skills development, and the growth of Bruneian expertise in green energy. It will serve as a catalyst for further clean energy projects, inspiring innovation and investment for years to come,” said the Director of Seri Suria Power Dato Paduka Hj Awang Jamain Hj Julaihi.
Solarvest, a publicly listed company on Malaysia’s Bursa, has previously reported the project investment at over BND 30 million.
The venture originated from an open Request for Proposal (RFP) process in 2021 by the Brunei government.
The Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Commissioning (EPCC) works will be undertaken by Serikandi Solarvest Sdn Bhd, a joint venture between Serikandi Holdings and Solarvest Borneo.
Brunei has set a renewable energy target of at least a 30% share of total installed power capacity by 2035, along with reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2030.
Other major solar projects include Hengyi’s Project for Sustainable Integration of Natural and Renewable Energy (SINAR) on Pulau Muara Besar, with a first phase of up to 38 MWp.
Tenaga Suria Brunei, launched in 2010 with a capacity of 1.2 MWp, and Brunei Shell Petroleum’s 3.3 MWp plant, launched in 2021 to power its headquarters, are also part of the country’s solar portfolio.
