By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Aug 11: The Baram DeepTech Energy Programme will be the first in the world to integrate multi-economic functionality into a solar power plant, a pioneering leap that is set to put Sarawak and Malaysia on the global stage for renewable innovation.
Backed by the Sarawak government under Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg’s bold energy transition vision, the landmark initiative answers his call for Sarawak to lead in clean-energy breakthroughs.
Planet QEOS Sdn Bhd has inked RM2.32 billion worth of Heads of Agreement (HoA) with five strategic partners to launch the Baram DeepTech Energy Programme, paving the way for the nation’s first “firm” solar power plant — one capable of delivering stable, on-demand green electricity 24/7.
The five partners are: China Construction Sixth Engineering Bureau Corporation (CSCEC) as the lead engineering and development partner; ES Sunlogy Berhad as the solar and battery co-developer; EFS as the agrovoltaic and food security partner; Founder Group Consortium as the green energy and data centre investor; and Hopewind as the technology and training partner.
The signing ceremony took place today in conjunction with the Ministry of Energy and Environment Sustainability’s (MEESTY) Public-Industry Engagement Day and the official launch of Sarawak’s Energy Transition Policy (SET-P), officiated by Abang Johari at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK).
Representing Planet QEOS were its executive chairman Dino Bidari, chief executive officer (CEO) Dr Gabriel Walter and chief operating officer (COO) Lam Poh Lian.
Phase One of the Baram DeepTech project will deploy 500MWac of firm renewable capacity, powered by approximately 1.85GWp of solar PV systems and multi-gigawatt-hour battery storage. This will make it the world’s largest integrated solar-and-storage installation of its kind, while also embedding agriculture, energy, and community development into its design.
The plant’s advanced grid-forming inverters and massive battery reserves will allow it to match the reliability of a combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power station or hydroelectric dam, providing continuous clean power that meets international IEC standards for bankability and performance.
Strategically located in the Highland Development Area (HDA) covering Telang Usan and Mulu, the Baram region boasts over 18,000km² of highland terrain with some of Malaysia’s highest solar irradiance. Despite this natural advantage, it has long remained underdeveloped — a reality the Baram DeepTech initiative aims to change.
Serving as the anchor project for the newly planned Baram Special Energy Zone (SEZ), the programme is expected to catalyse industrial growth and attract an estimated RM253 billion in cross-sector investments.
Beyond renewable power generation, it will deliver long-term socio-economic transformation, turning Baram into Southeast Asia’s next clean energy hub.
With final regulatory approvals and a 500MWac generation licence anticipated soon, Planet QEOS and its partners are preparing for site mobilisation and groundbreaking in the remote Upper Baram. The development will bring roads, power lines, and digital connectivity deep into interior Sarawak, bridging decades-long gaps in infrastructure and opportunity.
As Sarawak’s first firm renewable power plant moves from blueprint to reality, the project is seen as a source of pride for both the state and the nation.
Once considered remote and isolated, the Baram highlands now stand at the forefront of a new green economy — a historic RM2.32 billion collaboration that will place Baram at the heart of Malaysia’s sustainable growth story. — DayakDaily
