By DayakDaily Team
BARAM, Aug 11: A rebuilt renewable energy system at remote Kampung Long has been designed with the risk of battery fires directly in mind, incorporating battery pack-level fire suppression and temperature monitoring alongside continuous cloud-based monitoring, as the village regains reliable 24-hour electricity after two years without a dependable power supply.
The restoration, supported by EFS Group alongside Planet QEOS Sdn Bhd, has restored access to electricity for more than 640 residents across 71 households in the remote Baram district.
Kampung Long Tap’s solar power station was destroyed by a fire two years ago. No injuries were reported, but the loss of its batteries and other equipment left residents without a reliable electricity supply.
Since then, families have had to rely on diesel generators for limited and unpredictable hours of power, forcing them to adjust daily routines around when electricity was available. For children, this meant studying at night was often difficult, while households also faced challenges with cooking and storing food.
“When we visited Kampung Long Tap, it was clear that losing power for two years had changed the rhythm of everyday life here, from how children studied at night to how families cooked and stored food.
“It made this restoration deeply personal for our team, because it was never just about fixing equipment. It was about giving people back a basic certainty they had gone two years without,” said EFS Group chief executive officer Darren Tan said in a media release today.
The project replaced the damaged battery energy storage system (BESS) and inverters while retaining the village’s existing 63.9kWp solar photovoltaic system.
The rebuilt system includes battery pack-level fire suppression and temperature monitoring, addressing the safety risks associated with the previous battery fire. It is also equipped with continuous cloud-based monitoring and is backed by a guaranteed daily energy supply of approximately 180kWh over the next 10 years.
Getting the new system to the remote village presented its own challenges. Limited road access, difficult terrain and the logistical demands of transporting equipment and materials made installation particularly challenging.
Despite the conditions, the project team completed the installation within six days.
The system is backed by a 10-year performance guarantee and equipment warranties, while ongoing operations and maintenance will be managed through the consortium’s central maintenance service centre at Baram Deeptech1 in Long Lama.
Locally appointed wardens will also support routine solar panel cleaning and system surveillance.
“Kampung Long Tap reminded us why this work matters. We are grateful to have worked alongside Planet QEOS to restore this essential service and strengthen the community’s access to reliable energy.
“More than a project, it represents our vision of ‘Empowering Every Community with Clean Energy’ being brought to life and reaffirms that EFS is moving in the right direction, using our expertise to create meaningful impact where it is needed most,” Tan said.
He added that EFS remained committed to advancing rural electrification “one village at a time”.
The restoration comes as Malaysia continues to accelerate its energy transition, highlighting the role of renewable energy systems in extending reliable electricity access to communities beyond urban centres.
For Kampung Long Tap, the return of a dependable power supply means residents can once again organise their daily lives without relying on the limited operating hours of diesel generators.
The project also demonstrates how collaboration between industry partners can strengthen the resilience of rural communities while helping narrow the energy access gap as Malaysia moves towards a cleaner and more inclusive energy future. — DayakDaily
