UMS To Save More Than RM57 Mln In Electricity Costs Through Solar Project
KOTA KINABALU, Sept 30 (Bernama) -- Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) is expected to save more than RM57 million in electricity costs through its solar energy project.
Its vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Kasim Mansor said the project is being implemented at no cost to the university in collaboration with a commercial solar energy engineering company for a period of 25 years.
He said the savings would be significant, considering that UMS' utility bill currently amounts to about RM1.7 million a month.
"This is a very high cost. Therefore, the use of solar energy will enable UMS to achieve significant savings on its energy costs," he told reporters after launching the UMS solar photovoltaic system here today.
He said the first phase of the solar project has a generation capacity of 10.57 megawatts (MW), with potential for further expansion to meet the university's growing energy needs.
Meanwhile, Kasim said in his speech that the project had undergone development, installation, testing and commissioning before commencing commercial operations on Sept 18.
He said the achievement demonstrated that higher education institutions could also play an important role in adopting green technology and renewable energy.
"UMS plays an important role in the development of the state. Besides producing skilled human capital and conducting research, UMS has the potential to serve as a demonstration site for technologies and solutions that can benefit Sabah.
"I hope the solar system developed here will not merely be viewed as campus infrastructure, but can also serve as a real-world laboratory for students and researchers to collect data, build expertise, conduct research and develop innovations that address the state's needs," he said.
Kasim also called for continued efforts to strengthen collaboration among universities, the government, agencies and industry through the solar project, bringing together expertise, technology and resources from various stakeholders while creating more opportunities in green technology, talent development and innovation.
-- BERNAMA