Tadau Energy: Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun – Ultimate Energy Solution is Finding Traction

A strong focus on green and sustainability and to provide environmentally-friendly and cost-effective alternative to conventional power plants has always been a cornerstone of the business ethics of Tadau Energy Sdn Bhd (“Tadau Energy”). Tadau Energy aims to provide solution to resolve energy poverty and lack of electricity issues in rural areas in Malaysia and other developing countries, by sourcing for lands and to propose new methods of renewable energy projects.

Tadau Energy has completed Malaysia’s first grid connected Large Scale Solar Project with a capacity of 50MWac in Kudat, Sabah, in 2018 which is in line with the Malaysian Government’s strategic intent of decarbonising the energy sector under the 11th Malaysia Plan (2016 – 2020) and to increase power generation contribution through renewable energy from the current 2% to 20% by 2030. Tadau Energy’s Solar Plant is now feeding renewable energy to around 380,000 households and reduce carbon dioxide emission as much as 2,345 tons a year equivalent to the amount of carbon dioxide absorbed by 2000 acres of forest area.

To make the project a reality, Tadau Energy has achieved the World’s first issuance of Sustainable Responsible Investment (SRI) Green Sukuk amounting to MYR250.0 million. This SRI Green Sukuk is a huge vote of confidence of the company’s ability to complete a green project of this size. It also serves national interests as it meets Malaysia’s ambitions to expand its role as a hub for global Islamic financing and to become a centre for Green and responsible Islamic investments in the world.

The framework that Tadau Energy used to issue the Green SRI Sukuk was certified ‘Dark Green’, the highest certification level afforded by the Center for International Climate and Environmental Research – Oslo, Norway (CICERO), an independent green certification agency. This affirms the project corresponds to the long-term vision of a low carbon and climate resilient future.

In overview, this project has driven economic growth, enhance environmental sustainability and create social equity in the workforce. Job opportunities were created for the local community where at least 200 people were employed. The high skill required to build, manage, and maintain the project has also increased the capability of local Malaysians. To this end, Tadau Energy has ensured that the project’s main contractor and international consultancy firm engage local professional engineering firms in an effort to encourage technology transfer and increase the technical skill of local Malaysians.

Meanwhile, Tadau Energy implemented corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs to give back to their communities and to make a positive impact whereby it targeted to light up the lives of more than 1000 villagers without access to electricity living in rural areas of Sabah, Malaysia. One of the CSR programmes conducted is providing solar-powered lamps to the electricity-deprived villagers in Kudat.

Tadau Energy also seeks to contribute to individual/students/agencies/communities who are appreciative towards the interest in solar energy with our own experience and information. We organized teachers’ visitation to the Solar Plant, learning the first-hand on how solar photovoltaic power works, its environmental impact, and the key role that solar plays in helping to create a brighter future for Malaysia’s next generation. These are educators of the younger generation who represent our future. Such visitation puts the learning experience in school about renewable energy into context so that they can deliver a message for a cleaner, greener tomorrow.

Apart from sustainable energy sources, Tadau Energy appreciates the importance of social sustainability whereby Tadau Energy has been practicing agro photovoltaics, which is the incorporation of agricultural activities within solar PV farms. The Company has grown a variety of ground vegetables, crops and flowers between the solar panels to prevent wild grass from growing and to control the natural flow of water as well as prevent soil erosion. Agro photovoltaics has made the land more productive as compare to traditional agriculture, improve the resource efficiency and provide additional long-term income to the farmers. Currently, harvested crops are consumed by Tadau Energy’s own personnel, with the aspiration of supplying to local communities in the near future.

Tadau Energy strongly emphasizes on implementing latest technology in the Solar Plant including to upgrade to smart monitoring system, to conduct drone and electrical connection thermal scanning and integrated data analytics for enhancement of operational efficiency. It constantly provides training and workforce development program focus on improving the skills and competency of their employees.

Solar energy technologies are nowadays the most popular technologies that the world is pursuing. It is the most promising energy to meet the global future demand as it will never deplete.

Tadau Energy will continue their efforts in sustainable use of natural resources and reduce pollution, making a peaceful and clean environment for the future.