Germany’s ib vogt Completes 116 MWp Coara Marang Solar Project in Malaysia

The developer of large-scale turnkey PV plants worldwide, ib vogt has achieved commercial operation (COD) of the 116 MWp Coara Marang Solar Project, in consortium with its Malaysian joint venture partner, Coara Solar Sdn Bhd. COD was reached on September 17, 2022, providing clean solar energy from the photovoltaic plant to the Malaysian electricity grid. The project had already signed a 21-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) in June 2020 with the Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), Malaysia’s largest electricity utility.

The project was developed along with ib vogt’s Malaysian project partner, Coara Solar, under the third round of the Large Scale Solar (LSS3) scheme issued by the Suruhanjaya Tenaga (Energy Commission of Malaysia) in 2019. This tender scheme was introduced to increase the country’s renewable energy share in the national installed capacity mix from 2% to 31% by 2025.

The power plant is located in Marang, Terengganu, in the north-east of peninsular Malaysia. Comprising of 245 hectares, the plant consists of 216,832 high-class bifacial solar panels mounted on single-axis trackers to achieve maximum energy production efficiency. With an output of circa 230 GWh per year, the panels will produce clean solar electricity equivalent to the average annual consumption of 55,000 households while saving up to 120,000 tons of CO2 per year.

The Coara Marang project represents the largest project built or developed by ib vogt in the region to date as well as the first elevated tracker system with bifacial solar modules in Malaysia. Purposely constructed with appropriate drainage systems and retention ponds, the site can withstand being flooded by local monsoons without any potential damage.

“We are thrilled to complete our first major project in Malaysia and bring the country closer towards their renewable energy goals. Not only is this a fantastic technical achievement built specifically for this climate but reflects ib vogt’s commitment and aspirations in the APAC market as well,” says Anton Milner, Managing Director of ib vogt. “Many thanks to our project partner Coara Solar, our committed financing partner Maybank, and the support of the local authorities. Malaysia is a market with huge renewable energy potential, and this brings us one step closer to our mission of powering the energy transition.”

In addition to developing the project, ib vogt also managed EPC services and will perform asset management services as well.