Sun's Rays To Power Up All Of Brunei By 2015
By Hadi DP Mahmud

Bandar Seri Begawan – Brunei can be entirely independent from oil for its electricity supply under an ambitious plan to use environment-friendly solar technology to power up 100 per cent of the sultanate by 2015.

Nations Solar Technologies plans to build, own and operate a solar cluster project in the sultanate with the assistance of Hamidjojo Development and its consortium, which have been appointed to do a feasibility study on the project in six months.

The project, which will start on January 1, 2008, aims to put forward a proposal and obtain necessary approvals, licenses and support from the government to reach 100 per cent solar energy capability for Brunei by 2015.

Dr Albrecht Mozer and Dr Peter Fath, both managing directors of Solmic GbmH, a German consultancy firm pecializing in Poly Silicon production facilities for the photovoltaic industry said the project may generate up to 1,800 permanent jobs.

At a presentation on the solar cluster project yesterday at the Sheraton Utama Hotel in the capital, Dr Albrecht valued the photovoltaic global market at €45 billion by 2010. In 2005, it was valued at €10 billion.

Photovoltaics or PV for short is a solar power technology that uses solar cells or solar photovoltaic arrays to convert energy from the sun into electricity. Photovoltaics is also the field of study relating to this technology.

With Brunei’s sufficient technological infrastructure and ideal location, the sultanate has a potential to succeed in this market, Fath said.

“Universiti Brunei Darussalam has the capacity to provide necessary training and education. The project will support the government’s efforts to diversify its economy, regarding Brunei’s oil and gas that can be reserved for future generations. There are 12 hours of sunlight on average, 365 days a year. There is a great amount of land area available to build a solar energy plant. Last, but not least, Brunei being in the centre of Southeast Asia has a vast export potential to neighbouring countries in Asean,” he said. -- Courtesy of The Brunei Times

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