UMPSA now has a floating solar panel system
Chairman of the Board of Directors of Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA), Dato' Seri Abdul Razak Jaafar, made his first official visit to the university since his appointment as Chairman of the Board of Directors, effective November 1, 2023.
His arrival was welcomed by the Vice-Chancellor of UMPSA, Prof. Dato' Ts. Dr. Yuserrie Zainuddin, along with the university's top management and deans at the Tun Abdul Razak Chancellery Building in Pekan.
During this visit, Dato' Seri Abdul Razak had the opportunity to tour the campus, meet with staff in various faculties, and explore the main facilities of the campus, including laboratories and research centers, utilizing an electric bus (EV).
UMPSA now has a floating solar panel system
In this visit, he also had the chance to visit around the campus and witness the recently installed floating solar panels on the UMPSA lake.
The solar panel system consists of 240 panels, 1 unit of 125 Amp inverter, and more than 136 floating units, covering an area of 2,574 square meters.
The floating solar panel system is designed to withstand weather changes, ensuring the stability of the solar panels and their operational equipment on the water surface.
He mentioned that the solar installation involved three methods: installation on building rooftops, installation on vehicle parking, technically known as Building Integrated Photo Voltic (BIPV), and installation of solar panels on the lake surface.
UMPSA now has a floating solar panel system
"This floating solar project makes history as UMPSA becomes the first public university in the country to have a floating solar panel with a capacity of 159 kWp for electricity generation, expected to generate at least 197,319 kWh of energy per year.
"Additionally, it has the potential to offset the emission of 126.1 tons of CO2, contributing to UMPSA's goal of becoming a carbon-neutral institution.
"Meanwhile, the installation of a 3.58 MWp solar capacity in UMPSA Pekan is expected to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions on the UMPSA Pekan campus by 47 percent, resulting in electricity bill savings of up to RM 600,000 per year," he said.
Furthermore, Dato' Seri Abdul Razak expressed satisfaction with UMPSA's achievements and hoped that the collaborative efforts between UMPSA and all stakeholders would make the university even more excellent in the future.
He stated that as the best university in the Malaysian Technical University Network (MTUN), UMPSA will continue to demonstrate the university's commitment to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and assess the university's efforts in addressing global issues related to the environment, Social and Governance (ESG).
"Moreover, UMPSA will always strive to introduce technology and sustainable practices to the community, educate, and, most importantly, be a role model for sustainability principles," he said.
UMPSA also received the Three Diamond recognition for Low Carbon Building Assessment from the Sustainable Energy Development Authority (SEDA) recently, proving UMPSA's capabilities in implementing efficient electricity usage, the use of renewable energy, and reducing carbon dioxide emissions.
Other locations visited also included Makerslab & EV Lab located in the Faculty of Mechanical & Automotive Engineering (FTKMA), Scuba Diving Pool & Obstacle Course located at the ADAB Academy, Motion Lab & Sisco Lab in the Faculty of Computing, and the Technology Design & Innovation Center (PRInT).
