Hibiscus Petroleum Berhad( Hibiscus Petroleum) recently broke ground on a 12-megawatt peak( MWp) groundmounted solar photovoltaic( PV) facility at Sungai Liang Industrial Park( SPARK). The event was officiated by Mohamad Azmi Mohd Hanifah, deputy minister( Energy) at the Prime Minister’ s Office of Brunei Darussalam, marking a new phase in the company’ s energy transition initiatives.

The project, built on a 26-acre site, is expected to begin delivering power by the end of the year. Once operational, the solar farm will supply renewable electricity exclusively to the company’ s Low-Pressure Compressor( LPC) facility located at the Onshore Processing Plant( OPP), which will act as the project’ s sole off-taker.

SOLAR DEVELOPMENT

In his remarks, Azmi said initiatives such as the solar development demonstrate how the oil and gas sector can incorporate

renewable solutions while strengthening operational efficiency and long-term resilience.

“ The solar initiative reflects Hibiscus’ commitment to introducing renewable energy into its operations, demonstrating the nation’ s oil and gas sector progress in integrating renewable energy- enhancing efficiency, strengthening competitiveness, and positioning the industry for long-term resilience,” he said.

He also highlighted the importance of improving energy demand efficiency alongside renewable energy development. Measures such as reducing structural energy waste through efficient buildings, appliances and industrial processes could help lower system costs while reducing peak demand.

According to Azmi, Brunei continues to advance demand-side efficiency through regulatory measures, including

the Energy Efficiency Standards and Labelling Act, alongside improvements in power generation efficiency and system optimisation.

“ These actions strengthen energy security while reducing emissions intensity,” he added, noting that continued cooperation among government agencies, industry players and consumers would be essential in embedding energy efficiency into investment decisions and daily consumption practices.

For Hibiscus Petroleum, the solar development also aligns with the company’ s broader corporate strategy to expand its presence in energy transition activities.

IMPORTANT MILESTONE

Managing Director Dato’ Dr Kenneth Pereira said the project represented an important milestone in the group’ s longterm diversification strategy.

“ This groundbreaking initiative signals a step forward in our journey towards building a resilient and futureready energy mix portfolio,” he said.

Pereira added that the initiative aligns with the company’ s 2030 mission of developing power generation assets capable of delivering stable cash flows and predictable long-term returns while maintaining disciplined capital allocation.

He noted that improving energy efficiency remains equally important in supporting the transition towards a lower-carbon energy system. Measures such as more efficient buildings, appliances and industrial processes, along with smarter energy consumption patterns, could help reduce structural energy waste and lower peak demand.

These efforts help strengthen energy security and reduce sector emissions intensity.

Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, Hibiscus Petroleum is Malaysia’ s first listed independent oil and gas exploration and production company.

The group focuses on monetising producing oil and gas fields while expanding its portfolio of exploration, development and production assets across Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei, the Asia Pacific region and the United Kingdom. – @ green