The BSP Solar Plant PV Expansion project, with its contribution to the national power grid, brings Brunei another step closer to its target of achieving at least 30 per cent of renewables in total installed power capacity by 2035, said Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Amin Liew Abdullah.
Speaking at the ceremony in Seria, the Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Second Minister of Finance and Economy, who is also Brunei Shell Joint Venture Deputy Chairman, emphasised that the 3 Megawatt-peak (MWp) addition represents more than just infrastructure development.
“It is a symbol of our collective commitment to the third thrust of Brunei’s 12th National Development Plan, which focuses on Contributing Towards Sustainable Environment in Addressing Climate Change,” he said.
The new installation at G11 adds 4,700 solar panels across three hectares of former housing land, boosting the plant’s total capacity to 6.3 MWp. The additional capacity will generate approximately 4,500 Megawatt-hour (MWh) annually, powering BSP’s Head Office while offsetting 3,000 metric tons of CO₂ emissions each year.
The minister further stated that the project directly supports the core strategies of the Brunei Darussalam National Climate Change Policy, shaping Brunei into a low-carbon and climate-resilient nation, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
He highlighted that the initiative reflects the power of collaboration where government, industry, business and the community work closely together to advance Brunei’s energy transition.
Reflecting on the location’s history, he noted that Seria is the birthplace of Brunei’s oil and gas industry and has been the cornerstone of the nation’s energy journey.
“Our nation’s energy journey began here in Seria almost a century ago. This town stands as the birthplace of Brunei’s oil and gas industry, a legacy that has shaped our nation’s prosperity,” said YB Dato Dr Haji Mohd Amin Liew.
He added that Brunei’s national goals are deeply aligned with the collective vision of its regional partners.
“As a member of ASEAN, we share a common goal for a secure, sustainable and interconnected energy future,” said the minister.
Looking ahead, the minister expressed hope that the project would inspire even greater ambition across the energy and industrial landscape.
He underscored that achieving long-term goals will require solutions that enhance operational efficiency, strengthen economic competitiveness and position Brunei’s industries for sustainable growth.
This includes decarbonising operations and exploring green and low-carbon energy to sustain and grow future industries.
On his part, BSP Onshore Asset Manager Haji Mohd Sufri Haji Sulaiman highlighted the project’s significant workforce investment, revealing that over 80,000 construction man-hours were dedicated to the project from January to August 2025.
“To me, that only shows dedication. Dedication for cleaner energy, dedication for innovation and dedication for efficiency. From ideation to maturation, people from projects, operations, contracts, maintenance – from all sides of the business, they all came together and collaborated to bring this project to completion,” he said.
Haji Mohd Sufri added that a key achievement was the development of local capabilities.
“When we first started this plant, we were working with an international company. For the second phase, we collaborated with Serikandi Solarvest to bring this project closer to home,” he explained.
This partnership facilitated the upskilling of not only local business partners but also BSP’s own personnel in the Onshore asset team, who have now broadened their skillset to manage and maintain solar energy.
The project builds on previous recognition, including the ASEAN Outstanding Engineering Achievement Award in 2021 and its role as a major contributing factor in Seria’s recent win of the 6th ASEAN Environmentally Sustainable Cities Award.
The ceremony gathered senior officials, including Deputy Minister (Energy) at the Prime Minister’s Office Dato Seri Paduka Haji Mohamad Azmi Haji Mohammad Hanifah and Permanent Secretary (Energy) Hajah Farida Dato Seri Paduka Haji Talib.
Also in attendance were Managing Director of Brunei Shell Petroleum Johan Atema; Country Chair and Vice President of Shell Companies in Brunei Darussalam Henry Bristol; and Managing Director of the Petroleum Authority of Brunei Darussalam Shamir Salahudin, alongside members of the BSP and Shell leadership teams and esteemed business partners.
THE BRUNEIAN | BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
