KUALA LUMPUR: National oil company Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) has defended the selection of Solarvest Energy, a subsidiary of Solarvest Holdings Bhd, for its nationwide solar panel project at over 300 stations.
Petronas president and group chief executive officer Tengku Tan Sri Muhammad Taufik said technical standards and deadline-driven outcomes led to its selection for the turnkey contract.
Assuring that the company chose a qualified installer for the project, Taufik clarified that while Petronas considered Bumiputera companies recommended by a government agency, none met the specific requirements for this project.
He indicated Petronas is looking into ways to involve smaller, potentially combined firms (consortia) in future contracts.
Taufik downplayed reports suggesting the contract value is in the hundreds of millions, stating it is a much smaller sum.
To recap, Solarvest Energy was selected by Petronas’ unit Gentari Renewables to install solar panels at Petronas stations, with an aim to complete the project by 2027.
The project starts in April this year and will equip over 300 stations with a total solar capacity of 5.4 megawatt peak (MWp).
Previously, the Malay Chamber of Commerce Malaysia had questioned Petronas’ commitment to supporting Bumiputera businesses in awarding this contract.
