The government of Malaysia has given the green light to 13 large-scale solar projects with a cumulative capacity of 1,975 MW.

The approvals conclude the fifth bidding round of the country’s large-scale solar programme, which opened for applications in January.

Aiming to procure 2 GW, the bidding round received 37 applications across two bid packages for a total capacity in excess of 4 GW, according to a statement published by Malaysia’s Ministry of Energy Transition and Water Transformation (Petra).

Petra says the 13 selected bidders complied with all the requirements set out in the request for proposals. The approved capacity during the scheme's fifth round is the largest agreed on since the LSS program was implemented in 2016. The scheme has now approved 4,263 MW of large-scale solar projects in total.

The ministry added that the newly-approved projects will begin generating electricity in 2027 and 2028.

Among the projects is a 200 MW floating solar array, one of Malaysia’s largest to date, PETRA says. Further individual project details are yet to be disclosed.

Malaysia’s cumulative solar capacity reached 2,306 MW by the end of 2024, up from 2,146 MW at the end of 2023, according to statistics published by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). The country has set a target of achieving a 40% renewable energy share in its national energy mix by 2040.

Last month, subsidiaries belonging to Malaysian companies Gentari and Gamuda revealed plans to develop 1.5 GW of solar tied to battery energy storage to supply hyperscale data centers located in Malaysia.