Founder Energy Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Founder Group Limited, has secured a RM4.7 million contract to develop a 1.4 MWp rooftop solar project for an integrated shrimp farming operator in Bandar Permaisuri, Terengganu, Malaysia.
The turnkey engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning (EPCC) project will cover three locations operated by the aquaculture company. The contract also marks Founder Energy’s entry into the aquaculture sector, expanding its commercial solar business into a new energy-intensive industry.
Under the agreement, Founder Energy will supply and install solar panels, inverters, mounting structures, cabling and other associated equipment. The company will also work with Malaysia’s national electricity utility, Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), to facilitate the project’s grid connection.
The project comes as Malaysia continues to accelerate renewable energy deployment under its National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR), which targets a 70% renewable energy capacity share by 2050. Programs such as CRESS, Solar ATAP and the Large Scale Solar (LSS) initiative are also supporting the country’s clean-energy expansion.
For aquaculture businesses, electricity is a major operating cost because facilities require continuous power for water pumps, aeration systems and other essential equipment. Rooftop solar can help such businesses reduce electricity expenses while limiting exposure to changing power tariffs.
Founder Energy also plans to strengthen its solar offering through AI-enabled operations and maintenance (O&M) solutions. These include automated fault detection, predictive maintenance and drone-based thermal and visual inspections to identify potential panel and system issues.
The company said the project demonstrates the potential for commercial rooftop solar in energy-intensive farming and industrial operations. With continuous electricity requirements and growing pressure to reduce operating costs and emissions, aquaculture could become an emerging market for distributed solar solutions in Malaysia.
