GEORGE TOWN: Renesas Semiconductor (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd launched the second phase of its solar energy project with the development of a building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) car park system, expected to avoid about 720 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions annually upon completion.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the project demonstrated Renesas’ commitment to sustainability while supporting Penang’s aspiration of becoming a greener and smarter state.
“This solar panel car park is more than a facility. It is a practical and forward-thinking solution that maximises space utilisation while generating clean energy,” he said in his speech during its launch at Bayan Lepas today.
“I am pleased to note that this installation is expected to avoid approximately 720 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually, a meaningful contribution towards reducing environmental impact and supporting our collective climate goals.”
Chow said the initiative reflected the company’s commitment to improving energy efficiency and integrating sustainability into its daily operations, delivering both environmental and long-term economic value.
He said the state government remained committed to advancing renewable energy under the Penang2030 Vision through initiatives such as the Penang Energy Framework and encouraged more companies to invest in clean energy.
“We strongly encourage more companies to take similar steps, as the transition to clean energy requires close collaboration between government and industry.”
The chief minister said Renesas’ efforts demonstrated that “sustainability is not just a responsibility, but also a strategic investment for long-term growth and resilience”.
The second phase of the project sees the construction of a BIPV car park system covering about 211 parking bays, adding 697 kilowatt-peak (kWp) of solar generation capacity. Construction began at the end of June and is expected to be completed by September.
The new installation builds on the company’s first-phase rooftop solar project, completed in the first quarter of this year, which has an installed capacity of 3,152kWp and is expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 3,264 tonnes annually.
Together, both phases will give Renesas a total installed solar capacity of 3,849kWp, with a combined estimated annual reduction of 3,984 tonnes of CO₂ emissions.
Meanwhile, vice-president and global head of Renesas internal manufacturing sites Ooi Heng Ee announced that the company is planning to invest an additional RM480 million to expand its manufacturing capabilities for artificial intelligence-related products in Penang.
The expansion is expected to create about 400 new jobs, providing opportunities for Malaysians to participate in the rapidly growing semiconductor and AI industries.
“We are also entering an exciting new phase of growth,” he said.
Ooi said the investment would strengthen Renesas Malaysia’s role within the company’s global manufacturing network, producing advanced automotive power devices, analogue mixed-signal integrated circuits and smart power products.
He said the company was also transforming its operations through its Smart Factory initiative by leveraging automation, digitalisation, artificial intelligence and advanced analytics to improve productivity, quality and sustainability.
“Our long-term vision is to advance towards Lights-Out Production, where highly automated manufacturing operations can run with minimal human intervention while maintaining world-class standards of efficiency and quality,” he said.
Ooi said sustainability remained a key pillar of the company’s long-term strategy.
“While technology drives our business, sustainability remains a key pillar of our future,” he said.
Established in 1972, Renesas Semiconductor Malaysia is among Penang’s pioneering multinational semiconductor companies and is part of the state’s renowned “Eight Samurai” that helped establish Penang as a global electronics and semiconductor manufacturing hub.
