Brunei intends to develop hydropower to diversify its energy mix, media reported. Temburong Basin has potential of producing 300 gigawatt hours each year. Hydropower option is being pursued in Brunei despite high economic investment and negative environmental impact. Solar energy was another alternative energy source being considered as a viable source of renewable energy in the country.
A proposed solar project with 1.2 megawatt capacity will be built and commissioned in 2010, media reported.
Solar installation is only 1% of Brunie’s 5,270 square meters of land. And it would produce a 26,350 megawatt hour (MWh) capacity of electricity generation per day, or 9,617,750 MWh per year, far more than the total electricity generation of 2,929,000 MWh for the entire country in 2006.
The country is also considering the potential of coal, especially cabled methane.
Alternative energy sources are being looked at by the country to ensure the sustainability of the country without a heavy dependence on its petroleum resources.
Since, the country’s hydrocarbon reserves continued to deplete and costs of production became higher, Brunei had to keep up with the development of alternative energy technologies and analyze their viabilities for future deployment.