Saturday 12 Oct 2024
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This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily on January 17, 2019 - January 23, 2019

KUALA LUMPUR: Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) is seeking to buy into one of India’s largest rooftop solar power producers, Indian business newspaper Mint reported yesterday.

Quoting sources, the report said Petronas is currently in talks with private equity firm I Squared Capital to buy into Amplus Energy Solutions Pvt Ltd in a deal that could be worth 2,700 crore rupees (RM1.56 billion).

Amplus, which was founded in 2010, has already set up solar power generation capacity of 350mw across India, the report said. In 2015, I Squared Capital invested US$150 million in the solar energy firm.

“The talks are on for Petronas to acquire a majority stake in Amplus,” Mint quoted one source as saying. Another source, who also did not want to be named, confirmed the development.

Apart from Petronas, Amplus has also garnered the attention of other oil majors including Norway’s Statoil ASA, France’s Total SA and Royal Dutch Shell plc, according to the report.

Globally, oil majors have begun venturing into renewable energy amid the volatile oil market as well as increasing demand for cleaner energy sources.

Back home, Petronas already has some small solar power assets such as its plant in Gebeng,

Pahang, and has conducted research on solar panels on the rooftop of the Suria KLCC mall.

Last November, Reuters reported that Petronas had set up a new business within the group to look into the renewable energy sector.

The renewable energy push is one of Petronas’ three-pronged growth strategy aside from extending the value chain and maximising cash generation, president and group chief executive officer Tan Sri Wan Zulkiflee Wan Ariffin said in an interview in December.

Malaysia, where Petronas is based in, is undertaking a third round of large-scale solar project tenders worth an estimated RM2 billion, with 500mw generation capacity.

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