Brunei Residential Rooftop Solar Power Generation Potential Study Based on National House Development Plan

¹ Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Brunei, Jalan Tungku Link Gadong BE1410 Brunei Darussalam.
² Department of Engineering Technology and Didactic Energy Technology and Computer Science, Technical University of Denmark, Lautrupvang 15, Ballerup, T1.16, 2750 Ballerup, Denmark.

^* Corresponding author: asiah.muhamad@utb.edu.bn

Published online: 21 May 2025

Abstract

Brunei aims to achieve approximately 600 MW of electricity generation by 2035 and about 1200 MW by 2050. Given that the country has limited land resources, it prioritizes agriculture, with around 55% of the land designated for forest preservation. Therefore, this study proposes that Brunei consider investing in residential rooftop photovoltaic (PV) systems as an alternative means of energy generation. The residential sector in Brunei primarily consists of detached, semi-detached, and terrace houses, with about 60% of households living in detached houses, 10% in semi-detached houses, and 16% in terrace houses. These types of homes typically have spacious rooftops suitable for installing PV panels. This study utilized building plans from the National Housing Scheme (RPN) in Brunei to estimate the average residential rooftop area available for solar panel installations. The findings indicate that investing in residential rooftop PV systems could be highly beneficial for the country regarding solar electricity generation. The total residential rooftop area in Brunei is estimated to be between 4,219,902 m² and 8,051,467 m², which has the potential to generate between 787 GWh and 1,501 GWh of electricity annually. This energy production represents about 19% to 36% of the current national electricity generation.