U Mobile is taking its 5G network into the solar business. The telco has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with HLGY Energy Sdn Bhd to develop smart solar farm solutions in Malaysia, built on U Mobile's ULTRA5G network and combining private 5G connectivity, artificial intelligence and industrial automation to run and monitor solar farm operations.
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What the two companies plan to build
Under the MoU, the pair will explore deploying a private 5G network to act as the digital backbone of a smart solar farm, with U Mobile serving as HLGY Energy's innovation, automation and communications infrastructure provider. The appeal of a dedicated network is a secure, reliable connection that can carry data-heavy jobs a shared public network would struggle with, including autonomous drone inspections of panels, AI-powered analytics and smart CCTV surveillance. Together those are meant to allow remote monitoring, earlier detection of faults and faster response to operational and maintenance needs.
HLGY Energy is a Malaysian renewable energy developer that builds and operates utility-scale solar under the country's Corporate Renewable Energy Supply Scheme (CRESS), including the Kedah Rubber City Solar Power Plant.
Why 5G and AI on a solar farm
A solar farm is spread across a wide site with thousands of panels, so spotting a failing string or a soiled panel early has a direct effect on how much power it produces and how long the hardware lasts. The companies are betting that automation and analytics running over a private 5G link can do that watching continuously, rather than relying on periodic manual checks.
Kenneth Yap, Chairman and Executive Director of HLGY Energy, said that pairing AI with solar generation and Battery Energy Storage Systems can optimise when energy is stored and supplied, help reduce electricity costs and extend equipment life. "As we advance our ambitions under CRESS, we aim to make clean energy a dependable choice for businesses," he said.
An enterprise play for U Mobile
For U Mobile, the deal is part of a push to sell its network to businesses rather than only to phone users. Its ULTRA5G network has been recognised by Ookla and Opensignal for speed and availability, and the operator recently hit 90% nationwide 5G coverage, nine months ahead of schedule. It has also been signing enterprise deals that lean on AI, including a first Malaysian telco AI partnership with Tencent Cloud.
"Beyond connectivity, our ambition is to be a trusted digital solutions partner to enterprises across Malaysia," said How Lih Ren, Chief Business Officer of U Mobile.
The MoU is an agreement to explore rather than a finished build, so the real test will be whether the private 5G network and the AI tooling reach a working solar site. If they do, it is an early sign of Malaysia's telecoms and renewable energy industries starting to run on the same infrastructure.
