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Muhammad Zulhusni
12th October 2026
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U Mobile and Malaysian renewable energy developer HLGY Energy have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to explore the use of private 5G networks for monitoring and managing solar farms in Malaysia.
The collaboration will examine how U Mobile’s ULTRA5G network can support industrial automation and remote monitoring across large-scale solar installations. The companies also plan to assess applications involving AI, autonomous drones, and surveillance systems.
Under the agreement, U Mobile will serve as HLGY Energy’s innovation, automation, and communications infrastructure provider. The companies will explore deploying a dedicated private 5G network to connect equipment and monitoring systems across solar farm facilities.
Utility-scale solar farms rely on monitoring systems that collect operational data from equipment distributed across large outdoor sites. These systems track the performance of solar inverters, photovoltaic arrays, and other electrical equipment, while environmental sensors provide information about conditions affecting electricity generation.
A February 2026 report by the International Energy Agency’s Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme (IEA PVPS) examined the use of digital monitoring, IoT technologies, and standardised data models in solar plant operations. It identified interoperability and cybersecurity as important considerations when connecting photovoltaic equipment with digital monitoring platforms.
According to the 5G Alliance for Connected Industries and Automation (5G-ACIA), industrial applications have different requirements for data rates, latency, and reliability. Equipment monitoring typically involves smaller data transmissions, while surveillance cameras and drone inspections can require greater network capacity.
Wired infrastructure, including fibre-optic connections and industrial Ethernet networks, is commonly used to connect fixed industrial equipment. 5G-ACIA has documented how 5G can be integrated with industrial Ethernet, allowing wireless devices to communicate with existing wired systems through compatible network configurations.
Deploying private 5G across large outdoor facilities requires planning for radio coverage, interference, and network capacity. Network design must also account for the reliability and performance requirements of connected industrial applications.
U Mobile and HLGY Energy have not disclosed the proposed network architecture, coverage area, or performance requirements, including how the system would integrate with existing wired infrastructure.
The proposed applications include autonomous drone inspections, AI-powered analytics, and smart CCTV surveillance. The companies intend to use these technologies for remote monitoring, earlier fault detection, and faster responses to maintenance needs.
Drone-based inspections are already used in the solar industry to assess photovoltaic equipment. According to an IEA PVPS technical report on infrared and electroluminescence imaging, thermal cameras can detect hot spots, installation defects, and other abnormalities affecting solar modules without requiring physical contact with the equipment.
Drones equipped with infrared cameras can inspect large areas of solar installations and collect images for fault detection. Whether this imagery is stored onboard or transmitted during flight affects the communications capacity required by the inspection system.
U Mobile and HLGY Energy have not specified the sensors or data transmission methods planned for their proposed autonomous drone inspections.
U Mobile chief business officer How Lih Ren said the collaboration would bring together private 5G connectivity, AI, and industrial automation to support HLGY Energy’s renewable energy operations. He also outlined U Mobile’s intention to expand its role in providing digital solutions to Malaysian enterprises.
Beyond monitoring and inspections, the collaboration will explore integrating AI with solar generation and battery energy storage systems (BESS) to manage when electricity is stored and supplied.
HLGY Energy said the proposed integration is intended to reduce electricity costs and extend equipment lifespan. The companies have not disclosed performance targets or results from the proposed system.
HLGY Energy chairman and executive director Kenneth Yap said the collaboration would bring together the company’s solar energy expertise and U Mobile’s private 5G connectivity to “explore how AI and automation can improve the way we operate and manage our solar assets.”
HLGY Energy develops and operates utility-scale solar projects in Malaysia, including the Kedah Rubber City Solar Power Plant. The company is also involved in renewable energy initiatives under the Corporate Renewable Energy Supply Scheme (CRESS), which allows eligible businesses to purchase renewable electricity through the national grid.
The agreement remains at the exploration stage, with no confirmed deployment timeline, participating solar farm locations, or disclosed financial terms.
(Photo by American Public Power Association)
See also: UniFi expands industrial networking line with switches and U7 access point
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Muhammad Zulhusni
Journalist
12th October 2026
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