The government, via the Ministry of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change (MESTECC), aims to raise its net energy metering (NEM) programme output to 300 megawatts (MW) this year.
The Minister of the MESTECC stated that last year, the Sustainable Energy Development Authority Malaysia (SEDA) approved 102MW under the Malaysia Net Energy Metering (NEM) Programme, adding that the 300MW target can be achieved through the new NEM policy implemented last year.
Under the new NEM policy, Malaysia is using a ‘one-on-one’ offset basis, whereby if the energy generated is purchased at 50 sen, it is sold at 50 sen, and this worthwhile investment saw a high take-up rate which led to the generation of 102MW in clean energy last year.
This is 3.7 times more than what was achieved between 2016-2018, which was only 27.8MW, reporters were told during a press conference at the launch of the Rooftop Solar PV System project in Lipa Kajang on 6 January 2020. Also present were other senior government officials and industry players.
Under the NEM programme, the energy produced by the solar photovoltaic (PV) system is first utilised and any excess can be sold to the only electric utility company in Peninsular Malaysia.
The programme is an initiative by MESTECC to boost renewable energy (RE) use in Malaysia.
The RM60 million Rooftop Solar PV System project is the country’s largest NEM project, capable of generating 31MW when it is completed.
However, the minister noted that more effort is needed to boost RE in Malaysia, as the 300MW target is relatively small compared to consumers’ daily power demand of 18 gigawatts (GW).
The electrical grid is capable of supplying 24GW so we can meet the demand.
When solar power potential is looked at from the technical aspects, the country has about four million buildings that can be equipped with solar PV panels, which would be capable of producing 37GW, and this can be achieved by increasing green technology awareness.
Meanwhile, it was noted that the Rooftop Solar PV System will provide RM15.9 million of savings annually for the company in terms of electricity cost and reducing carbon discharge by 39,649 tonnes annually.
The government has finished phase one of the project involving 12MW and phase two (7MW) and is currently building phase three (12MW).
Pushing Green Tech in Malaysia
OpenGov Asia reported earlier that Malaysia will continue to advocate and strengthen maritime and oceanographic research for a sustainable South China Sea as many nations sharing the sea depend on its living and non-living natural resources for food, trade, transport, tourism and security.
The Deputy Secretary-General of the Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Ministry stated that, unfortunately, the South China Sea is facing a plethora of threats from climate change, pollution and over-exploitation of its resources, including modifications of coastal and natural marine environments.
Therefore, the ministry will play its role in ensuring environmental sustainability which is pollution-free and resistant to the threats of climate change.
The Malaysian government also stated that the country is pushing for more green technology to be adopted.
In early 2019, the Malaysian state of Kedah announced that it is inviting investors to develop more green technology-based projects in the state, especially those relating to solar power.
The state’s Chief Minister said this would not only create more jobs but also establish many new business opportunities in terms of the handling, maintenance and installation of solar panels at commercial and residential premises.
The Chief Minister noted that the state government is also evaluating the entry of several new solar projects, seeing as similar solar projects are now becoming increasingly popular not only in Malaysia but around the world.
