A lot of people will get enthusiastic if you talk about “solar malaysia“. It’s hard to ignore the people who are getting together over teh tarik to speak about kilowatts and government rules. The solar scene here is like a pasar malam in 2024: there are a lot of colors, commotion, and discounts every now and then.
City rooftops are currently covered in photovoltaic panels. The government’s Large Scale Solar (LSS) projects have made the market go crazy. LSS4 got offers for about 1,000 MW in 2023 alone. The change isn’t only for big companies. A lot of people who own houses and businesses have signed up for the Net Energy Metering (NEM) program. Malaysians may now sell their extra solar power back to the grid more easily thanks to NEM 3.0. Yes, you can buy and sell at the same time. Smart people call it the “prosumer” age. It may not be the most catchy phrase, but it gets the job done.
Every good story has its flaws, of course. The price is an issue. Malaysians are still unsure because putting up solar panels costs a lot of money. Tax breaks and bank loans have sped things up, but many people are still unhappy. Some people think that the support system isn’t particularly robust, especially for small businesses and households in kampung. A teacher from Seremban grinned and pointed at her new, shiny panels, but she frowned as she talked about the bill that was due immediately away.
There will be changes to the rules. The NETR aspires to make renewables 31% of the energy mix by 2025. At the moment, solar power makes up around 5% of the electricity mix. What does the government want? To turn the rising sun become more than merely a sign. It is clear that investors have seen it. Big businesses like Petronas, TNB, and YTL have gone into solar energy by making big agreements and putting up solar farms that are as big as several football fields.
So, where is Malaysia’s solar power going? There is no dispute about the momentum. Solar power is no longer just a dream; it’s a genuine option for people who live in cities and want to save money on their bills or in isolated villages and want light at night. The next five years will shape Malaysia’s future with solar power, one dazzling rooftop at a time.