According to the Energy Commission, in 2019, the electricity generation mix for Malaysia was mainly coal (42.8%) and gas (40.2%) while hydro power only made up 14.5%.
Solar power is the cheapest form of renewable energy, and one thing Malaysia has plenty of is sunshine, yet we are falling behind regionally in how much clean energy we produce. — AFP
Last month, the International Renewable Energy Agency warned in a report that Malaysia is falling behind other countries in the region on renewable energy production. Irena director-general Francesco La Camera said that Malaysia would now need to double its investment in the transition from fossil fuels to renewables to at least US$375bil if we hope to fulfil our international pledge of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Malaysia has set a deadline to have RE at 31% of its power generation mix by 2025 and 40% by 2035. Large-scale solar schemes like those run by Tenaga Nasional Bhd in Kuala Langat, Selangor, and Bukit Selambau, Kedah, can supply up to 30,000 homes with electricity; but experts argue that much of the targeted installed solar capacity of 4,706MW by 2025 will actually come from rooftop installations on residential units and commercial buildings.
“This has driven innovation in technical enablers, such as energy storage systems and grid connectivity,” he says. Like Chong, The Energy Institute managing director for Asia-Pacific Peter Godfrey does not feel that the pricing of solar panels is the issue. He explains that for members of the public and local companies to take a greater interest in RE, it will require greater use of “carrots, sticks, and hugs”.
As a result, local solar panel installation companies have reported a tripling of enquiries from businesses between January and February this year.For that to happen, Godfrey says, there must be a commercial environment that attracts investment in scaled development of RE within the country. “It also requires an approach that drives stable and predictable policy development and, even more importantly, a recognition that moves towards RE and other energy transition priorities, such as decarbonisation, circular economy, more efficient use of energy, and other resources as well as environmental issues such as biodiversity,” he says.
While fielding a question during the townhall, Rafizi warned that should Malaysia choose not to sell to Singapore, other countries, like Indonesia, would snap up the opportunity.“Because with this, we can hopefully negotiate and attract the green funds and technology,” he said.
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