PETALING JAYA: The government plans to cover the roofs of residential buildings with solar panels, among other incentives, to increase the use of renewable energy (RE) under the recently launched National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR).
Finance Minister Ravji Ramli said it was currently "very difficult" to convince a family of four to buy and install solar panels on their roof for Rs 20,000.
That's why we're breaking it down. Instead of charging each household for an expensive solar panel, we provide you with an income opportunity.
“In every home, we want to give families the opportunity to rent their roofs for a monthly income that can lower their electric bills and put more money in their pockets,” he said. .
He said the government's vision is to install solar panels across the country, including homes, mosques, auditoriums and factories.
He also said that the government is taking initiatives to allocate RM80 million for the installation of solar panels on the roofs of government buildings.
Pilot project
As part of its rooftop solar initiative, Rafizi said Sim Derby Property Bhd has committed to installing 4.5 MW of solar power across 450 homes in Elmira and Bandar Bukit Raja, Selangor, up to 10 kW per home.
The focus of the initiative is large-scale housing construction, Rafji said, and working with SIM Derby is something that can be done commercially without government funding.
"Mid- and upper-range real estate buyers who want solar are already buying," Rafji later told reporters.
However, the details of this project at Sim Derby Properties are unclear as it is unclear whether the huge cost of installing the solar panels will be borne by the homebuyer, the developer or some other party.
Whether this initiative will work for affordable or affordable housing is debatable.
The changing economics of renewable energy
The NETR is an interim action document to achieve Malaysia's net zero carbon emissions target.
The roadmap aims to transform the economy by changing the economics of renewable energy and making it profitable for businesses and households to participate.
In addition, it seeks to transform livelihoods by providing income generation opportunities for households through the use and installation of solar energy, biomass, biofuels, and green movement initiatives.
The first phase of NETR provides for the construction of five large-scale central solar parks with a capacity of 100 MW each, jointly developed by TNB.
The utility group will also build a 2.5 GW floating solar hybrid project on top of the hydroelectric dam. The second phase of NETR will begin in August.
