SEDA MALAYSIAi

MALAYSIA RENEWABLE ENERGY ROADMAPii

SEDA MALAYSIAi© SEDA Malaysia 2021.
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Published by
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (SEDA) MALAYSIA
Galeria PjH, Aras 9, Jalan P4W,
Persiaran Perdana, Presint 4,62100 Putrajaya
Malaysia
Tel: 603 8870 5800 Fax: 603 8870 5900
www.seda.gov.my
ISBN No. : 978-967-26643-0-7

MALAYSIA RENEWABLE ENERGY ROADMAPii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

This study is funded by Malaysia Electric Supply Industries Trust Account (MESITA) Fund.
SEDA wish to thank the following organisations for their valuable contributions and inputs in completing this roadmap: the Economic
Planning Unit (EPU), the Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities (MPIC), the Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT),
the Ministry of Utilities (MoU) Sarawak, State governments – Unit Perancang Ekonomi Negeri (UPEN), Suruhanjaya Tenaga (ST), Securities
Commission (SC), Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA), National Solid Waste Management Department (JPSPN),
Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB), Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), Single Buyer (SB) of Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah, Grid System
Operator (GSO), Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB), Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB), Malaysian Photovoltaic Industry Association (MPIA),
Malaysia Small Hydro Industry Association (MAHSIA), Malaysia Biomass Industries Confederation (MBIC), Biogas Association Malaysia,
Malaysian Gas Association, RE industry players, and financial institutions.
SEDA would also like to thank the experts from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the International Renewable Energy Agency(IRENA) for their peer reviews.

SEDA MALAYSIAiii

TABLE OFCONTENTS
LIST OF FIGURESIVLIST OF ABBREVIATIONSVIIEXECUTIVE SUMMARY

X

1.

02
03
03
04
04
05
05
05

INTRODUCTION
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5
1.5
1.6

2.

THE CONTEXT OF GLOBAL AND REGIONAL ENERGY TRENDS
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4

3.

Retained scenarios for renewable capacity evolution
Scenarios to 2025
Scenarios to 2035

STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK AND INITIATIVES FOR 2025 AND 2035
6.1
6.2
6.3
6.4
6.5

7.

Renewable energy resource availability
Existing installed capacity as of 2020
Existing RE programmes
Key challenges faced by the RE industry

RENEWABLE ENERGY CAPACITY MIX TO 2035
5.1
5.2
5.3

6.

Malaysia’s energy landscape
Malaysia’s power landscape

RENEWABLES IN MALAYSIA
4.1
4.2
4.3
4.4

5.

Global energy trends to 2040
Renewable energy trends – Global
Renewable energy trends – Southeast Asia
Selected international benchmarks

MALAYSIA’S ENERGY AND POWER LANDSCAPE
3.1
3.2

4.

Context
The role of energy sector in post-pandemic economic recovery
Definition of renewable energy for MyRER
Objectives and scope
Guiding principles
Nationally Determined Contribution
Scenarios for RE capacity evolution to 2035

Solar pillar
Bioenergy pillar
Hydro pillar
New solutions and resources pillars
Enabling initiatives

RE 2025 AND 2035 TRANSITION OUTCOMES
7.1
7.2

RE 2025 transition outcomes
RE 2035 transition outcomes

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35
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LIST OFFIGURES
Figure 0-1
Figure 0-2
Figure 0-3
Figure 0-4
Figure 0-5
Figure 0-6
Figure 0-7
Figure 0-8: MyRER strategic framework: Guiding principles for the pursuit of reliable green power: Summary of RE capacity evolution and RE share in the MyRER: Summary of RE resource potential in Malaysia: RE Capacity Mix to achieve the target in 2025
: RE Capacity Mix to achieve the target in 2035
: Summary of impact on jobs and investments in the MyRER: Summary of impact on carbon emissions in the MyRER

Figure 1-1
Figure 1-2: Scope covered in MyRER: Guidelines principles for the pursuit of reliable green power

XI
XII
XIII
XIV
XIV
XV
XVII
XVIII
04
05

: Global primary energy demand by region (IEA New Policies Scenario), 2000 – 2040F: Global primary energy demand by fuel based on IEA New Policies Scenario, 2000 – 2040F: Global final energy consumption by fuel type, 2000 – 2040F: Global renewable energy installed capacity, 2012-2020: Global power capacity additions by energy type, 2001-2020: PEST analysis of key drivers of renewable power generation: RE support schemes by number of countries, 2004-2016: Government support mechanisms or policies for renewable energy: Proportion of M&A transaction on renewable asset (including secondary transactions) done
by financial investors in Europe
Figure 2-10 : New configurations and business models
Figure 2-11 : Average levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) for utility scale renewable technologies
Figure 2-12 : Evolution of RE capacity by source in Southeast Asia
Figure 2-13 : Comparison of installed capacity by type of RE between global and Southeast Asia, 2020
Figure 2-14 : Evolution of installed capacity by fuel in Germany, 2002-2018
Figure 2-15 : Electricity consumption and installed capacity in Germany, 2002-2018
Figure 2-16 : Net generation capacity additions by fuel in India, 2011-2017
Figure 2-17 : Lowest bid at reverse solar auctions in India, 2010-2019
Figure 2-18 : Overview of renewable share targets in major ASEAN countries

09
10
10
11
12
12
13
14
15

Figure 3-1
Figure 3-2
Figure 3-3
Figure 3-4
Figure 3-5

27
28
29
30
31

Figure 2-1
Figure 2-2
Figure 2-3
Figure 2-4
Figure 2-5
Figure 2-6
Figure 2-7
Figure 2-8
Figure 2-9: Primary energy supply and final energy consumption, 2018
: Historical electricity consumption by sector and region: On-grid installed capacity by region, 1995-2018: Energy input in Malaysia power stations, 1978 – 2018
: Import and export balance for power generation fuels

Figure 4-1 : Summary of resource potential
Figure 4-2 : Solar irradiance in Malaysia
Figure 4-3 : Solar PV resource availability by installation and by region
Figure 4-4 : Floating solar PV resource potential and water bodies
Figure 4-5 : Summary of buildings assessed for rooftop solar PV
Figure 4-6 : Overview of bioenergy resource availability in Malaysia
Figure 4-7 : Small hydro resource potential
Figure 4-8 : Large hydro resource potential
Figure 4-9 : Geothermal resource – Ulu Slim and Tawau resource potential
Figure 4-10 : Wind map study of Malaysia

16
16
18
18
19
20
20
21
22

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37
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Figure 4-11 : Renewable energy installed capacity
Figure 4-12 : Cumulative RE capacity for Malaysia, 2012-2020
Figure 4-13 : Existing installed capacities by RE support mechanisms in Malaysia
Figure 4-14 : Key RE programmes in Malaysia, by technology

44
44
46
47

Figure 5-1
Figure 5-2
Figure 5-3
Figure 5-4
Figure 5-5: Planned 2025 capacity – BAU scenario: Planned 2025 capacity by region – BAU scenario: Planned 2025 capacity – New Capacity Target scenario: Solar penetration limit assessment for Peninsular Malaysia from the DNV-GL study: Breakdown of additions for RE capacity for Malaysia up to 2025
– New Capacity Target scenario
Figure 5-6 : 2025 capacity by region – New Capacity Target scenario
Figure 5-7 : 2035 capacity – BAU scenario
Figure 5-8 : 2035 capacity by region - BAU scenario
Figure 5-9 : 2035 capacity – New Capacity Target scenario
Figure 5-10 : Breakdown of additions for RE capacity for Malaysia post 2025
– New Capacity Target scenario
Figure 5-11 : 2035 RE capacity by region – New Capacity Target scenario
Figure 5-12 : Summary of RE capacity – BAU vs New Capacity Target
Figure 5-13 : Summary of RE capacity and generation – BAU vs New Capacity Target

56
57
58
58
59

Figure 6-1 : Strategic framework for 2035
Figure 6-2 : MyRER roadmap
Figure 6-3 : Solar initiatives
Figure 6-4 : Government rooftop tendering
Figure 6-5 : Proposed transition to Future NEM
Figure 6-6 : New business models for rooftop and LSS
Figure 6-7 : Concept of pilot P2P project in Malaysia
Figure 6-8 : P2P energy arbitrage opportunities in Peninsular Malaysia based on existing tariff bands
Figure 6-9 : Bioenergy initiatives
Figure 6-10 : Hydro initiatives
Figure 6-11 : Small and mini hydro sites identification process
Figure 6-12 : New solution and resources initiatives
Figure 6-13 : Load profiles on low-demand days and role of energy storage under solar PV capacity
Figure 6-14 : Energy storage applications and technologies
Figure 6-15 : Illustrative model for the type of energy storage deployment options
Figure 6-16 : Key enabling initiatives
Figure 6-17 : Evolution of PPAs
Figure 6-18 : REC strategies
Figure 6-19 : Potential volume of REC generation in Malaysia, 2020-2025 for the New Capacity Target
scenario
Figure 6-20 : Peninsular Malaysia’s load profile at different PV penetration
Figure 6-21 : Enhanced TOU scheme implemented by TNB

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70
71
72
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74
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76
79
83
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86
88
89
90
91
92
95
96

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60
60
61
61
62
63
63

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101

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Figure 7-1: Comparison of Malaysia capacity mix for BAU and New Capacity Target scenarios
for 2020 and 2025
Figure 7-2 : Capacity mix for Malaysia for BAU and New Capacity Target scenarios, 2020-2025
Figure 7-3 : Comparison of Malaysia generation mix for BAU and New Capacity Target scenarios
for 2021 and 2025
Figure 7-4 : Generation mix for Malaysia for BAU and New Capacity Target scenarios, 2020-2025
Figure 7-5 : Comparison of carbon emissions impact for BAU and New Capacity Target scenarios
for 2025
Figure 7-6 : Total GHG emission for Malaysia for BAU and New Capacity Target scenarios, 2021-2025
Figure 7-7 : Comparison of key socio-economic impact indicators for BAU and New Capacity
Target scenarios for 2025
Figure 7-8 : Cumulative capital investment by technology for BAU and New Capacity Target
scenarios by 2025
Figure 7-9 : Total employment by technology for BAU and New Capacity Target scenarios in 2025
Figure 7-10 : Comparison of Malaysia capacity mix for BAU and New Capacity Target scenarios
for 2020 and 2035
Figure 7-11 : Capacity mix for Malaysia for BAU and New Capcity Target scenarios, 2020-2035
Figure 7-12 : Comparison of Malaysia generation mix for BAU and New Capacity Target scenarios
for 2021 and 2035
Figure 7-13 : Generation mix for Malaysia for BAU and New Capacity Target scenarios, 2021-2035
Figure 7-14 : Comparison of carbon emissions impact for BAU and New Capacity Target
scenarios in 2035
Figure 7-15 : Total GHG emission in Malaysia for 2026 to 2035
Figure 7-16 : Target emission Intensity corresponding to NDC
Figure 7-17 : Comparison of key socio-economic impact indicators for BAU and New Capacity Target
scenarios 2035
Figure 7-18 : Cumulative investment by technology for BAU and New Capacity Target scenarios
for 2026 to 2035
Figure 7-19 : Total employment by technology for BAU and New Capacity Target scenarios in 2035

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LIST OFABBREVIATIONS
4IR

Fourth Industrial Revolution

ACE

ASEAN Center of Energy

AI

Artificial intelligence

APAC

Asia Pacific

APAEC

ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation

ASEAN

Association of Southeast Asian Nations

BAU

Business as Usualbn

Billion

Btoe

Billion metric tons oil equivalent

BNEF

Bloomberg New Energy Finance

BUR

Biennial Update Report

C&I

Commercial and industrial

CAGR

Compound annual growth rate

CAPEX

Capital expenditure

CNG

Compressed natural gas

CO2

Carbon dioxide

COD

Commercial operational date

DFI

Development financial institution

DL

Distribution licensee

EFB

Empty fruit bunch

EMEA

Europe, Middle East and Africa

EPC

Engineering, procurement, and constructioneq

Equivalent

ESG

Environmental, social and governance

EU

European Union

FFB

Fresh fruit bunch

FiT

Feed-in Tariff

FoF

Fund-of-funds

GCF

Green Climate FundGDP

Gross domestic product

GHG

Greenhouse gas

GITAGreen Investment Tax Allowance

GITE

Green Income Tax Exemption

GSO

Grid System Operator

GTFS

Green Technology Financing Scheme

GW

Gigawatt

GWh

Gigawatt hour

HVHigh voltage

MALAYSIA RENEWABLE ENERGY ROADMAP

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IEA

International Energy Agency

IoTInternet of Things

IPCC

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

IPP

Independent power producer

IRENAInternational Renewable Energy Agency

IRR

Internal rate of return

JPPPET

Jawatankuasa Perancangan dan Pelaksanaan Pembekalan Elektrik dan Tarif (Planning and Implementation
Committee for Electricity Supply and Tariff)

JPSPN

Jabatan Pengurusan Sisa Pepejal Negara (National Solid Waste Management Department)

KeTSA

Kementerian Tenaga dan Sumber Asli (Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources)

KPKT

Kementerian Perumahan Dan Kerajaan Tempatan (Ministry of Housing and Local Government)

ktoe

Kilotonnes of oil equivalent

kW

Kilowatt

kWh

Kilowatt hour

kWh/m2

Kilowatt hour per meter squared

LCOE

Levelized cost of electricity

LNG

Liquefied natural gas

LPG

Liquefied petroleum gas

LSS

Large scale solar

LV

Low voltage

m/sMeter per second

M&A

Mergers and acquisitions

MAAQ

Maximum annual allowable quantity

MEIH

Malaysia Energy Information HubMF

Mesocarp fiber

MGFT

Malaysian Green Financing Taskforce

MIDA

Malaysian Investment Development Authority

MNRE

Ministry of Environment and Water (formerly known as Ministry of Natural Resource and Environment)

MOE

Ministry of Education

MOF

Ministry of Finance

MOH

Ministry of Health

MPOB

Malaysian Palm Oil Board

MSW

Municipal solid waste

Mtoe

Megatonne of oil equivalentMV

Medium voltage

MW

Megawatt

MWh

Megawatt hour

MyPower

Malaysia Programme Office for Power Electricity Reform

NAPIC

National Property Information Centre

NDC

Nationally determined contributions

NEDA

New Enhanced Dispatch Arrangement

NEM

Net Energy MeteringNGO

Non-Governmental Organisation

NREL

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

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NREPAP

National Renewable Energy Policy and Action Plan

O&M

Operations and maintenance

P2P

Peer-to-peer

PDP

Power Development Plan

PEST

Political, Economic, Social, and Technological

PKS

Palm kernel shellPM

Peninsular Malaysia

POME

Palm oil mill effluent

PPA

Power purchase agreement

QCE

Qualifying capital expenditure

RD&D

Research, Development & Demonstration

RE

Renewable energy

RECs

Renewable Energy Certificates

REN21

Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century

REPPA

RE power purchase agreement

RPVI

Registered PV investor

SARE

Supply Agreement for Renewable Energy

SB

Single Buyer

SCORE

Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy

SEA

Southeast Asia

SEB

Sarawak Energy Berhad

SEDA

Sustainable Energy Development Authority Malaysia

SELCO

Self-consumption

SESB

Sabah Electricity Sdn. Bhd.

SLA

Service level agreement

Solar PV

Solar photovoltaic

ST

Suruhanjaya Tenaga (Energy Commission)

T&O

Technical and operational

TNB

Tenaga Nasional Berhad

TOU

Time-of-use

TPA

Third-party access

UK

United Kingdom

UKAS

Unit Kerjasama Awam dan Swasta (Public Private Partnership Unit)

UNDP

United Nations Development Programme

UNFCCC

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

US

United States

V2G

Vehicle-to-grid

VNM

Virtual Net Metering

VOR

Variable operating rate

VRE

Variable renewable energy

WTE

Waste-to-energy

MALAYSIA RENEWABLE ENERGY ROADMAPx

EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY
RENEWABLE ENERGY IN MALAYSIA:THE TIMELINE
Renewable Energy (RE) was first introduced as the “fifth fuel” andan alternative source for the country’s power generation in 1999. It
was part of Government’s intent to diversify the energy mix in the
country. Various initiatives, programmes and strategies have since
been introduced and implemented to support the growth of RE
technologies throughout 2001-2020.
Under the Eighth Malaysia Plan (2001-2005), the Small Renewable
Energy Power (SREP) Programme was introduced, along with
the Biomass Power Generation and Cogen Full Scale Model
Demonstration (BIOGEN) Project, leveraging the readily available
oil palm-based by-products for small-scale electricity generation.
Ninth Malaysia Plan (2006-2010) recorded further progress, withthe development of rooftop solar becoming prominent throughthe Malaysia Building Integrated Photovoltaic (MBIPV) Project.
The MBIPV project focused on the policy development for gridconnected PV system, market and incentive measures andcapacity building programme for rooftop solar.
The programmes and projects implemented under the 8th and 9thplan led to the subsequent development of the National RE Policy
and Action Plan (NREPAP) in 2010; aiming to establish a policy
guide for RE development in Malaysia.

The initiative to promote RE growth progressed further under
the Eleventh Malaysia Plan (2016-2020). Solar auctioning androoftop solar quota were released for the very first time throughthe Large Scale Solar (LSS), Net Energy Metering (NEM) and SelfConsumption (SELCO) Programme. By the end of the 11th Plan,
the growth of RE capacity in Malaysia has been substantial, froma base of 53 MW of RE connected to the grid (without large hydro)
between 2001-2009 to a total installed capacity of 1.6GW between
2011-2015. By December 2020, cumulative RE capacity hadreached 2.8 GW, or 8.45 GW with the inclusion of all RE resources.
Moving forward, Malaysia aims to achieve a higher RE growth, fromthe existing 23% or 8.45 GW RE in its power installed capacity.
Malaysia Renewable Energy Roadmap (MyRER) projected toincrease the share of RE to 31% or 12.9 GW in 2025, and 40%
or 18.0 GW in 2035. The RE Initiatives under this roadmap are
expected to support Malaysia’s commitment to greenhouse gas(GHG) emission reduction under the Paris Agreement led by
the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change(UNFCCC). Malaysia’s global climate commitment is to reduce
its economy-wide carbon intensity (against GDP) of 45% in 2030
compared to 2005 level. Realization of the Government’s vision is
crucial in supporting the nation to achieve its Nationally Determined
Contributions (NDC) targets.

NREPAP further paved the path for RE development in the Tenth
Malaysia Plan (2011 – 2015), as one of the key new areas of growth
for the energy sector. During this period, the Renewable Energy Act
2011 (Act 725) and the Sustainable Energy Development Authority
Act 2011 (Act 726) were enacted, leading to the establishment of
Sustainable Energy Development Authority (SEDA) Malaysia as thedesignated authority for RE development in Malaysia. The Feedin-Tariff (FiT) scheme was also introduced and implemented in2011 to catalyse the growth of grid-connected RE in Peninsular
Malaysia, Sabah and Labuan.

1.

Total value of the goods and services produced denominated in MYR.

Image for illustration purpose only.

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THE ROLE OF ENERGY SECTOR IN
POST-PANDEMIC ECONOMIC RECOVERY

MALAYSIA RENEWABLE ENERGY ROADMAP(MyRER)The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the growth of global
economy. However, the RE sector was relatively resilient inwithstanding the economic adversity of the pandemic. Countries
around the world have embarked on accelerating the deploymentof RE as a two-pronged strategy for post-pandemic economic
recovery and sustainable energy transition.

Malaysia Renewable Energy Roadmap (MyRER) is a formulation ofa strategic framework (Figure 0-1) aimed at achieving 31% RE sharein the national capacity mix by 2025 and attaining decarbonisationof the electricity sector by 2035.
The MyRER vision is upheld by 4 technology-specific pillars and
4 enabling initiatives. The strategic framework calls for concerted
and coordinated actions from collaborations between various
stakeholders in allowing Malaysia to tap into the huge potential
made available through RE projects to promote improved
economic, environmental and social outcomes.

In Malaysia, a total of 1,000 MW of large-scale solar projects, 500
MW of solar rooftop quotas and 188 MW of non-solar quotas were
offered to allow investment opportunities and boost the country’s
post-pandemic economic growth. The pandemic situation has
also brought forth greater social and economic opportunity forbusinesses and policymakers in Malaysia to embark on greater
environmental, social and governance commitments. There are
increasing interest from corporations in Malaysia to realign theirstrategic path towards sustainability, as there is growing awarenessthat it is integral to financial health.
The need for post pandemic economic recovery and the need to bealigned with current energy megatrend, warrant for the Government
to review its medium and long-term targets and strategies for RE
development in the country. Therefore, this Malaysia Renewable
Energy Roadmap is introduced to realise the Government’s future
RE aspiration with an anticipated cumulative investment of MYR
53 billion and 46,336 numbers of job opportunities.

Image for illustration purpose only.

Figure 0-1: MyRER strategic framework

VisionPathway Towards Low Carbon Energy System

Technology
specificpillars

Enabling
initiatives

1 2 3 4
SOLAR

BIO-ENERGY

HYDROAccelerate rooftop PV
deployment and rollout
large scale solar to create
new business models

New business models
to leverage bio-energy
resources

Leverage fullhydro potential

5.1 Leverage future-proofing electricity market for RE opportunities

5.2 Improve access to financing

5.3 Shape human capital & infrastructure

5.4 Increase system flexibility

NEW SOLUTIONSAND RESOURCES(post-2025)

5

Explore development anddemonstration of newenergy technologies

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MyRER: THE MILESTONES AND ASPIRATIONSScenario 1
Fossil fuel generation sources remain dominant in the national
installed capacity mix. The share of RE in Malaysia remained
below the global and regional average. As of the end of 2020,
RE accounted for 23% of the national power installed capacity
compared to the global average of 37% and the Southeast Asia
regional average of 30%2. Hence, there is a pressing need toaccelerate RE deployment in Malaysia to meet the committed RE
and climate targets, by strengthening existing programmes andintroducing new approaches, in parallel with the Government’s
practices in future-proofing existing electricity market regulations
and power sector industry practices.
This Roadmap shall be the forward-looking document outlining
related strategies in accelerating RE deployment in Malaysia.
More importantly, the Roadmap aims to strike a balance between
environmental targets, preserve affordability and economic
benefits, and maintain system security by mitigating the impact
of variable renewable energy (VRE) sources (see Figure 0-2),
ultimately enabling the Malaysia power sector to deliver reliable
and affordable green power to all.

Figure 0-2: Guiding principles for the pursuit of reliable green power

This Roadmap assessed two distinct scenarios for RE capacity
evolution up to year 2035, with Scenario 1 representing “Businessas Usual, BAU” and Scenario 2, “New Capacity Target, NCT”.

2.

ASEAN RESSN Report

BUSINESS AS USUAL (BAU)
This scenario considers implementing
existing policies and programmes without
further extension and/or introduction of new
programmes. The implementation of approved,committed and announced capacities under
existing programmes (i.e., projects under the
FiT, LSS and NEM programmes) will lead to
11.7 GW projected RE capacity in 2025. Shareof renewables in the installed capacity shallreach 29% in 2025 with minimal future RE
growth, resulting in 32% in 2035.
Scenario 2

NEW CAPACITY TARGET (NCT)This scenario targets a higher RE capacity
by 2035, with further decarbonization of theelectricity sector in Malaysia. This scenario isaligned with the capacity development plan ofPlanning and Implementation Committee forElectricity Supply and Tariff (JPPPET 2020) for
Peninsular Malaysia, JPPPET 2021 for Sabah
and current outlook for Sarawak. This scenario
is designed to achieve the national target of
31% RE share with 12.9 GW of RE installedcapacity by 2025, while prioritizing systemstability in the choice of RE technologies.
Post 2025 foresees greater RE deployment
with RE target of 40% by 2035, in which
penetration of solar during peak demandreaches 30%. Therefore, implementation of
specific measures is required in ensuringsystem stability, including roll-out of energy
storage technologies as well as improving
system flexibility post 2025. These measuresare expected to enable a shift towards flexible
and dispatchable solar generation.

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The comparison of the two scenarios is summarized in Figure 0-3 below.

Figure 0-3: Summary of RE capacity evolution and RE share in the MyRER

RE POTENTIAL: LEVERAGING INDIGENOUS
RENEWABLES IN MALAYSIA
A review of Malaysian RE resource potential has been conducted,
leading to the identification of the following resource potential (seeFigure 0-4):● 269 GW potential for solar PV, dominated by ground-mounted
configurations (210 GW), including considerable potential fromrooftop (42 GW) and floating configurations (17 GW)● Close to 13.6 GW (13,619 MW) resource potential for largehydro (above 100MW); whereby 3.1 GW is identified in
Peninsular Malaysia, 493 MW in Sabah, and 10 GW in Sarawak● 3.6 GW resource potential for bioenergy, including biomass(2.3 GW), biogas (736 MW), municipal solid waste (516 MW)● 2.5 GW resource potential for small hydro (up to 100 MW)● 229 MW of geothermal resource potential● Available agricultural and husbandry residues from riceproduction, wood processing and animal waste which can beused for power generation;● Growth in population and urbanization in Malaysia contributes
to the increase in production of municipal solid waste, anestimated average of 9.5 million tons of solid waste weregenerated every year. This can potentially be used forbioenergy power generation, leveraging waste-to-energy(WTE) technologies; and● 189 river basins which can support small hydro power
generation.

The RE technical potential assessment considered among others:● Malaysia’s advantageous geographical location offers
abundance of indigenous natural resources, readily available tobe utilized for RE power generation. Malaysia’s proximity to theequator provides strong solar irradiance in the range of 1,575– 1,812 kWh/m2 throughout the year, comparable to countries
with more mature and developed solar PV markets;● The potential in approximately 450 palm oil mills across
Malaysia, processing an average of 95.5 million tons of fresh
fruit bunch (FFB) annually, in which the waste from palm oilprocessing can be utilized as feedstock for bioenergy power
generation, either through biomass combustion or biogas
capture technologies;

Image for illustration purpose only.

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xiv

Figure 0-4: Summary of RE resource potential in Malaysia

The RE resources technical potential provided the basis for the capacity projection in this Roadmap. Taking cognizant that RE integration
with a balanced mix between firmed and variable renewables is important to maintain a stable and reliable electricity supply system,
Figure 0-5 and 0-6 illustrate the recommended RE capacity mix based on New Capacity Target scenario, which will contribute towards
ensuring long-term energy security, while decarbonizing Malaysia’s power sector. The RE target is determined according to the technicalpotential available for each RE resource, with consideration for fair growth opportunities for each region.

Figure 0-5: RE Capacity Mix to achieve the target in 2025

12,916 MW
RE Share 2025 31%

BiogasBiomass

333 MW

862 MW

Large Hydro

Solar

4,706 MW
Solar penetration
2025

5,862 MW
Small Hydro

1,153 MW24% of peakdemandSEDA MALAYSIA

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Figure 0-6: RE Capacity Mix to achieve the target in 2035

17,996 MW
RE Share 2035 40%

BiogasBiomass

406 MW

998 MW

Solar

7,280 MW

Large Hydro
8,062 MW

Solar penetration
2035
Small Hydro

Geothermal

1,219 MW30 MW

30% of peakdemandMyRER: THE STRATEGIC FRAMEWORKSTRATEGIC PILLAR 1: SOLAR

The Roadmap defines a strategic framework driven by 4 technologyspecific Strategic Pillars (SP) and supported by 4 cross-technology
Enabling Initiatives (EI) (see Figure 0-1). The framework takes into
account the outcome of the Roadmap assessment on available
RE resources, existing institutional and regulatory framework,
industry practices and technology adoption, as well as projected
future social and economic development. Key actions are planned
to realize respective milestone targets up to year 2025, and post
2025 to 2035.

The Solar energy pillar is built upon existing programmes (i.e; NEM
and LSS auctions) but to be complemented with the possibility of
introducing new business models.

ROADMAP STRATEGIC PILLARSThe Roadmap strategic pillars with milestone development
target for 2025 will be achieved through enhancement of existing
programmes. Meanwhile, the 2035 development milestones will
be achieved with the implementation of new business models, inline with the Government’s strategy in future-proofing its existing
electricity market regulatory and power sector industry practices.

The key actions towards 2025 for SP1 are as follows:i.

Review future NEM programmes for rooftop solar and theofftake tariffs to gradually converge with the energy costs for amore equitable socialization of grid and system operation costs.
Decrease in NEM tariffs and grandfathering of contracts will be
continued to create incentives for early movers; supporting therate of uptake under NEM;
ii. Explore new business models in addition to those enabled by
the NEM and LSS programmes. These include corporate PPAs,
third-party access framework and providing greater avenues
for distributed generations, monetization of environmental
attributes through Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs); andiii. Explore LSS auctions focusing on modern technologies
with lesser land use such as floating solar. The potential
implementation of existing hydroelectric basins and water bodies
shall be assessed to address the large land requirements, while
utilizing the existing grid connection facilities. Engagement andinvolvement of state Governments to identify suitable sites forsolar development will be enhanced, thereby de-risking solar
projects and allowing solar costs to decrease.
The key actions for post 2025 shall include the introduction of a
RE programme framework as follows:i.

Image for illustration purpose only.

Improve and continue solar auctions to ensure competitive
tariff. Auction format will be regularly reviewed to align withevolving technological advances and best global practices;
ii. Explore framework for deployment of solar quota based on
direct corporate offtake or different forms of PPAs;iii. Enhance existing rooftop programmes including exploring
possible frameworks to allow non-utility offtakers under NEM;
andiv. Facilitate, encourage and increase participation of Government
agencies in Government solar rooftop programmes.

MALAYSIA RENEWABLE ENERGY ROADMAPxvi
STRATEGIC PILLAR 2: BIOENERGYThe Bioenergy pillar aims to increase bioenergy capacity bysupporting the rollout of biomass, biogas and WTE capacity
under the existing FiT via new business models (i.e; auctions andtendering programmes), as well as exploring potential opportunities
in bio-CNG and biomass co-firing.
The key actions towards 2025 for SP2 are:i.

Explore the feasibility for clustering of bioenergy power for
power generation to improve project economics;
ii. Assess auction systems beyond the FiT to support additional
capacity build-up for post 2025;
iii. Conduct a feasibility study of grid extensions to allow additional
development of bioenergy clusters by encouraging off-gridbioenergy power plants to re-power and upsize, as well asbuilding new off-grid and micro-grid power plants;
iv. Explore possibility of a net metering scheme for bioenergy
resources;
v. Leverage available bioenergy feedstock from municipal solid
waste for the development of Waste to Energy (WTE) facilities asa two-pronged strategy in addressing the waste management
issue and in supplying energy to the national grid;vi. Conduct feasibility study of bio-CNG power generation andbiomass co-firing in coal-fired power plants; andvii. Encourage studies and assessments on the improvement inbioenergy power generation technology to be conducted.
The key actions for post 2025 shall build upon the strategies
implemented by 2025 to support further capacity build-up as
follows:i.

Recommend a new auction mechanism (beyond FiT) to support
additional capacity build-up with improved by-products
management towards circular economy;
ii. Undertake syndication of bioenergy potential with possible
grid extensions to identify additional development of bioenergy
clusters;iii. Improve and review energy purchase framework for WTE
projects to ensure equitable socialization cost;
iv. Explore the implementation of equitable and feasible support
mechanisms for bio-CNG and biomass co-firing; andv. Support improvement in bioenergy power generation
technology.

STRATEGIC PILLAR 3: HYDROThe Hydro pillar supports accelerated deployment and operationof hydro generation capacity.
The key actions towards 2025 for SP3 are as follows:i.

Continue to optimize small hydro FiT through auctioning whileconsidering differences in development costs for low-head andhigh-head system;

ii. Encourage hydro-geological study for identification andcharacterization of new high potential sites for small hydrodevelopment. The study shall lead to development of open
access geo-referenced database that will be utilized bydevelopers;iii. Explore lifetime extension of existing, peaking large hydroplants to support greater VRE penetration;
iv. Coordinate with state authorities to expedite approvals andfacilitate implementation and operation regulations for hydroplants development; andv. Devise and improve existing tendering process format for smallhydro development.
The key actions for post 2025 shall support the development ofremaining potential resource to meet prevailing energy demand as
follows:i.

Continue to encourage identification and characterization of
new sites for small hydro through hydrogeological study;
ii. Enhance project development coordination and facilitation withstate authorities to expedite approvals including facilitation onhydro plants related development and operation regulations;andIii Assess deployment of large hydro, as part of the national power
development plan through collaboration between regulators,
state authorities and utilities.

STRATEGIC PILLAR 4: NEW TECHNOLOGYAND SOLUTIONSThe new technology and solutions pillar supports roll-out of new
RE resources post 2025 and explores solutions to maintain systemstability under high VRE penetration.
The key actions towards 2025 for SP4 under new technology
and solutions pillar are as follows:i.

Explore new RE technologies, resources and solutions for
efficient and cost-effective RE deployment; andii. Assess required energy storage roll-out to maintain systemstability.
The key actions for post 2025 under new technology andsolutions pillar are:i.

Conduct feasibility study and economics assessment on
implementation of new RE sources including geothermal,
onshore and offshore wind; andii. Prioritize and roll out cost-effective energy storage solutions(i.e. battery storage and hydrogen solution).

SEDA MALAYSIA

xvii
ENABLING INITIATIVES
There are four Enabling Initiatives (EI) supporting theimplementation of the action plans for each strategic pillar. The
initiatives are as follows:i.

Future proofing existing electricity regulatory and market
practices to enhance private sector participation and toprovide greater customer choice in choosing RE-powered
electricity, including exploring the prospect for corporate PPA
and Third-Party Access (TPA) framework. The existing green
tariffs and REC mechanism will also be improved to enabledirect procurement of REC from utilities or mandated party inmeeting both public and private sectors demand;ii. Improve access to green financing to increase financial flows
vis-à-vis the Government’s intent to accelerate RE deployment
in energy transition. This initiative includes enhancing existing
fiscal and non-fiscal incentives, exploring new incentives for
RE financing, and continuous engagement and facilitation withfinancial institutions;iii. Increase system flexibility by exploring feasible frameworkfor demand-side management, smart grids including batteryenergy storage system integration to improve grid management(through solar forecasting, dispatching, grid and distribution
codes) (See Chapter 6.5.2.4). This shall also include creating
an organized markets for grid balancing services, allowing third
parties to provide innovative grid management solutions thatwill also be explored to create new economic activities; andiv. Develop awareness and future readiness to promote RE-centricsociety. This initiative includes human capital development,
supporting future power sector transition as well as efforts
to strengthen technology innovation in RE. In line with 4IR
initiative, technology innovation comprises of digitalization of
the power sector through the implementation of distributed
energy systems, advanced metering infrastructure, automateddistribution, virtual energy trading and smart grids.

IMPACT ON JOBS AND INVESTMENTS IN THE RE SECTORThe New Capacity Target scenario shall offer vast job and investment opportunities in the RE sector for the period of 2021-2025, with
MYR 19.93 bn cumulative investment from 2021 to 2025 and 28,416 jobs by 2025, not accounting jobs related to manufacturing of RE
equipment.
Post 2025, sustained RE deployment shall ensure continued socio-economic impact during the period of 2026-2035, with estimated
MYR 33.07 bn in cumulated investment and 46,636 jobs in the RE sector. The illustration of the impact on jobs and investments in the
RE sector is as presented in Figure 0-7.

Figure 0-7: Summary of impact on jobs and investments in the MyRER

ScenarioBAU

Cumulative Investment(MYR bn)

Employment Impact(# of Jobs)

2021-2025

16.12
2025

20,385

Scenario
New Capacity Target

2026-2035

19.51

2035

27,7862021-2025

19.93
2025

28,4162026-2035

33.07
2035

46,636

MALAYSIA RENEWABLE ENERGY ROADMAP

xviii
IMPACT ON CARBON EMISSIONSIn the New Capacity Target scenario, the increase in share of renewables will gradually displace gas generation. By 2035, the reductionof carbon emission for NCT is projected to be -11% against BAU.
For Peninsular Malaysia, under the New Capacity Target scenario will achieve a CO2 emission intensity reduction of 45%, reaching
0.053 kgCO2/GDP in 2030 and a further reduction to 0.039 in 2035. The corresponding target for GHG emissions intensity of the power
sector for Peninsular Malaysia is 0.053 kgCO2/GDP in 2030 (45% decline from 0.096 kgCO2/GDP in 2005). For Sabah, the initiative
under the Roadmap is expected to achieve a 41% reduction, reaching 0.003 kgCO2/GDP in 2030 (from 0.052 kgCO2/GDP in 2005). For
Sarawak significant carbon intensity reduction has been realized with the commissioning of Bakun and Murum HEP since 2011, reaching
0.062 kgCO2/GDP in 2025 and further reduction of 0.028 kg CO2/GDP are anticipated as the renewable portfolio increases from current
capacity mix to year 2030. The illustration of the impact of the Roadmap on carbon emissions is as shown in Figure 0-8.

Figure 0-8: Summary of impact on carbon emissions in the MyRER

Scenario
BAU

Scenario
New Capacity Target

Impact of carbon
emissions in P.
Malaysia
2025

2035

2025

2035

CO2 emission (millions tonnes)

94.67

88.23

94.20

78.35

CO2 intensity (tonnes/MWh)

0.71

0.56

0.70

0.50

2025

CO2 intensity (kgCO2/GDP)

0.071

2030

0.053

2035

0.039

Impact of carbon
emissions in Sabah
2025

2035

2025

2035

CO2 emission (millions tonnes)

3.51

3.56

3.53

3.10

CO2 intensity (tonnes/MWh)

0.43

0.36

0.43

0.31

2025

CO2 intensity (kgCO2/GDP)

0.040

2030

0.031

2035

0.028

Impact of carbon
emissions in Sarawak
2025

2035

2025

2035

CO2 emission (millions tonnes)

11.38

7.76

11.38

7.76

CO2 intensity (tonnes/MWh)

0.32

0.19

0.32

0.19

CO2 intensity (kgCO2/GDP)

2025

0.062

2030

0.028

2035

0.028

SEDA
introduction
MALAYSIA

xix
WAY FORWARD
The MyRER formulates strategies to achieve the Government’s committed target of
31% RE share in the national installed capacity mix and to further decarbonize the power
generation sector until 2035 by maintaining affordability and system stability. To achieve
the stipulated RE targets and aspirations, commitments by policy makers, industry
players and strategic partners including financial institutions shall be the determinant inensuring the successful implementation of this Roadmap. This Roadmap will optimize
the socio-economic benefits from the development of RE in Malaysia, whilst positively
contributing towards the global climate-change agenda in decarbonizing the power
sector for a better future.

Image for illustration purpose only.

MALAYSIA RENEWABLE ENERGY ROADMAP

xx

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SEDA MALAYSIA

01

chapter one

INTRODUCTION

MALAYSIA RENEWABLE ENERGY ROADMAP

02

INTRODUCTION

SUMMARY
In 2020, the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources of Malaysia (KeTSA) set a target to reach 31% of RE share in the national installedcapacity mix by 2025. This target supports Malaysia’s commitment under the 2015 Paris Agreement led by the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to reduce GHG emission intensity by 45% from the 2005 level by 2030. Under this roadmap,
the corresponding GHG emissions intensity target for the power sector in Peninsular Malaysia is 0.053 kgCO2/GDP3 in 2030 (45% decline
from 0.096 kgCO2/GDP2 in 2005).
The Malaysia Renewable Energy Roadmap (MyRER) is commissioned to develop a national strategic plan to guide the Malaysia’s renewableenergy policy development towards the RE share target of 31% in the national capacity mix in 2025 and support further decarbonization of
the electricity sector in Malaysia through the 2035 milestone. This is expected to drive a reduction in GHG emission in the power sector to
support Malaysia in meeting its NDC4 2030 target of 45%5 reduction in its economy-wide carbon intensity (against GDP) in 2030 compared
to 2005 level.
The scope of MyRER includes three workstreams; assessing the baseline installed capacity and RE resources potential, developing
technology-specific RE targets and scenarios, and developing a strategic roadmap.
The guiding principles for MyRER follow the energy trilemma: sustainability, reaching RE share targets and CO2 reduction, ensuring
affordability and economic benefits by minimizing the impact of increased RE on the cost of power generation, and preserving systemstability by mitigating the impact of VRE on the power supply.
The MyRER considers two distinct scenarios for RE development in the nation towards the 2025 Government committed RE target andthrough to the 2035 milestone:
1. Business as Usual (BAU) scenario considers the implementation of existing policies and programmes without further extension and/or introduction of new programmes; and2. New Capacity Target scenario aims for higher RE capacity target to align with further decarbonization of electricity sector in Malaysia
toward 2035 milestone. This scenario is aligned with the capacity development plan of Planning and Implementation Committee forElectricity Supply and Tariff (JPPPET 2020) for Peninsular Malaysia, JPPPET 2021 inputs for Sabah and current outlook for Sarawak.

3.
4.
5.

Total value of the goods and services produced denominated in MYR
KASA (2021); Malaysia’s Update of Its First Nationally Determined Contribution to the UNFCCC
The 45% of carbon intensity reduction is unconditional

INTRODUCTION

03
1.1

CONTEXT

Renewable Energy (RE) was first introduced as the “fifth fuel” andan alternative source for the country’s power generation in 1999. It
was part of Government’s intent to diversify the energy mix in the
country. Various initiatives, programmes and strategies have since
been introduced and implemented to support the growth of RE
technologies throughout 2001-2020.
Under the Eighth Malaysia Plan (2001-2005), the Small Renewable
Energy Power (SREP) Programme was introduced, along with
the Biomass Power Generation and Cogen Full Scale Model
Demonstration (BIOGEN) Project, leveraging the readily available
oil palm-based by-products for small-scale electricity generation.
Ninth Malaysia Plan (2006-2010) recorded further progress, withthe development of rooftop solar becoming prominent throughthe Malaysia Building Integrated Photovoltaic (MBIPV) Project.
The MBIPV project focused on the policy development for gridconnected PV system, market and incentive measures andcapacity building programme for rooftop solar.
The programmes and projects implemented under the 8th and 9thplan led to the subsequent development of the National RE Policy
and Action Plan (NREPAP) in 2010; aiming to establish a policy
guide for RE development in Malaysia.
NREPAP further paved the path for RE development in the Tenth
Malaysia Plan (2011 – 2015), as one of the key new areas of growth
for the energy sector. During this period, the Renewable Energy Act
2011 (Act 725) and the Sustainable Energy Development Authority
Act 2011 (Act 726) were enacted, leading to the establishment of
Sustainable Energy Development Authority (SEDA) Malaysia as thedesignated authority for RE development in Malaysia. The Feedin-Tariff (FiT) scheme was also introduced and implemented in2011 to catalyse the growth of grid-connected RE in Peninsular
Malaysia, Sabah and Labuan.
The initiative to promote RE growth progressed further under
the Eleventh Malaysia Plan (2016-2020). Solar auctioning androoftop solar quota were released for the very first time throughthe Large Scale Solar (LSS), Net Energy Metering (NEM) and SelfConsumption (SELCO) Programme. By the end of the 11th Plan,
the growth of RE capacity in Malaysia has been substantial, froma base of 53 MW of RE connected to the grid (without large hydro)
between 2001-2009 to a total installed capacity of 1.6 GW between
2011-2015. By December 2020, cumulative RE capacity hadreached 2.8 GW, or 8.45 GW with the inclusion of all RE resources.
Moving forward, Malaysia aims to achieve a higher RE growth,from the existing 23% or 8.5 GW RE in its power installed capacity,
the Roadmap projected to increase the share of RE to 31% or 12.9
GW in 2025, and 40% or 18.0 GW in 2035. The RE initiatives under
this Roadmap are expected to contribute towards Malaysia’s
global climate commitment with set under Peninsular Malaysia
power sector in achieving a reduction of 45% GHG emission per
GDP intensity in the power sector in 2030 compared to the 2005
baseline, and a further 60% in 2035.
6.

IRENA, Renewable Capacity Statistics 2021 & Renewable Energy Statistics 2020

1.2

THE ROLE OF ENERGY SECTOR
IN POST-PANDEMIC ECONOMICRECOVERYThe COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the growth of global
economy. However, the RE sector was relatively resilient inwithstanding the economic adversity of the pandemic. Countries
around the world have embarked on accelerating the deploymentof RE as a two-pronged strategy for post-pandemic economic
recovery and sustainable energy transition.
In Malaysia, a total of 1,000 MW of large-scale solar projects,
500 MW of solar rooftop quotas and 180 MW of non-solar quotas
were offered in 2021 to allow investment opportunities and boost
the country’s post-pandemic economic growth. The pandemic
situation has also brought forth greater social and economic
opportunity for businesses and policymakers in Malaysia to embark
on greater environmental, social and governance commitments.
There are increasing interest from corporations in Malaysia torealign their strategic path towards sustainability, as there is a
growing awareness that it is integral to financial health.
The need for post-pandemic economic recovery and the need to
be aligned with current energy megatrend warrant the Government
to review its medium, long-term targets and strategies for RE
development in the country. Therefore, this Malaysia Renewable
Energy Roadmap is introduced to realise the Government’s future
RE aspiration with an anticipated cumulative investment of RM43
billion and 46,636 job opportunities.
As of end of 2020, the installed capacity of renewables stands at
8.45 GW or 23% of national installed capacity. In Malaysia’s case,share of renewable sources lags the global average and also theaverage RE share in ASEAN countries (see Chapter 2.4). Globally,
RE account for 37%6 of the total installed capacity
Against this backdrop, there is an urgent need for Malaysia toaccelerate the growth of power generation from RE sources.
Consequently, the Government has mandated the formulation of
the MyRER to provide the plan towards achieving its vision.
Due to its geographical location, climate and rich agriculturalactivity, Malaysia is blessed with abundant renewable energy
resources, for example:● Located near the equator, Malaysia enjoys high year-roundsolar irradiation for solar PV generation;● Malaysia’s agricultural sector has large potential to provide
biomass waste to be utilized in power generation, e.g. palm oil
waste, animal waste, etc.; and● Malaysia has numerous river basins with excellent
hydrogeological conditions for hydropower generation both atlarge and small scale.

MALAYSIA RENEWABLE ENERGY ROADMAP

04
1.3 		 DEFINITION OF RENEWABLE
ENERGY FOR MyRER
MyRER covers RE power generation sources in Malaysia, including
grid-connected and off-grid generation.
RE resources considered in the MyRER include the following:● Bioenergy:→ Agricultural waste: Palm oil waste and Palm Oil Mill Effluent(POME), wood residues, and other agricultural waste (e.g.
rice husk and straw, animal waste);→ Municipal solid waste (MSW) and landfill gas;
● Hydropower of all capacities. Small hydro of up to 100 MW are
assessed separately;● Solar photovoltaics (PV) assessment based on groundmounted, rooftop and floating applications; and● Other technologies, such as geothermal power generation andwind energy.

Image for illustration purpose only.

1.4 		 OBJECTIVES AND SCOPE
The objectives of MyRER are:
● To determine the renewable energy targets inthe electricity mix up to 2035; and● To establish strategies required to achieve
renewable energy targets.
MyRER covers the assessment of baseline andresource potential7, formulation of RE targets
and scenarios, and a strategic roadmap (Figure
1-1).

Figure 1-1: Scope covered in MyRER
1. BASELINE & RESOURCE POTENTIAL

2. RE TARGET & SCENARIOS

Data Collection
and synthesis●●

Synthesis of historical andcurrent data on Malaysia
electricity sector to build
baseline of RE
Review of resource
availability for renewables

Capacity Planning●●

Setting of RE capacity
targets for 2025 inline with Government
aspirations
Development of RE
scenarios for 2025

3. RE STRATEGIC ROADMAP
Development of
power plants
●
●
●

7.

From existing data available

Generation & salesof electricity

Setting of yearly plant-up roadmap to achieve 2025 RE
capacity targets and 2035 scenarios
Setting of strategies and key actions to achieve RE capacity
target and scenarios
Assessment of impact of RE capacity targets on socioeconomic indicators

INTRODUCTION

05
1.5		
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
Three guiding principles were established to ensure that MyRER
strikes a balance between environmental targets, economic
benefits, and system security (the “Energy Trilemma”) as shownin Figure 1-2.

Figure 1-2: Guidelines principles for the pursuit ofreliable green power

1.6 		 NATIONALLY DETERMINEDCONTRIBUTIONMyRER supports Malaysia’s commitment to reduce GHG emission
under the Paris Agreement led by United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in response to climatechange threat. Under the NDC set in the Paris Agreement in August
2021, Malaysia has revised its commitment to reduce unconditional
carbon intensity (against GDP) of 45% in 2030 compared to 2005
level.
The NDC target is developed on a country-wide basis, andit includes all sectors, e.g., public electricity, manufacturing,transport, industrial processes and agriculture. As of 2015, public
electricity contributed approximately 30%8 of total greenhouse gas
emission in Malaysia. Thus, reduction in greenhouse gas emission
in the electricity sector will greatly impact Malaysia’s progress toachieve the NDC targets. Post 2030, electricity sector aspires topursue decarbonizing of the sector with targeted reduction of GHG
emission per GDP by 60% from the 2005 level by 2035.

1.7

SCENARIOS FOR RE CAPACITYEVOLUTION TO 2035

MyRER considers two distinct scenarios for RE development in thenation toward the 2025 Government target and through to 2035:● MyRER is aligned with and supports key environmental targets
and policies in Malaysia, i.e.:→ Increase in RE capacity to achieve 31% share in the national
installed capacity mix by 2025;→ Reduction of GHG supporting the achievement of NDC andclimate pledge for power sector;● MyRER defines pathways to achieve the transition toward RE
by generating socio-economic benefits:→ Impact on capital investment and jobs in the RE sector are
forecasted as the key socio-economic metrics in MyRER;
and● In order to preserve system stability, MyRER develops
mitigation strategies for potential impact of VRE sources inalignment with Single Buyer and the Grid System Operator(GSO).

8.

BUR to the UNFCC, MNRE 2015

1. Business as Usual (BAU) scenario considers theimplementation of existing policies and programmes without
further extension and/or introduction of new programmes; and2. New Capacity Target (NCT) scenario aims for much higher
RE capacity target to align with further decarbonization ofelectricity sector in Malaysia toward 2035 milestone. This
scenario is aligned with the capacity development plan ofPlanning and Implementation Committee for Electricity Supply
and Tariff (JPPPET 2020) for Peninsular Malaysia, JPPPET
2021 for Sabah and current outlook for Sarawak. It represents
the official commitment by the Government in achieving the
31% and 40% RE target by 2025 and 2035 respectively.

Image for illustration purpose only.

MALAYSIA RENEWABLE ENERGY ROADMAP

06

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THE CONTEXT OF GLOBAL AND REGIONAL ENERGY TRENDS

07

chapter two

THE CONTEXT
OF GLOBAL
AND REGIONALENERGY TRENDS

MALAYSIA RENEWABLE ENERGY ROADMAP

08

THE CONTEXT OF GLOBAL
AND REGIONAL ENERGY TRENDS
SUMMARY
GLOBAL ENERGY TRENDS TO 2040
Global primary energy demand growth is expected to slow down from ~2% CAGR (2000-2018) to ~1% CAGR (2018-2040) as a result offour key drivers: (1) slowing population growth or negative growth in the US, Europe, Japan and parts of Asia, (2) slow economic growth inEurope, (3) decrease in energy intensity due to structural shift from a manufacturing-based economy to a service-based economy in Asiaand (4) decrease in energy intensity due to systemic efficiency improvements.
Renewables and natural gas are expected to have an increasing role in primary energy supply. Renewables are emerging as an affordable
solution to meet global decarbonization targets. Natural gas is increasingly regarded as a bridging fuel within the energy transition asalternative to coal and oil.
In the final energy consumption, electricity is expected to display the fastest growth, at 2.1% CAGR due to electrification of industry andtransportation, increase in household appliances, and rural electrification.

RENEWABLE ENERGY TRENDS – GLOBAL
Globally, RE is increasingly becoming a key source in the power generation mix. In 2020, RE share in generation capacity reached 36.6%.
Since 2012, renewables have overtaken conventional generation fuels in terms of new installed capacity additions, and in 2020, renewables
contributed to as much as 82% of capacity additions worldwide.
This transition can be attributed to Political, Economic, Social and Technology (PEST) drivers: (1) support policies driven by GHG reduction
goals, (2) increasing availability of debt and equity financing, and emergence of new configurations and business models, (3) mounting
public opposition to coal and nuclear power generations; and (4) rapid decline in cost of RE technologies such as solar and wind.
Germany was among the pioneer countries to introduce renewables through a very attractive Feed-in Tariff (FiT) system. As a result, it
achieved very high wind and solar PV penetration (54% of total installed capacity).
In India, government-driven initiatives such as de-risking of site development and sharing of infrastructure costs, coupled with theintroduction of competitive auction systems were successful in delivering large renewable capacities at very competitive off-take prices.

RENEWABLE ENERGY TRENDS – SOUTHEAST ASIA (SEA)In SEA, RE installed power capacity reached 26% in 2020. Hydropower contributes 56% of total RE installed capacity in the region. VRE
such as solar PV and wind remain marginal, at 29%, despite the region’s rich availability of these resources. Policies and incentives topromote variable RE were implemented in SEA much later than in other geographies with higher income levels, as variable RE were still
expensive at the time.
However, major ASEAN countries have developed aggressive RE share targets. In the long term, most ASEAN countries aim to increase
RE share in their installed capacity or generation mix to 30-40% between horizon years of 2030-2050.

THE CONTEXT OF GLOBAL AND REGIONAL ENERGY TRENDS

09
2.1

GLOBAL ENERGY TRENDS TO 2040

GROWTH OF PRIMARY ENERGY DEMAND IS EXPECTED TO DECLINE

Figure 2-1: Global primary energy demand by region (IEA New Policies Scenario), 2000 – 2040F

Note:
Source:Based on IEA New Policies Scenario. International bunkers are defined by the IEA as the energy consumption of ships and aircrafts. Europe includes Eurasia. Americas include North, Central andSouth America
IEA (2018)

Although population increase and economic expansion arecontinuing on a global scale, primary energy demand growth isexpected to slow down. Between 2000 and 2018, primary energy
demand grew by more than 40% from 10 billion tonnes (btoe) of
oil, equivalent to 14.3 btoe, corresponding to a Compound Annual
Growth Rate (CAGR) of approximately 2%. According to theInternational Energy Agency (IEA)9, primary energy demand growth
between 2018 and 2040 is expected to slow down to a CAGR of
about 1% (Figure 2-1). This trend is attributed to the following
reasons:● Slowing population growth or negative growth in the US,
Europe, Japan and parts of Asia;● Slow economic growth in Europe;● Decrease in energy intensity due to structural shift from anenergy intensive manufacturing-based economy to a servicebased economy in Asia; and● Decrease in energy intensity due to systemic efficiency
improvements.
Primary energy demand growth is expected to exceed 2% growth
only in Africa, where population and economic growth are stillongoing at a fast pace and in the Middle East, where energy
intensity is expected to remain high.
In ASEAN, overall energy demand is expected to grow by almost
50%10 between 2018 and 2030.

9.
International Energy Agency, World Energy Outlook, New Policies Scenario, 2018.
10. IRENA, Renewable Energy Outlook for ASEAN, 2016

Image for illustration purpose only.

MALAYSIA RENEWABLE ENERGY ROADMAP

10INCREASING ROLE OF RENEWABLE SOURCES AND NATURAL GAS AS PRIMARY ENERGY SOURCES
Figure 2-2: Global primary energy demand by fuel based on IEA New Policies Scenario, 2000 – 2040F

Source:IEA (2018)

IEA7 also expects demand growth to vary considerably dependingon the type of energy source, or fuel. Strong growth in demand
for renewable sources (2018-2040 CAGR at 7%) and sustained
growth in natural gas demand (2018-2040 CAGR at 1.5%) are
forecasted, while demand for coal and oil is expected to remainstagnant.
These diverging
considerations:trendsaresupportedbythefollowing● Increasing availability and affordability of natural gas as a lowcarbon alternative to coal and oil: emergence of shale gas
technologies in the US and advances in liquified natural gas(LNG) transportation are driving cost reduction and increasing
availability of natural gas for power generation, substituting
coal, and in industrial processes, substituting oil and coal; and● Expected shift to electric vehicles and alternativetransportation fuels (bio-fuels, hydrogen) is further impacting
oil demand negatively.

● Renewable energy sources are increasingly affordable inreaching global decarbonization targets; rapid cost reductions
in solar PV and wind energy are driving large scale deploymentof these sources (see Figure 2-11)11;

Figure 2-2: Global primary energy demand by fuel based on IEA New Policies Scenario, 2000 – 2040F

Source:BP Energy Outlook 2019

11. IRENA (2020) RE Power Generation Cost 2019

THE CONTEXT OF GLOBAL AND REGIONAL ENERGY TRENDS

11
Electricity is expected to play an increasingly important role in final
energy consumption (Figure 2-3); in their 2019 Energy Outlook12,
BP forecasted electricity consumption to grow at a CAGR of 2.1%
between 2018 to 2040. As a result, the share of electricity in final
energy consumption is expected to grow by 7 percentage points
from 24% in 2018 to 31% in 2040. Key trends supporting thisgrowth are as follows:● Growth of household electrical appliances as a result of
improved standards of living, as well as gradual switch fromfuel oil to electricity in heating and from liquified petroleum gas(LPG) to electricity for cooking;● Increasing penetration of electric vehicles; and● Electrification of rural areas in developing countries (e.g. Africa,
India and specific countries in Southeast Asia such as Myanmar
and Cambodia).

● Electrification of industrial processes. For example,
manufacturing industries are increasing the use of electricallypowered machines to automate industrial processes;● Expected increase in usage of cooling in commercial andresidential properties, as a result of improved standard of living;

2.2

RENEWABLE ENERGY TRENDS – GLOBALRENEWABLE SOURCES ARE BECOMING A CRUCIAL COMPONENT OF THE POWER GENERATION MIX
The deployment of renewable energy sources in power sector has
accelerated considerably in the past few years. According to theInternational Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), between 20122020, 1,356 GW of new renewable capacity has been installed
globally13. Solar PV and wind have become the main contributor to
the RE capacity additions with 610 GW and 466 GW respectively(Figure 2-4). Solar PV installed capacity increased by almost sixfold between 2012 to 2020, and wind generation installed capacity
increased by more than double during the same period.
As a result of these large capacity additions, as of 2020, renewablesources account for 36.6% of total installed capacity.

Figure 2-4: Global renewable energy installed capacity, 2012-2020

Source:IRENA-Renewable Capacity Statistics 2021; & Renewable Energy Statistics 2020

12. BP, Energy Outlook, 2019
13. IRENA-Renewable Capacity Statistics 2021; & Renewable Energy Statistics 2020

MALAYSIA RENEWABLE ENERGY ROADMAP

12
Most remarkably, since 2012 renewables have overtaken conventional generation fuels in terms of new installed capacity additions, andin 2020, renewables contributed to as much as 82% of capacity additions worldwide (Figure 2-5).

Figure 2-5: Global power capacity additions by energy type, 2001-2020

Source:

IEA; IRENA; REN21 (2020)

KEY POLITICAL, ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL DRIVERS ARE SUPPORTING THE SHIFT FROM CONVENTIONAL TO
RENEWABLES POWER GENERATIONThe ongoing global transition to renewables can be attributed to multiple drivers along key Political, Economic, Social and Technology
dimensions (PEST) as illustrated in Figure 2-6.

Figure 2-6: PEST analysis of key drivers of renewable power generation

ECONOMICPOLITICAL● Greenhouse (GHG)
emission targets● Policies supporting
renewables power
generation

SOCIAL● Public opposition tocoal generation projects
due to environmental
concern● Public opposition to
nuclear generation
projects due to renewed
safety concerns postFukushima● Availability of financing
from institutional
investors shifting awayfrom traditional asset
classes with diminishingyields (e.g. sovereigndebt)● New business models
providing additional
revenues for renewables

TECHNOLOGICAL● Rapid decrease oftechnology costs for
specific renewable
technologies (solar PV,
wind energy)● New solutions andtechnologies to mitigate
effect of renewableenergy fluctuations on
grid stability

THE CONTEXT OF GLOBAL AND REGIONAL ENERGY TRENDS

13
2.2.1		RE DRIVERS: POLITICALSUPPORT POLICIES DRIVEN BY GHG REDUCTION GOALS
Since 2004, the number of countries promoting renewables through specific support schemes has more than tripled (Figure 2-7). One of
the largest factors accelerating the uptake of renewables support schemes is the desire to mitigate GHG emissions. Globally, the power
generation sector is typically a large contributor to GHG emissions. In Malaysia, power generation accounts for approximately 30% of
total GHG emissions, hence most decarbonization strategies undertaken by countries have focused on increasing renewable sources for
power generation, as well as improving energy efficiency. In particular, solar PV and wind power capacity can be quickly scaled up, thus
providing an effective way of mitigating carbon emissions from power generation.
Decreasing energy use through systemic efficiency15 can also drive down carbon emissions. Retrofitting existing buildings andimplementing low carbon heating and cooling technologies and solutions for new building, promoting distributed generation and circular
economy initiatives to reduce energy consumption in industries are some strategies implemented globally.

Figure 2-7: RE support schemes by number of countries, 2004-2016

Source:REN21; IRENA

There are five common types of renewable energy support
mechanisms that have been implemented globally (Figure 2-8):
1. Pricing policies introduce regulations on prices for off-take ofrenewable energy power from generators. Generators may be
granted a regulated off-take price for a fixed number of years.
The price can be fixed (Feed-in Tariff) or can be calculated
based on a premium over variable market prices (Feed-in
Premium). Price setting mechanisms have evolved, shiftingfrom administratively set rates to competitive prices set throughauctions. In addition, in certain jurisdictions, end customers(e.g. residential, commercial and industrial customers) installing
renewable generation sources on their premises are allowed tooffset their energy usage by using part of the power generated
on site (Net Energy Metering – NEM).
2. Grid access and dispatch priority policies ensure that
renewable generators are granted access to the electricity

grid to sell renewable power and that renewable sources areprioritized over other generation sources when dispatching
power plants. This ensures that most of the power generated
through renewables can be sold, thus decreasing revenue risks
for generators.
3. Obligatory quotas are generally used as an alternative to pricing
support policies. They introduce obligations for utilities and/or
large power consumers to meet a minimum quota of renewablegeneration in their power procurement volumes. This supports
demand of renewable power.
4. Even in the presence of pricing policies and obligatory quotas,
RE developers still face a certain level of risk in accessing anddeveloping land for renewable projects. In certain jurisdictions,most notably in India (see also Chapter 2.4), Government
avails pre-developed sites and interconnection points to RE
developers, thus de-risking the development phase.

14. BUR to the UNFCCC, MNRE, 2015
15. World Economic Forum, Systemic Efficiency, accessed at: https://www.weforum.org/projects/systemic-efficiency

MALAYSIA RENEWABLE ENERGY ROADMAP

14
5. In addition to the measures above, financing support has also been utilized to promote RE. As technology costs for solar PV and wind
generation have decreased substantially, in recent years, financing support focuses less on grants and tax exemptions, and more on
improving access to finance, and capital market through e.g., Green Bonds programmes.

Figure 2-8: Government support mechanisms or policies for renewable energy
Type of support

Description● Feed-in Tariff (FiT) / Feed-in
Premium (FiP), Contract-forDifference● Auctions● Net energy metering (NEM)● FiT / FiP: Guarantees RE producers off-take to the grid andfixed tariffs over a fixed period; tariff competitiveness varies
by procurement mechanism● Auctions: Award RE projects based on lowest bid price,
allowing market to determine RE prices and increase
competitiveness● NEM: Allow self-consumption of RE and to export
excess electricity back to the grid at fixed prices● Guaranteed grid access● Preferential RE dispatch● Guaranteed grid access: Secure connection of RE
generation units to grid
● Preferential RE dispatch: Grid operators are obliged todispatch renewable energy first before conventional energy● Renewable Portfolio Standard● Renewable Energy Certificate● Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS): Set RE
generation mandate, with framework for monitoring andenforcement● Renewable Energy Certificate (REC): Tradable certificate
to offset generation portfolio

Project development
de-risking● Government participation in thevalue chain● Government involvement in project development value
chain to reduce investor risk

Financing support● Tax incentive & exemptions, grants,
green bond, etc.

● Financing support to address high upfront cost of
renewable generation

Pricing policies

Grid access andpriorities

Obligatory quotas

Source:Type of initiative

REN21; IRENA

2.2.2		RE DRIVERS: ECONOMICSINCREASING AVAILABILITY OF EQUITY AND
DEBT FINANCING FOR RE
Renewable projects require high upfront capital investment; thus
the availability of financing is a crucial factor in enabling the shift
to renewable generation. Financing is obtained through equity
participation in projects or through debt, e.g. loans from banks orbonds.
One of the key drivers of RE development in Europe has been theavailability of equity financing from financial investors and debt
financing from banks.

By 2015, financial investors such as pension funds, sovereign
wealth funds, dedicated green investment funds and private
equity funds accounted for more than 70% of value invested into
renewable assets in Europe16 (Figure 2-9). Favourable regulatoryenvironment ensuring low risks for renewable power generation,
coupled with decreasing yields in more traditional asset classes
such as sovereign bonds, prompted financial investors to explore
renewables as a new asset class with attractive risk/reward profile.
In addition to equity financing, increasing understanding by lendersof the risk profile of renewable generation and the emergence ofgreen financing options such as green bonds and green sukuk(in Malaysia, the Middle East, and Indonesia), has increased theavailability of debt financing at lower costs. This also allowed
renewable energy projects to raise increasing amount of debt,
thereby increasing the financial leverage and the internal rate of
returns (IRR) of renewable projects17.

16. MergerMarkets-mergers & acquisition (M&A) transactions database; includes secondary market transactions such as acquisition of existing assets and assets under construction
17. For Solar PV and wind, debt:equity ratio is typically 80:20

THE CONTEXT OF GLOBAL AND REGIONAL ENERGY TRENDS

15

Figure 2-9: Proportion of M&A transaction on renewable asset (including secondary transactions) done by financial investors in Europe

Source:

SEDA; MergerMarkets

NEW CONFIGURATIONS AND BUSINESS MODELSThe RE energy transition has also been supported by emerging
configurations and business models in the energy sector, assummarized in Figure 2-10 below.

New configurations and business models
5. Ancillary services
to the grid –energy storage• Higher shares of VRE, as well as distributed
generation applications require energy
storage solutions to store and release energy
when needed• Energy storage technologies can cover
multiple applications from balancing demandvariation to stabilization of intermittent supply

6. Digitalization ofelectricity system• Digitalized energy systems can enable peerto-peer energy trading between prosumers
and consumers• Grid digitalization provides actionable data tomonitor and optimize operations

Figure 2-10: New configurations and business models
New configurations and business models
1. Corporate
sourcing

2. Power
decentralization –distributed energy
system• Corporate sourcing emerges as a sizeable
market for solar PV development due tointroduction of green procurement policies bylarge corporations• Options for corporate sourcing, corporate
PPAs, utility green procurement, renewableenergy certificates, etc.; Corporate PPA
arrangement provide solar PV developers
subsidy-free revenue certainty• Distributed energy resources are disrupting
the traditional power generation markets anddistribution model by enabling two-way flowof electricity• Rise of prosumers with preferences to selecttheir own power sources• Solar leasing models to facilitate financing
and uptake of decentralized RE in industrial
and commercial sectors

3. Emerging
configurations• Expanding beyond ground-mounted solar
configurations:– Floating solar PV– Rooftop solar PV including off-site solar PV
systems supporting Virtual Net Metering(VNM)

4. Rural and off-grid
electrification• Globally, achieving 100% electrification
remains a challenge, especially in rural areas
which is hindered by challenging geography
and low population densities• Off / mini-grid solutions could serve as acomparatively economical alternative toachieve reliable universal electrification; inremote locations, indigenous renewable
resources without subsidies could potentiallybe competitive with imported fossil fuels(diesel generators)

2.2.3		RE DRIVERS: SOCIALMOUNTING PUBLIC OPPOSITION TO COAL AND
NUCLEAR GENERATIONIn the past few years, public opposition to coal generation andnuclear power has mounted.
In the United Kingdom (UK), public opposition and activism byenvironmental groups is a key factor behind the demise of coal as a
key source of power generation. As of 2018, coal accounts for only
5% of UK’s power generation, down from 80% in the early 1990’s
and about 35% in the early 2000’s. Coal generation capacity in the
UK has been replaced by renewables and gas-fired power plants18.
Public opposition to fossil generation is by no means limited todeveloped economies such as the UK, as shown by demonstrations
held in Thailand against a proposed coal power plant in Krabi19.
Additionally, financing and insurance for new coal-fired power
plants are getting challenges to secure as financial institutions
either impose higher premiums or will not finance due to theircommitment to ESG policies.

18. Financial Times, How Britain ended its coal addiction, https://www.ft.com/content/a05d1dd4-dddd-11e9-9743-db5a370481bc, 2019, accessed on 5 November 201919. The Nation Thailand, Opponents to boycott new Krabi power plant hearing, https://www.nationthailand.com/national/30337304, 2018, accessed on 5 November 2019

MALAYSIA RENEWABLE ENERGY ROADMAP

16
Perhaps a greater concern on the future of coal fired power plants
is a possibility of countries with high environmental commitment
imposing cross-border carbon tax adjustment, so goods produced
cheaply from countries with high carbon footprint will not passtheir carbon liability to countries observing high environmental
compliances.

2.2.4

Opposition to nuclear power was accelerated in the aftermathof the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear accident in March 2011. Major
countries such as Germany and Italy have opted for complete
phase-out of nuclear power. Growth in renewable capacity was
crucial in providing a substitute for nuclear shutdowns20.

RE DRIVERS: TECHNOLOGYRAPID DECLINE IN EQUIPMENT AND CONSTRUCTION COSTS
Figure 2-11: Average levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) for utility scale renewable technologies

Source:IRENA (2020) RE Power Generation Cost 2019

Since 2010, the average LCOE of solar PV and wind power has
significantly decreased and by 2019, is comparable to the average
LCOE21 of conventional coal and gas generation. Solar PV costs
have dropped by approximately 82%. LCOE of offshore andonshore wind has also declined by approximately 30%-38%(Figure 2-11).
The decrease in RE cost for solar PV and wind generation can be
attributed to the following reasons:● Competitive procurement of renewable power throughauctions and quota system to promote competition among
project developers;● Economies of scale and technology innovation due to:→ Increased scale in manufacturing of key components suchas solar PV modules, inverters and wind turbines;→ Reduction in manufacturing cost of all components as
manufacturing shifted to low-cost countries;→ Increased efficiency of generation due to technology
advances. This is particularly true for wind power, asaverage installed turbine size has increased from 1.8 MW in2010 to 2.7 MW in 201722. The most recent turbine models
from leading manufacturers can be as large as 6 to 10 MW.
As larger turbines have higher capacity factors, this has
resulted in overall decrease in LCOE;

20. Deutsche Welle, How far along is Germany’s nuclear phase-out?, 2015, https://www.dw.com/en/how-far-along-is-germanys-nuclear-phase-out/a-18547065, accessed on 5 November 2019
21. IRENA (2020) RE Power Generatoin Cost 201922. Power Technology, Wind turbines continue to grow in size, https://www.power-technology.com/comment/wind-turbines-continue-grow-size/, 2018, accessed on 5 November 2019

THE CONTEXT OF GLOBAL AND REGIONAL ENERGY TRENDS

17→ Maturing learning curve for construction as engineering,procurement and construction (EPC) providers become
increasingly efficient and expand to new markets, bringing
best practices in project engineering and construction; and→ Improvement in economics of combined energy storagewind and/or storage-solar generation system as a result of
declining energy storage system prices23.
Typically, renewable resources that do not rely on commercial
feedstock are said to have zero marginal cost. In this regard,
resources such as hydro, solar and wind can achieve a low LCOE.

In contrast to these forms of power generation, other renewable
technologies such as biomass and geothermal have witnessed
flat or slowly increasing costs. For these mature technologies, theincrease in scale of manufacturing and technology innovation havenot been sufficient to mitigate material and labour cost escalation.
Although maturity of these technologies is the main factor driving
this trend, there are other issues as well such as limitation in
feedstock due to competing uses for biomass, and high exploratory
cost and site-specific requirements for geothermal.

Case study
IRENA REmap 2050

REmap 2050 is a scenario for the evolution of renewable energy at global level published by IRENA. The scenario highlights
immediately deployable, cost-effective options for countries to fulfil climate commitments and limit the rise of global
temperatures.
In the latest scenario published in April 2019, a two-pronged transformation of the energy system combining (1) increased
use of electricity in final energy consumption and (2) increased use of renewables in electricity generation, coupled withimproving energy efficiency is envisaged to accelerate the deployment of renewables in the overall energy mix24.
According to IRENA, ramping up electricity to half of the global energy mix (up from one-fifth in 2018), in combination withincreased renewables share to more than 80% of the power generation mix would be effective in reducing use of the fossil
fuels responsible for most GHG emissions. Coupled with energy efficiency, improved energy intensity can deliver higher
reduction in GHG emissions.
Furthermore, IRENA’s results show that energy-related CO2 emission reductions would have to decline 70% by 2050,
compared to current levels, to meet climate goals. A large-scale shift to electricity generated using renewables could deliver
60% of those reductions; 75%, if renewables for heating and transport are factored in, and 90% with ramped-up energy
efficiency.

23. In some jurisdictions, like India, subsidies are provided to encourage the creation of local manufacturing base energy storage system in states where there is large demand for solar PV system
24. IRENA, Global energy transformation: A roadmap to 2050, 2019

MALAYSIA RENEWABLE ENERGY ROADMAP

18
2.3

RENEWABLE ENERGY TRENDS – SOUTHEAST ASIA

DESPITE SUSTAINED GROWTH, THE DEVELOPMENT OF RENEWABLE ENERGY IN SOUTHEAST ASIA – PARTICULARLY SOLAR PV
AND WIND – LAGS BEHIND GLOBAL AVERAGE
Figure 2-12: Evolution of RE capacity by source in Southeast Asia

Source:IRENA – Renewable Capacity Statistics 2021; & Renewable Energy Statistics 2020

In Southeast Asia (SEA), renewable installed capacity has morethan tripled since 2000, growing from 20 GW in 2000 to 87 GW in
2020 with an average CAGR of 8%25 (Figure 2-12).
While the level of RE share in the installed capacity mix in SEA
is relatively on par with global average, the mix of RE generation
technologies deployed in SEA differs substantially from global
average.

Policy directions in SEA are changing in favour of an increasingrole of variable renewable sources in the region’s energy mix.
National targets have been set in some countries (see Chapter 2.4)
and inter-regional initiatives, such as the ASEAN Plan of Action
for Energy Cooperation (APAEC 2016-2025) include aspirationaltarget for RE share.

Figure 2-13: Comparison of installed capacity by type of RE
between global and Southeast Asia, 2020

Figure 2-13 shows that globally, the renewable installed capacity
mix is relatively balanced between hydro (49% share) and other RE(50% share, including non-VRE such as solar PV, wind, bioenergy,
and others.). Similarly in Southeast Asia, hydropower accounted
for 56% of RE capacity, and the VRE capacity only gradually
increased starting 2010. (Figure 2-12)
These gaps with global average are a result of the lag indevelopment for VRE sources such as solar PV and wind. Policies
and incentives to promote VRE started off in the SEA much later
than in other geographies with higher income levels as VRE werestill expensive at that time. For example, the Renewable Energy
Act was only implemented in Malaysia in 2011, approximately ten
years later than countries in Europe (Germany in 2000).

Note:
Source:25. IRENA, Renewable Electricity Capacity and Generation Statistics, 2019

Variable RE includes solar PV, onshore wind and offshore wind; Others include
bioenergy, geothermal and marine
IRENA — Renewable Capacity Statistics 2021; & Renewable Energy Statistics 2020

THE CONTEXT OF GLOBAL AND REGIONAL ENERGY TRENDS

19
2.4

SELECTED INTERNATIONAL BENCHMARKSGERMANY: THE PROTOTYPE OF ALL ENERGY TRANSITIONS
Germany is often credited as the first country that successfully embarked on a transition of the energy system (“Energiewende”), basedon increased penetration of VRE sources (wind power and solar PV) (Figure 2-14).

Figure 2-14: Evolution of installed capacity by fuel in Germany, 2002-2018

Note:
Source:Energiewende targets for 2050: Baseline for GHG emissions reduction, final energy consumption and gross power consumption is 1990, and baseline for primary energy consumption and grosselectricity consumption is 2008
Fraunhofer ISE

As of 2018, the share of renewable sources including hydro in the
installed capacity mix stands at 57%; wind and solar PV capacity
accounts for 50% of total installed capacity.
In the early 2000’s, at the beginning of the Energiewende, Germany
had a relatively modern portfolio of conventional plants including
natural gas, coal and nuclear assets that had significant remaining
lifetime. In addition, electricity demand growth was stagnant due
to slow population and economic growth.
As a result, introduction of renewable capacity could not be
achieved by substituting or retiring conventional plants, nor did italign with developing demand-supply gaps driven by increasing
consumption.
Instead, new renewable capacity was added on top of existing
conventional capacity by promoting investment into renewables
through a generous Feed-in Tariff system. Only after the nuclear
phase-out started in 2012, renewables played a role substituting

26. Bundesverband der Energie-und Wasserwirtschaft (BDEW), 2018

decreasing nuclear capacity. As a result, between 2002 and 2018,
while electricity consumption only increased by 3%, total installedcapacity increased by 79% (Figure 2-15) and this is in part due tolower capacity factors of RE26.
As renewables have dispatch priority, the result of this buildup of installed capacity has been a decrease in the utilizationof conventional plants, particularly gas-fired power plants.
Lower capacity factors for conventional assets have made themincreasingly unviable, diverting investment from conventional
assets to renewables.
On the other hand, the attractiveness of the Feed-in Tariff (FiT) has
resulted in increased installations of distributed renewables withdeclining cost as RE market scales up. The success of the FiT has
spawned organic progression to other RE schemes which requireless subsidies such as the regulated tendering and net energy
metering.

MALAYSIA RENEWABLE ENERGY ROADMAP

20

Figure 2-15: Electricity consumption and installed capacity in Germany, 2002-2018

Source:Bundesverband der Energie-und Wasserwirtschaft (BDEW)INDIA: THE REMARKABLE SHIFT FROM COAL TO RENEWABLES OF A DEVELOPING COUNTRY
India had relied on coal power generation to power its expansion and ambitions to become a leading global economy. Between 2011 and2016, India saw 11-19 GW of net coal capacity additions annually. In 2017, for the first time, renewables became the largest contributor
to net capacity additions, surpassing coal – India saw twice as much as solar PV additions (8 GW) than coal capacity additions (4 GW)27(Figure 2-16).

Figure 2-16: Net generation capacity additions by fuel in India, 2011-2017

Source:BNEF (2018)

The shift away from coal was motivated by four reasons:● Increasing difficulty in sourcing high-quality coal domesticallyas most Indian coal has low calorific value and high ash
content. This increased the required investment and costs tosource coal locally;● Increased dependency on higher-quality coal imports fromIndonesia, Australia and South Africa and corresponding

27. Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF), 2018
28. India Ministry of New & Renewable Energy

adverse economic impact: imported coal penetration in total
coal consumption increased from 3% in the 1990’s to 14%,
impacting adversely India’s trade balance28;● Strong recovery in power demand driven by healthy growth
in production levels from electro-intensive sectors such as
cement, aluminum and steel; and● Environmental concerns related to both coal mining and coal
power generation.

THE CONTEXT OF GLOBAL AND REGIONAL ENERGY TRENDS

21
In order to substitute part of new coal additions, India identified
solar PV and wind as the most competitive sources; in particular,
due to high insolation and vast landmass, even taking into accountonly ground-mounted configurations, India has a solar resource
potential equivalent to 1,143 GW29.
In order to minimize the cost of solar PV additions, India adopted acoherent strategy, hinging on three key levers:● Leverage competition between developers; FiT levels were notadministratively set, but were determined through an auction
process where the lowest bidder is awarded the FiT rights;● Minimize development risks; the Government set up a solarpark scheme whereby it would provide pre-developed land andinterconnection points to the developers; and● Leverage scale; individual project sizes are very large ranging
from a few hundred MW to GW-scale projects. This not only
creates economies of scale, but also entices large international
investors to compete at auctions, bringing down the FiT levels
even further.
As a result of these measures, the lowest FiT bids at auctions
decreased from 11 INR / kWh in 2011 to 2.5 INR / kWh at the endof 201730. Since then, FiT levels have increased due to new importduties on solar modules but remain very low at around 3 INR / kWh(Figure 2-17).
Image for illustration purpose only.

Figure 2-17: Lowest bid at reverse solar auctions in India, 2010-2019

Source:Mercom

29. Ecofys, The potential of solar electricity to reduce CO2 emissions
30. Mercom India Research, Solar bids in reverse auction in India, 2019

MALAYSIA RENEWABLE ENERGY ROADMAP22
ASEAN: INCREASINGLY AGGRESSIVE RE TARGETS
Figure 2-18: Overview of renewable share targets in major ASEAN countries31
Malaysia

Indonesia

Philippines

Thailand

VietnamSingapore

Latest RE policy

MyRER 2035

National Energy
Roadmap

Sectoral Energy
Plan & Roadmap

Power
Development
Plan

Power
Development
Plan

Singapore’s
Energy Story

Year of latest RE
policy

2020

2017

2017

2019

2019

2019

31% RE installedcapacity by 2025,
40% by 2035

RE installedcapacity by 45
GW by 2025, 168
GW by 2050,
31% of national
primary energy
supply in 2050

RE installedcapacity of 20
GW by 2040

33% RE installedcapacity by 2037
with RE mix asfollowing• Solar 6 GW
• Biomass 5.57
GW
• Wind 3 GW
• Hydropower 3.3
GW• Biogas 0.6 GW• MSW 0.5 GW

32% RE installedcapacity by 2030,
45% by 2050

At least 2
GW of solar
by 2030, andenergy storage
deployment
target of 200 MW
post 2025

Overall RE
targets

Source:UN’s Regional Energy Trends report

As renewable generation costs have decreased in recent years,
ASEAN countries have also revised their targets for renewablegeneration deployment (Figure 2-18).
Long-term RE targets in large countries in the region aim to achievea RE share between 30-40%:● Indonesia targets 31% by 2050 in terms of primary energy
supply;● Philippines targets 20 GW by 2040, translating into 32%
installed capacity;● Thailand targets 33% of RE installed capacity by 2037; and● Vietnam target 32% installed capacity by 2030 and 45% by
2050.
Availability of resources also impacts RE targets. Solar PV is thepreferred technology by most of the ASEAN countries due to highannual solar irradiation in the region. Most ASEAN countries arealso rich in hydro resources. Due to agricultural activities in most
ASEAN countries, bioenergy can be supported by availability offeedstock. Vietnam and partly Thailand have relatively ambitious
targets for wind energy, owing to attractive wind conditions.
In line with regional peers, Malaysia’s energy policies are also
increasingly focusing on exploiting indigenous RE resources anddeclining technology cost to reduce reliance on fossil fuel andtransition towards a greener power sector.

Image for illustration purpose only.

THE CONTEXT OF GLOBAL AND REGIONAL ENERGY TRENDS

23

Case study
ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation (APAEC 2016-2025)

The ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation is a series of guiding policy documents to support theimplementation of multilateral energy cooperation to advance regional integration and connectivity goals in ASEAN.
It serves as a blueprint for better cooperation towards enhancing energy security, accessibility, affordability andsustainability under the framework of the ASEAN Economic Community or AEC for the designated period.
The APAEC 2016-2025, with the theme, “Enhancing Energy Connectivity and Market Integration in ASEAN to Achieve
Energy Security, Accessibility, Affordability and Sustainability for All”, implements outcome-based strategies andaction plans through seven Programme Areas. The key strategies of the seven Programme Areas of the APAEC
Phase II: 2021 – 2025 are as outlined below.
The APAEC (2016-2025) has set the RE share target of 35% of Total Installed Power Capacity by 2025, which willcontribute to achieving the aspirational RE share target of 23% in the ASEAN Total Primary Energy Supply and 35%
in total power installed capacity.

1

ASEAN Power Grid

To expand regional multilateral electricity trading, strengthen grid resilience andmodernization and promote clean and renewable energy integration

2

Trans ASEAN
Gas Pipeline

To pursue the development of common gas market for ASEAN by enhancing gas and LNG
connectivity and accessibility

3

Coal and Clean
Coal Technology

To optimize the role of clean coal technology in facilitating the transition towards
sustainable and lower emission development

4

Energy Efficiency
and Conversation

To reduce energy intensity by 32% in 2025 based on 2005 levels and encourage further
energy efficiency and conservation efforts

5

Renewable Energy

To achieve aspirational target for increasing the component of renewable energy to 23% by2025 in the ASEAN energy mix, increase RE in installed power capacity to 35% by 2025

6

Regional Energy
Policy and Planning

To advance energy policy and planning to accelerate the regions’s energy transition andresilience

7

Civilian Nuclear
EnergyTo build resource capabilities on nuclear science and technology for power generation

Source:ASEAN Centre for Energy

Image for illustration purpose only.

MALAYSIA RENEWABLE ENERGY ROADMAP

24

Intentionally left blank

3

MALAYSIA’S ENERGY AND POWER LANDSCAPE

25

chapter three

MALAYSIA’SENERGYAND POWERLANDSCAPEMALAYSIA RENEWABLE ENERGY ROADMAP26

MALAYSIA’S ENERGY AND
POWER LANDSCAPE
SUMMARY
MALAYSIA’S ENERGY LANDSCAPE
Energy policies in Malaysia have revolved around energy security through gradual fuel diversification and promotion of renewables in theFifth-Fuel Policy.
However, hydrocarbons still contribute to most primary energy supply in Malaysia. In 2018, primary energy supply amounted to 100
Mtoe, dominated by natural gas (41%), crude oil (26%), coal and coke (22%), and petroleum product (4%). Renewables contributed
approximately at 7% of primary energy supply in 2018
In Malaysia, a higher proportion of energy consumption is met through petroleum products (48%), as compared to global average (40%),driven by transportation and industry sector demand. On the contrary, Malaysia consumes a lower proportion of electricity (20%) ascompared to global average (24%), reflecting relatively low residential and commercial consumption.

MALAYSIA’S POWER LANDSCAPEElectricity consumption in Malaysia has been growing at a slightly slower rate (CAGR of 5.5% between 2010 and 2018) compared to theannual GDP growth (5.2% CAGR in the same period). While Sarawak’s SCORE has attracted energy intensive industries using electricity
over the past ten (10) years, industrial electricity demand in other regions (Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah) is plateauing.
Gas remains the main fuel for power generation but has been gradually displaced by coal in Peninsular Malaysia in year 2010. In Sarawak,
large hydro was planted up to meet additional demand. In 2020, gas represents ~39% of total installed capacity, while coal makes up~34% of total installed capacity. Renewables makes up for 23% in the national installed capacity mix.
Increasing reliance on imported coal, depletion of local gas reserves and slow traction in leveraging renewable resources are slowly
pushing Malaysia toward becoming a net importer of power generation fuels.
In the future, when electricity market restructuring initiative is introduced, there will be greater competitive pricing, customer choice andspur economic activity in the sector. The reforms in this roadmap refer to residential customers contestability and third-party accessframework to electricity grid.

MALAYSIA’S ENERGY AND POWER LANDSCAPE

27
3.1

MALAYSIA’S ENERGY LANDSCAPE

MALAYSIA USES PROPORTIONATELY MORE PETROLEUM
PRODUCTS AND LESS ELECTRICITY THAN THE GLOBAL
average to meet its energy consumption
Primary energy supply in 2018 amounted to approximately 100
Mtoe; after transformation and losses, approximately 65 Mtoe
were used to meet final demand32.
As of 2018, the three largest primary energy sources in Malaysia
were natural gas (41%), crude oil (30%), and coal and coke (22%).
On the other hand, hydropower and renewables contributed 7% ofprimary energy supply in 2018 (Figure 3-1).

Image for illustration purpose only.

Figure 3-1: Primary energy supply and final energy consumption, 2018

Note:
Source:Primary energy supply has netted of imports and exports; Non-energy use refers to use of products resulting from transformation process for non-energy purposes (e.g. asphalt/greases) or use ofenergy products (such as natural gas) as industrial feedstocks
National Energy Balance 2018 (2020)

Final energy consumption is driven primarily by transport (36% ofconsumption) and industry (29% of consumption but increasing
to 50% when including both energy and non-energy uses suchas manufacturing of petrochemicals, lubricants, and others), while
the residential and commercial sectors only account for 12% ofenergy consumption.
Reflecting high consumption from transportation and industry, avery high proportion of Malaysia’s energy consumption (48%) ismet by petroleum products; this is much higher than the global
average which stands at 40%33.

32. ST, National Energy Balance 201833. BP, Energy Outlook, 2019

Reflecting relatively low residential and commercial consumption,
electricity accounts for only 20% of final energy consumption in
Malaysia (Figure 3-1); this is lower than the global average, where
electricity accounts for 24% of final energy consumption.
As pointed out in Chapter 2.2.4 (Case Study on IRENA REmap
2050), a key long-term strategy to increase use of renewablesources is to combine higher share of RE in electricity generation
with increased share of electricity in final energy consumption.
While the MyRER focuses on the first point – promoting utilizationof RE in electricity generation – a shift in final energy consumption
towards electrification can be advocated in order to decarbonize
the broader energy sector.

MALAYSIA RENEWABLE ENERGY ROADMAP28
3.2

MALAYSIA’S POWER LANDSCAPESLOWING GROWTH OF ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION AND CONTINUED RELIANCE ON FOSSIL FUELS FOR POWER GENERATION –WITH THE EXCEPTION OF SARAWAK
Figure 3-2: Historical electricity consumption by sector and region

Note:
Source:Electricity consumption as per TNB, SESB and SEB electricity sales; “Others” includes public lighting, mining, export and others; “Industrial” includes agriculture and industry
ST; MEIH; National Energy Balance 2018

Electricity consumption growth rates in Malaysia have been slowing
down due to slowing demand in the residential, commercial, andindustrial sectors in Peninsular Malaysia and in Sabah (Figure 3-2).
The overall increase in growth rate in the industrial sector is largely
due to the launch of the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy(SCORE), which has attracted energy-intensive heavy industries
to the state, relying on cheap power from abundant hydroelectric
resources.

Image for illustration purpose only.

MALAYSIA’S ENERGY AND POWER LANDSCAPE

29

Figure 3-3: On-grid installed capacity by region, 1995-2018

Note:
Source:Figures correspond to on-grid installed capacities only; and dependable capacity for Sabah
ST, MEIH, National Energy Balance 2018

Malaysia has three largely independent electricity markets
corresponding to each region – Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, andSarawak. As of 2020, there is no interconnection between the three
regions, hence the three markets are independent (Figure 3 3).
Peninsular Malaysia is by far the biggest electricity market in
Malaysia, with approximately 25.8 GW of installed on-grid capacity
in 2018, largely made up of coal and gas power plants.
Sarawak has approximately 5.1 GW of installed capacity, with largehydro as the main source of power generation. In 2008, Sarawak
implemented SCORE, powered by its large hydro resource, which
has attracted energy-intensive heavy industries to the State.
As of 2018, Sabah has approximately 1.6 GW of total installedcapacity with natural gas remaining the main fuel for regional
power generation.

POWER GENERATION MIX POLICIES HAVE SHIFTED MULTIPLE
TIMES – DESPITE THE EFFORTS TO PROMOTE RENEWABLES
IN THE PAST, MALAYSIA REMAINS RELIANT ON FOSSIL FUELSAND THE NATION COULD SOON BECOME A NET IMPORTER OF
POWER GENERATION FUELS
Energy policies in Malaysia have shifted multiple times in the past
four decades in response to changes in global market conditions.
In the 1970s, Malaysia’s power generation mix mainly consistedof petroleum products. However, after the two oil crises in 1973
and 1979, Malaysia has taken steps to decrease its reliance on oil
and rebalance the power generation mix towards gas, supported
by local availability. Natural gas has since been a key fuel in power
sector, and in order to meet growing energy and power demand,
Malaysia started importing natural gas in 2003.
Recognizing potential shortfalls in natural gas supply, theGovernment opted to shift to coal as the main fuel for electricity
generation due to readily available supplies worldwide andrelatively low prices.

MALAYSIA RENEWABLE ENERGY ROADMAP30The Fifth-Fuel Diversification Policy was introduced in 2001, whererenewable energy was added as the fifth main fuel in Malaysia’s
generation mix, joining coal, gas, hydro, and petroleum products.
However, RE uptake remained slow, while coal became the primaryfuel used due to its cheap import prices and global availability.
Despite being introduced into the national policy in 2001, the RE
generation sector remained dormant34, up until the Government
launched the NREPAP to support the utilization of indigenous
renewable resources, contributing to electricity supply and fuelsupply independence. The later policy laid the foundation for
the Renewable Energy Act (RE Act) and the Sustainable Energy
Development Authority Act (SEDA Act), both of which wereintroduced in 2011.
Under the RE Act, the Feed-in Tariff (FiT) scheme was establishedto incentivize the development of RE power generation projects
with installed capacities of up to 30 MW. To operationalize andimplement the FiT mechanism, a statutory body named Sustainable
Energy Development Authority (SEDA) Malaysia was formed under
the SEDA Act 2011.
However, as of 2020, share of renewables in Malaysia’s power
sector remains modest. The installed capacity of renewables
stands at 8.45 GW or 23.5% of national installed capacity. Theenergy input into Malaysia power stations is shown in Figure 3-4
below.

Image for illustration purpose only.

Figure 3-4: Energy input in Malaysian power stations, 1978 – 2018

Note:
Source:Renewables includes hydropower, solar, biomass, and biogas; Petroleum products includes fuel oil and diesel
ST; MEIH; National Energy Balance 2018 (2020)

With this continued reliance on fossil fuel in the generation mix,
Malaysia could soon become a net importer of power generation
fuels. Malaysia is already a net importer of several key fuels: coaland piped natural gas (Figure 3-5).
The shift of power generation fuel to coal, which is wholly imported,
as well as the declining local gas production put Malaysia’s energy

security at risk. As of 2018, Malaysia is one of the largest coal
importers in the world35.
As seen in 2018, the increase in coal prices resulted in higher
electricity cost, impacting electricity tariffs (+1.35 MYR sen/kWh
was imposed on non-residential consumers)36.

34. The Small Renewable Energy Power that preceded the FiT (mandated by the RE Act 2011) was ineffective to drive the RE market due to low tariff offered to RE projects
35. Asia Pacific Energy Research Centre, Coal Report 2018, https://aperc.ieej.or.jp/file/2019/6/6/20190606_Coal_Report.pdf
36. TNB, Others Imbalance Cost Pass-Through or July-December 2018, https://www.tnb.com.my/assets/press_releases/Reference_No._GA1-29062018-00001.pdf

MALAYSIA’S ENERGY AND POWER LANDSCAPE

31

Figure 3-5: Import and export balance for power generation fuels

Source:

SEDA; ST

FUTURE ELECTRICITY MARKET RESTRUCTURING TO INTRODUCECOMPETITIVE PRICING AND CUSTOMER CHOICE AS WELL AS
THIRD-PARTY ACCESS TO THE GRID IN THE NEXT 10 YEARSThe discussion on electricity market reform has been an ongoing
exercise within the Ministry and related energy agencies.
Specifically, the future electricity market reform can introduce
competitive pricing, increase customer choice and satisfaction,and spur further economic activity in the sector.
Although detailed policies and timeline for the electricity market
reform are still under discussion, the package of measures
advocated by the MyRER includes:● Introduction of green electricity tariffs to support RE
development through enhanced customer choice;● Enhanced virtual energy trading between prosumers andelectricity consumers;● Utilization of demand side management to enhance system
flexibility; in particular Time of Use (ToU) tariffs design may
address “duck curve” issues that may arise as solar PV
penetration increases; and● Introduction of market mechanisms for the provision of capacity
and ancillary services.

Image for illustration purpose only.

MALAYSIA RENEWABLE ENERGY ROADMAP

32

Intentionally left blank

4
RENEWABLES IN MALAYSIA

33

chapter four

RENEWABLES
IN MALAYSIAMALAYSIA RENEWABLE ENERGY ROADMAP34

RENEWABLES
IN MALAYSIA
SUMMARY
RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCE AVAILABILITY
Malaysia is blessed with abundant RE resources readily exploitable for power generation; (1) year-round solar irradiation, (2) agriculture,
domestic and industrial waste for bioenergy combustion or gasification and (3) river basins for small hydroelectric power. The following RE
resource potential has been identified in Malaysia:● 269 GW potential for solar PV, dominated by ground-mounted configurations (210 GW), rooftop PV system (42 GW) and floating
configurations (17 GW);
● 13.6 GW (13,619 MW) resource potential for large hydro; 3.1 GW is identified in Peninsular Malaysia, 493 MW in Sabah, and 10 GW in
Sarawak;● 3.6 GW resource potential for bioenergy, including biomass (2.3 GW), biogas (736 MW), municipal solid waste (516 MW);● 2.5 GW resource potential for small hydro (up to 100 MW); and● 229 MW of geothermal resource potential.

CURRENT RENEWABLE ENERGY DEVELOPMENT STATUS IN MALAYSIA AND ITS CHALLENGES
As of 2020, RE installed capacity in Malaysia amounted to 8,450 MW. Large hydro is the largest contributor to RE capacity with 5,692
MW, followed by solar PV and biomass with 1,534 MW and 594 MW respectively. Small hydro capacity amounts to 507 MW and biogas
to 123 MW.
On-grid RE development has been supported by four programmes; Feed-in Tariff scheme (FiT), Large Scale Solar auction (LSS),Net Energy Metering (NEM) and Self-Consumption (SELCO). FiT was the first program to be introduced in 2011, and later in 2016 NEM andSELCO, targeting rooftop solar. LSS was also introduced in 2016 which has grown as solar utility scale.
In parallel with the RE programmes mentioned above, the Malaysian government has introduced a few incentive schemes: GreenTechnology Financing Scheme (GTFS), Green Investment Tax Allowance (GITA) and Green Income Tax Exemption (GITE).
Key challenges in RE development have also been identified to formulate key actions in MyRER.
For solar PV, among the key challenges: (1) securing land for LSS; (2) securing affordable debt financing for solar PV rooftop systems;(3) capacity limits; (4) limitation of NEM scheme to assets on customers’ own premises; and (5) lack of regulatory framework supporting
customer choice.
Key challenges faced by bioenergy developers include: (1) suboptimal plant size and capacity factors due to feedstock procurement
challenges; (2) inconsistent feedstock price and quality; (3) accessing grid connections; and (4) utilization of less efficient technologies for
power generation. In addition, WTE players face specific issues like: (1) varied tipping fees across Malaysia, complicating decision-making
for WTE investment; and (2) logistics of waste feedstocks as landfill sites are scattered across Malaysia.
For small hydro, among the key challenges faced by developers are: (1) long gestation period due to extensive approval process; (2) lackof regulation on upstream development; and (3) lack of data on high potential sites for hydro development.
Challenges faced by the utilities when developing large hydro projects are: (1) longer gestation period due to numerous permits required;(2) high development costs; (3) public acceptance; (4) government and policy support; and (5) lack of regulation on upstream development.
In addition, other common challenges across all technologies are: (1) human capital development and (2) lack of public awareness on theimportance of energy transition and Government efforts.

RENEWABLES IN MALAYSIA

35
4.1

RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCE AVAILABILITY

MALAYSIA HAS ABUNDANT RENEWABLE RESOURCES READILY EXPLOITABLE FOR POWER GENERATION – SOLAR, BIOMASSAND SMALL HYDRO, WITH MORE THAN 275 GW OF POTENTIAL – BUT ALSO RESOURCES THAT MAY BE UTILIZED IN THE
LONGER TERM
Malaysia has abundance of resources readily exploitable forrenewable energy generation;● solar irradiation for solar generation,● agricultural, domestic and industrial waste for bioenergy
combustion or gasification and● rivers for small hydroelectric power.
Located near the equator, Malaysia has a substantial amount ofsolar resources. A study published by SEDA in 2016 reported solar
irradiation of 1,575 – 1,812 kWh/m2, higher than in some of thetemperate regions where solar market is already well developed(e.g. Germany has average solar irradiance of 1,088 kWh/m2)37.
The palm oil industry is a major sector in Malaysia’s economy,
contributing between 5% and 7% of GDP from 2012 to 201738.
There are approximately 450 palm oil mills across Malaysia,
processing an average of 95.5 million tons of fresh fruit bunch(FFB) annually39, generating vast amount of waste such as empty
fruit bunch (EFB), palm kernel shell (PKS) and mesocarp fiber (MF).
The abundance of palm oil waste and its calorific value makes it
a suitable feedstock for combustion and energy generation. In
addition to palm oil waste, there has been growing interest in theindustry to utilize other agricultural residues such as rice husk andstraw, and also wood residue from sawmills for energy generation.

Finally, Malaysia is rich in hydroelectric power resources with a
total of 189 river basins in Malaysia42. Although the rainfall regime
is subject to seasonality, Malaysia does not experience recurring
drought periods that impact significantly dispatchability ofhydropower43.
The availability of these renewable energy resources in Malaysia
has been quantified as part of the MyRER. The total RE resource
availability, quantified in equivalent power generation capacity(GW) in Malaysia is summarized in Figure 4-1. Solar PV has by far,the largest resource availability at 269 GW. Large hydro comes insecond at 13.6 GW (13,619 MW), followed by bioenergy (biomass
from agriculture waste, biogas and solid waste) at 3.6 GW, smallhydro (up to 100 MW) close to 2.5 GW, and lastly geothermal
resource availability has been estimated at 0.23GW. The
subsequent subchapters in this report will discuss each resource
potential in detail. It should be noted here that the assessmentof resource availability does not consider economic feasibility andadoption barriers, such as grid connectivity.

Continued growth of Malaysia’s population, quality of life andurbanization have contributed to the increase in sanitary and nonsanitary solid waste40. It is estimated that an average of 9.5 million
tons of solid waste is generated every year41.
In 2018, the Malaysian government announced its intention tobuild one WTE plant in each state in order to shift toward a cleaner
process of solid waste disposal. At the point of publication of thisroadmap, 2 tender exercises have already been conducted by
KPKT on WTE initiative in Johor and Melaka state respectively.

Image for illustration purpose only.

37. Fraunhofer, Recent Facts about Photovoltaics in Germany, 2020
38. Malaysian Palm Oil Board, Malaysia: 100 years of resilient palm oil economic performance, 201839. SEDA analysis based on average fresh fruit bunches produced between 2014-2018. Data taken from Malaysian Palm Oil Board website http://bepi.mpob.gov.my/index.php/en/, accessed on 1
March 2019.
40. Sanitary solid waste is waste that is not hazardous or radioactive
41. Jabatan Pengurusan Sisa Pepejal Negara (JPSPN), Municipal waste disposal and treatment statistic, 201842. Department of Irrigation and Drainage
43. Expert interview and SEDA

MALAYSIA RENEWABLE ENERGY ROADMAP

36

Figure 4-1: Summary of RE resource potential

Aside from solar PV, bioenergy and small hydro, Malaysia also has
two additional potential RE resources that could be tapped in thelonger term: geothermal and wind energy.
Wind speed in Malaysia is generally low on average, less than 5 m/s.
However, although accessibility issue may prevent development, a
few locations in Peninsular Malaysia and North Sabah were foundto have sufficient strong wind conditions that may be suitable forwind turbine installation, while other locations are depending ontechnology advances in low speed turbine44.
Two studies by the Minerals and Geoscience Department of
Malaysia also indicated 67 MW geothermal resources in Tawau,
Sabah45, as well as 162 MW in Ulu Slim, Perak46.

44.
45.
46.
47.
48.
49.

4.1.1

SOLAR PV

MALAYSIA IS RICH IN SOLAR RESOURCES (IRRADIANCE)
Due to its location around the equator, Malaysia receives
approximately 1,575 – 1,812 kWh/m2 of solar irradiance, which is
close to the average solar irradiance for Southeast Asia (1,500 to
2,000 kWh/m2)47. For comparison, India, with a large solar installedcapacity of approximately 30 GW48, has solar irradiance range
between 1,200 to 2,20049 kWh/m2, while Germany has an average
solar irradiance of 1,088 kWh/m2. As solar irradiance is relatively
high, solar PV is considered a viable RE option for Malaysia. Basedon a study by SEDA, the north-western part of Peninsular Malaysia
receives the highest solar irradiation. However other regions in
Malaysia such as Sabah also have good conditions for solar PV
power generation (Figure 4-2).

SEDA and WinDForce Management Services Pvt Ltd & Emergent Ventures (M) Sdn Bhd, Meso Scale Mapping Report, 2017
Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, The Geothermal Investigation Project Sabah: Magnetotelluric (MT) Survey in Apas Kiri Geothermal Prospect, Tawau, Sabah, 2009
SEDA and Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Laporan Penilaian Sumber Geoterma Bagi Potensi Penjanaan Tenaga Boleh Baharu di Kawasan Ulu Slim, Perak, 2016
Meteonorm
The Economic Times, “How India in a short period of time has become the cheapest producer of solar power”, 2019
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, India Solar Resource (map), 2016

RENEWABLES IN MALAYSIA

37

Figure 4-2: Solar irradiance in Malaysia

THREE TYPES OF SOLAR PV INSTALLATION CONSIDERED – GROUND-MOUNTED, FLOATING AND ROOFTOPIn addition to favourable irradiation, solar resource is driven by availability of areas for installation of solar PV systems. Three types of
installation configurations are considered: ground-mounted solar installations on unused land, floating installations on water bodies andinstallations on residential, commercial, industrial and public buildings rooftops (Figure 4-3).

Figure 4-3: Solar PV resource availability by installation and by region

MALAYSIA RENEWABLE ENERGY ROADMAP

38
Ground-mounted solar PV

Floating solar PV

Ground-mounted solar PV involves installing solar PV systems
on flat land. This configuration has the highest solar potential in
Malaysia at 210 GW, driven by the availability of unused suitableland50. It is estimated from land utilization data that 4,085 km2 ofunused suitable land, or 1.2% of total land area, are available in
Malaysia51. To understand the scale of this resource, it is worth
considering that even utilizing only 1% of available unused suitableland would yield 2.1 GW of ground-mounted solar PV generation
capacity – almost three times the installed capacity of solar PV in
Malaysia in 2018 (736 MW).

Floating solar PV involves installing PV modules on floating
platforms placed on water body surfaces. The key driver for
floating solar PV resource is the availability of water bodies. For the
purpose of this study, only hydroelectric plant and reservoir dams
were considered as these water bodies have the highest potential
for connecting a floating solar PV system to a substation.

Comparing resource potential regionally, Sabah ranked the highest
in ground-mounted solar PV resource at 97.2 GW, followed by
Peninsular Malaysia with 94.9 GW and Sarawak at 18.2 GW.
Sabah has a higher ratio of unused suitable land, corresponding to
2.6% of Sabah’s total land or 1,887 km2. Peninsular Malaysia has
1,843 km2 of unused suitable land corresponding to 1.4% of total
land. Sarawak has the lowest ratio of unused suitable land area
(0.3%), as most of the State is covered by mountainous areas andundulating land, which is not suitable for ground-mounted solar
PV installations.

Sarawak has the highest floating solar PV resource at 11.3 GW due
to the high number and large individual size of dams, amounting
to approximately 220 km2 of usable water surface (11% of total
water surface in Sarawak). For example, Bakun Dam in Sarawak
has a total water surface area of 695 km2, close to the size ofSingapore. Its usable water surface area amounts to 69.5 km2,
which could generate approximately 3.9 GW of floating solar
capacity. Peninsular Malaysia has the second highest floating
solar PV resource of 5.2 GW as it has multiple reservoir dams
corresponding to 101 km2 of useable water surface. Sabah has
the lowest floating solar PV resource of 0.01 GW, due to the limited
reservoirs and hydroelectric plants in the state.

Given the large resource availability, policies and strategies thatare designed to realize ground-mounted solar PV potential are
crucial in meeting Malaysia’s RE targets.

An estimated 16.6 GW of floating solar PV resource potential isavailable in Malaysia, covering 17 hydroelectric plants and 62
reservoir dams that made up 2,944 km2 of total water surface area.

Although much smaller than ground-mounted solar PV resource,
floating solar PV resource is still substantial at 16.6 GW (Figure4-4) and is able to address the concerns on extension land uses
requirement for ground-mounted potentials.

Figure 4-4: Floating solar PV resource potential and water bodies

Source:

SEDA; Department of Irrigation and Drainage; Ciel-et-terre; Industry inputs

50. Unused suitable land is defined as flat land that is not classified for any specific use. Categories of land or areas excluded from consideration are water bodies, forests, agricultural land,
mountainous areas, existing urban and industrial areas. The categories are defined as per PLAN Malaysia, Sarawak Land and Survey Department and Sabah Structure Plan 2033
51. Estimates based on published data from PLAN Malaysia, Sabah Structure Plan 2033 and Sarawak Land and Survey Department

RENEWABLES IN MALAYSIA

39
Rooftop solar PV
Rooftop solar PV involves installing solar PV systems on buildings’
roofs.
This study has found approximately 42 GW of rooftop solar PV
resource availability from 4.6 million buildings52 and 43 university
campuses50 in Malaysia. This includes residential buildings (landed
and high-rise) buildings, commercial buildings (hotels, shopping
malls, offices, shophouses), industrial buildings (industrial offices,
factories) and buildings hosting public institutions (primary andsecondary schools, universities and hospitals).
Peninsular Malaysia has by far the highest rooftop solar PV resource
at 37.4 GW as it is highly urbanized. Sarawak and Sabah possess
2.6 GW and 2.2 GW of rooftop solar PV resource respectively(Figure 4-5).

Residential buildings support most of the resource potential at
22.7 GW. This comes from approximately 3.9 million residentialbuildings. 115,000 industrial buildings contribute to 9.9 GW of
resource potential and 520,000 commercial buildings offer 5.2 GW
rooftop solar PV potential. Finally, approximately 10,500 publicbuildings support 4.4 GW potential53.
Rooftop solar PV has been one of the driving forces for solar PV
growth globally. Countries such as Japan, India and China haveadopted national rooftop PV programmes to support rooftop PV
growth54. With the right strategy, Malaysia can unlock a portionof the estimated 42 GW of rooftop solar PV resource. Existing
programmes like NEM and SELCO, which are discussed in
Chapter 4.3 have been implemented and are picking up since
the policy improvement was made. Strategies to promote new
business models and revenue streams like P2P energy trading andcorporate PPA programmes have been proposed to encourage
more rooftops applications as explained in Chapter 6.1.

Figure 4-5: Summary of buildings assessed for rooftop solar PV

Source:

SEDA; National Property Information Centre; Ministry of Health Malaysia; Ministry of Education Malaysia; Property and university’s website

52. SEDA analysis based on published data
53. Does not include government flats and government office, both of which are accounted for already in residential homes and commercial buildings respectively
54. IEA, Market deployment strategies for PV systems in the built environment – An evaluation of Incentives, Support Programmes and Marketing Activities, 2002

MALAYSIA RENEWABLE ENERGY ROADMAP

40
4.1.2

BIOENERGY

Agricultural activities, population growth and increase in living
standards have resulted in abundance of waste by-products thatare either incinerated or disposed in landfill sites though could be
used for power generation.

ABUNDANCE OF PALM OIL WASTE THAT CAN BE USED FOR
POWER GENERATION THROUGH DIRECT COMBUSTION OR
GASIFICATION (BIOGAS)
On average, 95.5 million tons of FFB are processed by approximately
450 palm oil mills each year in Malaysia55. The resulting residue of
FFB are EFB, MF and PKS that are usually sent for mulching, ordisposed, incinerated and in some cases exported overseas.
Interviews with industry experts conducted in this study foundthat millers typically send half of EFB produced for mulching, andthey dispose or incinerate the other half56. On the contrary, all
MF residues are disposed, incinerated or used for electricity selfconsumption, and majority of PKS residue is exported overseas,
mainly to Japan and South Korea, where it is used for biomass
power generation under subsidized schemes.
The fraction of waste that is disposed or incinerated could bereused for power generation, thereby contributing as a bioenergy
resource. Of the 19.6 million tons (dry weight) of EFB, MF and PKS
that are produced each year, 12.3 million tons could be available
for biomass combustion, which is equivalent to 2.3 GW of biomass
resource57.
In addition to EFB, MF and PKS, palm oil processing produces
palm oil mill effluent (POME) which is often collected in disposal
ponds.
POME is suitable for biogas production (gasification), which can beused a fuel for power generation through gas engines. An averageof 64 million m3 of POME is generated each year, translating toapproximately 550 MW of biogas power generation resource in
Malaysia

GROWING INTEREST FOR RICE HUSK AND STRAW AND WOODRESIDUEIn addition to palm oil waste, there has been growing interest in
utilizing by-products of rice production such as rice husk andstraw as well as wood residue from sawmills for biomass power
generation.
Malaysia has approximately 689,000 ha of paddy fields producing
2.7 million tons of rice58, generating approximately 770,000 tonsof rice husk59 and 2.1 million tons of rice straw each year60. It isestimated that 50% or 1.4 million tons of rice husk and straw in
Malaysia could be used for biomass combustion, while the rest
is used as cattle feed61. This translates to 183 MW of biomass
resource.
Industry data show that 1.6 million tons of wood residues are
generated every year in Malaysia62. Approximately half of the wood
residue generated is recycled as bedding material, landscapemulching and fiber for composite board products59. The remaining
half could be used for biomass power generation. This corresponds
to 815,000 tons of wood residue, translating to approximately 120
MW of bioenergy resource.

EXPLOITING SOLID WASTE LANDFILLS
On average, 9.5 million tons of solid waste are disposed in 146
landfills every year63. Waste management has become a growing
concern in Malaysia as landfill sites are reaching full capacity.
Therefore, effort is undertaken to develop WTE facilities to tackle
waste management issues. Assuming all 9.5 million tons of waste isused directly for power generation through combustion, this would
correspond to approximately 516 MW of biomass WTE resource.
Alternatively, if the same amount of waste is converted throughlandfill gas, this would result in 175 MW of biogas resource.

BIOENERGY RESOURCE AVAILABILITY BY RESOURCE AND
REGION
Following the estimates outlined above, the total bioenergy
resource potential in Malaysia, including biomass, biogas and WTE
is calculated at 3.6 GW.

55. SEDA analysis based on average fresh fruit bunches produced between 2014-2018. Data taken from Malaysian Palm Oil Board website, http://bepi.mpob.gov.my/index.php/en/, accessed in
March 201956. Expert interview
57. SEDA analysis based on fresh fruit bunch waste produced per fresh fruit bunch processed. Assumption taken from published study; Malaysian Palm Oil Board, Energy Conversion andManagement, 201858. Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Malaysia, agriculture statistics, 2016
59. Rice husk yield is 28% of each ton rice paddy produced; International Rice Research Institute, http://www.knowledgebank.irri.org/step-by-step-production/postharvest/rice-by-products/ricehusk, assessed in March 2019
60. Rice straw yield is 75% of each ton of rice paddy produced. Rice paddy and rice straw are separate components in a rice plant, hence 2.74 million tons of paddy rice includes rice and rice husk
but does not include rice straw. Therefore, the sum of the total volume of rice husk and straw exceeds the total volume of paddy rice
61. Expert interview
62. Malaysia Biomass Industries Confederation, Towards Environmental & Economic Sustainability in Malaysia via Biomass Industry, 2014
63. Jabatan Pengurusan Sisa Pepejal Negara (JPSPN), Municipal waste disposal and treatment statistic, 2018

RENEWABLES IN MALAYSIA

41
Biomass constitutes the largest resource with approximately 2.3
GW of potential in Malaysia. Peninsular Malaysia accounts for 1.3
GW, followed by Sabah and Sarawak with 561 MW and 448 MW
respectively.

Solid waste for WTE combustion contributes 516 MW of
bioenergy resource with Peninsular Malaysia accounting for 443
MW, followed by Sarawak and Sabah with 43 MW and 30 MW
respectively (Figure 4-6).

The total biogas resource including landfill gasification is 736 MW.
Peninsular Malaysia accounts for 453 MW of resource, followed by
Sabah and Sarawak with 158 MW and 125 MW of biogas resource
respectively.

Figure 4-6: Overview of bioenergy resource availability in Malaysia

Source:4.1.3

SEDA; MPOB; MBIC; JPSPN; IPCC; Department of Veterinary Services Malaysia; Biomass Energy Resource Center; Ministry of Agriculture andAgro-based Industry Malaysia; International Rice Research InstituteSMALL HYDROApproximately 2.5 GW of small hydro resource potential has been
identified in Malaysia64. For the purpose of this study, small hydroresource is estimated using existing installed projects, planned
projects and sites that have already been identified by industry
players. The data have been collected via focus group discussions
and interviews with industry players and associations.

Peninsular Malaysia has the highest resource potential at 1,736
MW, followed by Sabah with 591 MW, and Sarawak with 188 MW(Figure 4-7).
However, given the abundance of river basins in Malaysia (189basins), potential sites that can be exploited for small hydrodevelopment may exceed the existing resource potential identified(2.5 GW), thus contributing to an even larger resource potential.
To further exploit this potential, a bottom-up hydro-geologicalassessment of the river basins needs to be conducted. Chapter
6.3 discusses the initiative to implement such a study to identify
and further develop small hydro power generation.

Figure 4-7: Small hydro resource potential

Source:

SEDA; TNB; SESB; SEB; Industry players

64. Hydropower plant with system size of up to 100 MW

MALAYSIA RENEWABLE ENERGY ROADMAP

42
4.1.4

LARGE HYDROIn Malaysia, the total large hydro resource potential that could be utilized is significant, with an estimated resource potential of 13.6 GW
over the three regions in Malaysia. Around 73% of the identified resource potential (10 GW) comes from central and northern Sarawak,
followed by 23% potential of 3.1 GW in Peninsular Malaysia, and the last 4% (493 MW) is identified in Sabah. Given its large potential
in Malaysia, developing plans are already in place for more than half of the estimated resource potential. The large hydro capacity in
Malaysia is estimated to reach 5.9 GW in 2025, with an addition of 189 MW to its existing capacity of 5.7 GW.

Figure 4-8: Large hydro resource potential

Source:4.1.5

SEDA; TNB; SESB; SEB

GEOTHERMALIn 2009, a study commissioned by the Minerals
and Geoscience Department of Malaysia, identified
67 MW of geothermal resource potential in Tawau,
Sabah. The reservoir identified covers 12 km2
with temperature ranging from 190°C to 236°C.
A separate study in 2016 by the Minerals andGeoscience Department of Malaysia, found an
additional 162 MW of geothermal resource in Ulu
Slim, Perak (Figure 4-9).
Given the abundance of alternative RE resources(solar, bioenergy, small hydro) with fewer technicalcomplexity65 and lower costs66, geothermal
generation is only considered in the MyRER as an
option in the long term, contributing to installedcapacity by 2035.

65. Expert interview
66. IRENA (2020) RE Power Generation Cost 2019

Figure 4-9: Geothermal resource – Ulu Slim and Tawau resource potential

RENEWABLES IN MALAYSIA

43
4.1.6		WIND

Figure 4-10: Wind map study of Malaysia

An onshore wind mapping study commissioned
by SEDA identified suitable wind conditions for
power generation in the northern part of Peninsular
Malaysia and Sabah (as illustrated in Figure 4-10)67.
Feasibility of wind generation is dependent on windspeed and cut-in speed of wind turbine. In the study,
only areas with wind speed of 5 m/s or more were
included in the assessment. It should be noted thatat 5 m/s, the capacity factor of wind turbines would
be low, resulting in unfavourable wind generation
economics. Global case studies show that minimum
wind speed required for profitable wind energy
generation is 7-8 m/s.
In addition to low electricity yield based on current
wind turbine technology for wind speed around 5
m/s, scarce site accessibility and high installation
cost make wind power generation in Malaysia
uneconomical. Continued development in low windspeed technology and government support may
improve the economics for wind installation in the
future.

4.2

Note:
Source:Wind map study done at 100m height; 5 m/s – minimum wind speed required to start generating electricity
SEDA; Emergent Ventures; WinDForce Management Service

EXISTING INSTALLED CAPACITY AS OF 2020

AS OF 2020, NATIONAL RE SHARE IS 23%
Total RE installed capacity in Malaysia as of December 2020 was
8,450 MW, corresponding to a share of RE in total installed capacity
mix of 23%. Large hydro accounts for most of the installed of thecapacity with 5,692 MW; 2,240 MW of large hydro is installed in
Peninsular Malaysia and 3,452 MW in Sarawak. This is due toSarawak’s continuous effort to leverage the abundance of large
river basins as a source of clean power generation (Figure 4-12).
This is followed by solar PV and biomass (palm oil waste), with 18%
and 7% respectively. This has largely been driven by government
programmes such as the FiT and LSS auction for solar and off-grid
generation for biomass in Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah.
Peninsular Malaysia has the highest RE installed capacity at 4,516
MW, while Sabah and Sarawak’s installed capacity stands at 342
MW and 3,592 MW respectively (Figure 4-12).

Image for illustration purpose only.

67. SEDA and WinDForce Management Services Pvt Ltd & Emergent Ventures (M) Sdn Bhd, Meso Scale Mapping Report, 2017

MALAYSIA RENEWABLE ENERGY ROADMAP

44

Figure 4-11: Renewable energy installed capacity

Source:SEDA: ST; SESB; SEB

BETWEEN 2012 AND 2020, RE INSTALLED CAPACITY GREWBY 12.1% ANNUALLY
Between 2012 and 2020, RE installed capacity grew from 3.7 GW
to 8.5 GW, corresponding to an annual growth rate of 10.9%.
In 2012, the RE mix largely consisted of two third of large hydro.
Post 2011, the introduction of the FiT scheme has brought strong
growth in solar PV and biogas. Since 2018, growth in solar PV has
benefited from LSS auctions.
In 2014, a mandate by Malaysia Palm Oil Board (MPOB) required
all expanding palm oil mills and new palm oil mills to install biogas
capture equipment, thereby supporting the growth of biogas
generation.

For hydro, the long gestation periods has hampered the growthof installed capacity. Small hydro projects typically take up to five
years to achieve commercial operation after obtaining approval fora FiT quota. (see Chapter 4.4 for challenges).
On the other hand, growth in biomass installed capacity hasremained relatively flat due to implementation challenges suchas the ability to secure a stable supply of feedstock and highconnection costs.
Large hydro RE capacity increased by 12.6% on a year-on-yearbasis from 2012 to 2020, plateauing in 2016 at 5.7 GW).

Figure 4-12: Cumulative RE capacity for Malaysia, 2012-2020

Source:SEDA: ST; SESB; SEB

RENEWABLES IN MALAYSIA

45
4.3

EXISTING RE PROGRAMMES

4.3.1

KEY RE PROGRAMMES

Since 2012, RE development in Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah
has been supported through four main programmes; Feed-in Tariff
scheme (FiT), Large Scale Solar auction (LSS), Net Energy Metering(NEM) and Self-consumption (SELCO). The key RE programmes
are summarized in Figure 4 14.

● LSS 1 was held in 2016 for 371 MW with the lowest bid
submitted at MYR 0.39 / kWh69;● LSS 2 was held in 2017 for 526 MW with the lowest bid
submitted at MYR 0.34 / kWh, a 13% reduction from LSS 1;● LSS 3 was held in 2019 for 490.88 MW with the lowest bid
submitted at MYR 0.17 / kWh, a 50% reduction from LSS 270;
and
● LSS 4 was held in 2020 for about 1,000MW with the lowest bid
at MYR 0.1399 / kWh, a 18% reduction from LSS 3.
Net Energy Metering (NEM)

Feed-in Tariff scheme (FiT)The FiT scheme was introduced on 1st December 2011 to boost
RE uptake by ensuring that Distribution Licensees (DLs), such as
TNB, purchase electricity produced from renewable resources at apremium rate for a fixed period.
The FiT mechanism was originally available for all the main RE
resources (biomass, biogas, small hydro and solar PV). Due to therapid decreasing costs, new mechanisms, such as LSS auctions,
NEM and SELCO, have been introduced, replacing the FiT
mechanism for solar PV68.
As of the end of 2020, 574 MW of RE capacity have been installed
under the FiT programme, majority of which has been taken up by
solar PV (323 MW), while biomass, biogas, and small hydro have a
combined cumulative installed capacity of 252 MW.
Large scale solar auction (LSS)
The introduction of LSS auction in 2016 has resulted in addition of
857 MW or 56% to the total solar PV installed capacity as of theend of 2020.
LSS is designed to support the uptake of utility-scale solar PV
systems with capacities of 1-100 MW in Malaysia. The scheme
uses a reverse auction system to award LSS rights based on thelowest bid for off-take prices. The minimum system capacity of
LSS plants is 1 MW, while the maximum system capacity hasvaried depending on the auction tranche, ranging from 30 MW to
100 MW. As a result of the reverse auction system, competition
between developers has pushed off-take solar prices down by
13% between 2016 to 2017. If this trend continues, solar prices
may soon reach grid parity or even lower levels.
Prior to LSS auctions, 250 MW of LSS projects were awarded
through a fast-track mechanism. Since 2016, Malaysia has
conducted four LSS auctions:

68.
69.
70.
71.

Malaysia introduced the NEM scheme in November 2016, witha 500 MW quota. Through NEM, RE owners are allowed to sell
excess electricity generated from RE to DLs.
Up to the end of 2018, excess energy generated was sold at
displaced cost71, which is lower than the average retail tariff. This
has resulted in low uptake of NEM. As of end-2018, 10 MW ofcapacity has been installed under NEM. In January 2019, thecompensation rate for excess energy for new NEM applications
was increased to match the retail tariff (‘one-to-one’ offset).
Besides outright purchase of solar PV systems, NEM participants
can install solar PV systems through power purchase agreements(PPA) or leasing with a Registered Solar PV Investor (RPVI). Under
the leasing/PPA mode of purchase, little to no upfront investment
is required, which is expected to boost NEM uptake. Additionally,
TNB introduced the Supply Agreement for Renewable Energy(SARE) which integrates leasing payments with TNB’s electricity
bills, offering one-stop billing process for consumers thereby
reducing counter party risk for the RPVIs. RPVIs are registered andadministered by SEDA.
It should also be noted that the NEM scheme is not limited torooftop solar PV but is also open to ground- mounted solar within
its own premise and the approval is on a case-by-case basis.
Self-Consumption (SELCO)The SELCO scheme introduced in 2017 is available for solar PV
system owners who intend to use the electricity generated for
self-consumption purposes. Electricity generated from SELCO
cannot be exported to the grid, limiting owners from securing
compensation of excess energy generated. However, SELCO
users benefit from the shortened installation process as the powersystem study is not required for system sizes up to 425 kWac. As
of December 2020, 93 MW capacity has been installed under the
SELCO scheme.

Last quota for solar FiT projects were given in 2017
Ongoing projects only, based on data from ST; Some projects may have been revoked post award
Source: www.st.gov.my
Displaced cost – average cost of generating and supplying 1 kWh of electricity from resources other than renewable resources through supply line up to the point of interconnection with RE
installation

MALAYSIA RENEWABLE ENERGY ROADMAP

46
Large Hydro

Other off-grid self-consumption

Unlike other RE schemes, the large hydro scheme is not available
for application by the public or private developers. Due to its highdevelopment costs and technical requirements, all large hydropower plants in Malaysia are developed by regional utilities and thedevelopment plans, as endorsed by JPPPET. The existing largehydro installed capacity in Malaysia is 5,692 MW. The JPPPET
has approved an additional 1,777 MW of large hydro power plants
which are expected to operate commercially from 2026 up to2035.

Some RE plants operate off-grid and do not receive any financial
support. These plants are either used for rural electrification
purposes and/or for self-consumption.
As of the end of 2020, 589 MW of capacity has been classified
under this category. Biomass projects contribute mostly to this,with an installed capacity of 524 MW.

Figure 4-13: Existing installed capacities by RE support mechanisms in Malaysia

Note:
Source:“Others” include small hydro capacities owned by TNB, SESB, and SEB
SEDA; ST; SESB; SEB

Image for illustration purpose only.

RENEWABLES IN MALAYSIA

47

Figure 4-14: Key RE programmes in Malaysia, by technology
Mechanism

Year
StartedLead
Organization

Feed-in Tariff(FiT) - Solar

2011• MYR 0.50 - 1.77/kWh• 4 kW - 30 MW• 21 years• Discontinued in 2017 and replaced by both LSS, SELCO
and NEM• Only P. Malaysia and Sabah

Large-scale
Solar (LSS)2016• MYR 0.17 - 0.45/kWh• 1 - 100 MW• 21 years• 3 auctions completed• 4th LSS released in 2020 with system size capped at 50
MW• Only P. Malaysia and Sabah

Solar Net Energy
Metering (NEM)

2016• Based on consumers retailtariff• Up to 5 MW per applicant
subjected to respective
sectors• 10 years (one to one offset)• Cumulative of 1 GW capacity to promote rooftop solar
market• Revision of compensation rate to ‘one-on-one offset’ for 10
years in 2020 to induce uptake• Implementation of VNM allowing excess energy to beexported to designated premises under wholly owned
subsidiary company• Only P. Malaysia

Solar Selfconsumption(SELCO)2017• Tariff not applicable for• Regulation began in 2017 but activity started before 2017
• SELCO replaced NEM in Sabah starting 2019

Feed-in Tariff(FiT) - Biomass

2011• MYR 0.27 - 0.31/kWh• Up to 30 MW• 21 years• Includes agriculture residues: palm oil and rice husk andstraw• PPA revised to 21 years from 16 years in December 2019

Feed-in Tariff(FiT) - Biogas

2011• MYR 0.27 - 0.32/kWh• Up to 30 MW• 21 years• In 2019, PPA tenure period extended from 16 years to 21
years• FiT rate offered for agriculture waste and landfill waste

Feed-in Tariff(FiT) - Waste ToEnergy (WTE)2011• MYR 0.27 - 0.31/kWh• Up to 30 MW• 21 years• Effective 2019 new WTE projects who wishes to apply for
FiT can apply under Biomass FiT (w/o use of solid waste asfuel source bonuses)• Government to implement auction/bidding system for WTE
projects started in 2020 by KPKT

Feed-in Tariff(FiT) - Small
Hydro

2011

• MYR 0.23 - 0.29/kWh• Up to 30 MW• 21 years• No degression rates due to long gestation period• FiT rate for low head and high head introduced in 2019

SELCO
• 75% of max demand /60% of fuse rating• No tenure period• FiT rate / ave. winning bid / tariff rate
Note:
Source:4.3.2

Program Specification• System size

Key Insights• Tenure / period

Note: FiT rates include basic and relevant bonuses
SEDA; STOTHER SUPPORTING RE PROGRAMMESVoluntary Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs)
Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) is a market-based instrumentthat certifies bearers who own one megawatt-hour (MWh) ofelectricity generated from a renewables resource. RECs have aclear value proposition for both bearer of the RECs and private
sectors in aligning to sustainability. In national context, enablinga more vibrant and liquid RECs market (as outlined in Chapter
6.5.2.1) can accelerate transition towards low-carbon nation. In
Malaysia, RECs is based on voluntary basis, and subjected to theattributes from respective RE programmes.
Currently, Malaysia is adopting several RECs trading platforms
such as Malaysia Green Attribute Tracking System (mGATS),
I-REC and TiGRs. mGATS is a national marketplace for RECs

operated by TNBX Sdn. Bhd, a wholly-subsidiary of TNB. RECs
transactions through this platform ensure a full compliance tointernational standards and campaigns, such as CDP, GHG
Protocol and RE100.
SEDA training programmes
Since 2012, SEDA has been offering training courses to support
human capital development in the RE sector. Training courses
cover topics ranging from grid-connected PV system design to PV
installation and maintenance, as well as from biogas operation andmaintenance training to energy efficiency and management training
programmes. SEDA collaborates with local training institutions anduniversities as its training providers. Some of the RE trainings arerecognized by the National Occupational Skills Standard by theDept. of Skills Development.

MALAYSIA RENEWABLE ENERGY ROADMAP48
KEY CHALLENGES FACED
BY THE RE INDUSTRYGreen Technology Financing Scheme (GTFS)

4.4

Under the GTFS72, the Government provides a rebate of 2% perannum on the interest fees charged for loans by financial institutions
for the first seven years of the loan and guarantees 60% of thegreen components cost. This is applicable for producers of green
technology (RE generators), green technology users, and energy
efficiency-related projects. Uptake of the GTFS scheme has been
positive, resulting in the extension of MYR 2 bn of funds during
Budget 2019. Following on the positive uptake of GTFS scheme,
Ministry of Finance has launched GTFS 3.0 in 2021 to further
support the RE projects.

Uptake of RE for power generation for certain technologies has
been slow in Malaysia so far. The root causes have been analyzed
along the key dimensions relevant to RE project development
lifecycle: (1) approval processes and land access, (2) financing,and (3) availability of feedstock for power generation (specificallyfor biomass projects).

Green Investment Tax Allowance (GITA) and Green Income
Tax Exemption (GITE)
The Green Investment Tax Allowance (GITA) allows 70% of
Qualifying Capital Expenditure (QCE) incurred to be offset against
70% of statutory income to reduce tax liability.
The Green Income Tax Exemption (GITE) allows green service
providers to exempt 70% of their statutory income.
In October 2019, Budget 2020 announced the extension of GITA
and GITE to 2023 and introduced new GITE for solar leasing
companies such that 70% of statutory income for leasing
companies can be offset for up to 10 years of assessment.

4.4.1

SOLAR PV CHALLENGES

CHALLENGES IN SECURING LAND FOR LSSWith the growing interest in large-scale solar projects, demandfor plots of land suitable for solar development (i.e. with flat
topography, favourable irradiance and proximity to grid substations)is increasing.
Identifying potential land, validating the actual feasibility of solar
development, its costs and the generation yield, obtaining therequired permits, and then securing the land for development havebeen a recurring challenge for solar developers. The costs anduncertainties involved in this pre-development process drive thecost of solar PV projects upwards.

New Enhanced Dispatch Arrangement (NEDA)
The New Enhanced Dispatch Arrangement (NEDA) is designed toenhance short run competition and cost efficiency of the Malaysianelectricity supply industry and was launched in June 2017. NEDA
allows IPPs that do not have a PPA to supply power to the grid.
The NEDA scheme also allows RE generators (with export capacityfrom 100 kW to 29.9 MW without PPA/Service Level Agreement(SLA)) to participate as price takers, i.e. the off-take price for
RE generation is equal to the actual system marginal price. In
December 2019, the NEDA scheme was revised to allow solar
farms awarded under LSS’ 3rd Auction Exercise to participate in
the scheme by selling generated power in excess of the Maximum
Annual Allowable Quantity (MAAQ).

Globally, measures have been taken to mitigate these challenges,
both in the large-scale solar PV and wind sectors. In India,
State governments and local utilities pre-develop land andnecessary infrastructure, e.g. interconnections, and provide it
to solar developers (Solar Parks scheme). In the Netherlands, asimilar scheme was adopted to auction offshore areas for winddevelopment. The solar park scheme in India has been one of thedriving forces behind the remarkable fall in strike prices in solar
PV auctions (see Figure 2-17). Similar positive impact has beenachieved in the Netherlands with strike prices at offshore windauctions falling steeply.
In Chapter 6.1.2.3, it is recommended that State authorities in
Malaysia play a role in providing viable land for solar development.

DIFFICULTY IN SECURING AFFORDABLE DEBT FINANCING FOR
SOLAR PV ROOFTOP SYSTEMSThe cost of financing for individual solar PV system, coupled withthe lack of affordable debt financing and public awareness have
hampered the uptake of rooftop PV among domestic consumers.
There are no RE-specific loan programmes and property owners
are limited to traditional lending products, such as personalloans, credit card or mortgage extension, which typically havecomparatively high interest rates.

72. Green Technology Financing Scheme, Frequently Asked Questions, https://www.gtfs.my/FAQ, accessed on 15 September 2019

RENEWABLES IN MALAYSIA

49
In the USA, solar energy was made more affordable for all,including individual homeowners, through the federal solar tax
credit (Investment Tax Credit). This allowed new residential andcommercial solar system owners to deduct a portion of the costof the system from their taxes. Since the implementation of thefederal policy mechanism in 2016, the solar industry has grown by
52% per annum73.
Financial institutions have also introduced a preferential interest
loan programme for homeowners to set up individual rooftop
solar system as part of their overall commitment to sustainablefinancing.
Aggregation of solar rooftop projects to form larger portfolios
and PPAs with credit-worthy off-takers can also allow finance forsolar rooftop projects using similar conditions as large scale solar
projects. For example, in Singapore, multi-MW project portfolios
backed by Government PPAs under the Solar Nova tendering
programme were financed using non-recourse loans and high levelof leverage74. A similar tendering scheme for Government rooftops
is also recommended by the MyRER in Malaysia (see Chapter
6.1.2.1)

CAPACITY LIMITS HINDER FULL UTILIZATION OF RESOURCEPOTENTIAL FOR ROOFTOP SOLAR
Under the NEM scheme, a limit on solar PV capacity corresponding
to 75% of maximum demand for MV customers or 60% of fuseratings for LV customers is imposed.
Export limits are typically imposed because electricity grids aredesigned to work unidirectionally. Distributed RE can give riseto two-way power flows that may result in voltage fluctuations.
Solutions to address this issue include installing sensors,preventing excessive power exports, and adopting smart
technologies and / or integrating battery system. For example,
in Hawaii, Sunrun offers virtual power plant services through its
network of distributed home solar and battery system to support
the solar saturated grid in Hawaii75.
As argued in Chapter 6.1.2.1, future NEM programmes in Malaysia(beyond NEM3.0) will should continue to review the opportunity tolift capacity limits so as to encourage scale-up of rooftop solar PV
installed capacity.

LIMITATION OF NEM TO ASSETS ON CUSTOMERS’ OWNPREMISES
Under the existing programme, NEM is only available for generated
power using assets on the customers own premises. Renewableassets built on third parties’ premises, e.g. through leasing landor rooftops, do not qualify for the NEM. This limits the ability to

73.
74.
75.
76.
77.
78.

Solar Energy Industries Association, https://www.seia.org/research-resources/solar-itc-101
Singapore Housing and Development Board; expert interviews
Sunrun website, https://www.sunrun.com/solar-battery-storage/hi/brightbox
Expert interviews
SEDA
University of California Berkeley and National Renewable Energy Laboratory

leverage the full potential of the NEM programme: for example,
customer living in multi-storey residential buildings that do nothave sufficient space to install on-site generation equipment on
their own premises cannot benefit from NEM. Currently, virtual
aggregation model has been introduced for commercial andindustrial sector under NEM 3.0 programmes. Data gatheringfrom this initiative enables the model to be extended to residential
sector as well as to facilitate the limitation mentioned.

LACK OF REGULATORY FRAMEWORKS SUPPORTING
CUSTOMER CHOICE
Customer choice, be it through direct procurement of RE via
corporate PPAs or through green tariffs offered by retailers, isemerging globally as a key driver of RE uptake, complementing
traditional FiT programmes (see for example discussion in Chapter
2.2.2).
The existing regulatory framework in Malaysia has yet to introduce
a third-party access framework for the implementation of
corporate PPAs on a large scale. In addition, green tariffs whichwere introduced in 2019 are still at infancy stage and are yet toachieve widespread subscription.
In Chapter 6.1.2.2, initiatives under future electricity market
restructuring drives greater customer choice are discussed as key
drivers of future solar capacities in Malaysia, in addition to existing
NEM and LSS programmes.

4.4.2

BIOMASS AND BIOGAS CHALLENGES

Bioenergy projects, particularly biomass, have a history of
unfavourable project economics and poor operational and reliability
track record in Malaysia. Consequently, key stakeholders, such as
financial institutions, consider these projects risky76. In order toregain the confidence of the financial community, a number of key
challenges and issues need to be addressed, as outlined below:

SUBOPTIMAL PLANT SIZE AND CAPACITY FACTORS DUE TO
FEEDSTOCK PROCUREMENT CHALLENGES
Average biomass plant size in Malaysia is 11 MW77, which islower than global benchmarks (e.g., in the USA, average biomass
plant size is 20 MW78). In addition, the average capacity factor forexisting plants in Malaysia is only 48%. This impacts biomass
project economics through two mechanisms:● Smaller plants have higher CAPEX per MW; and● Low-capacity factors impact revenues negatively.

MALAYSIA RENEWABLE ENERGY ROADMAP

50
Inability to secure sufficient flow of feedstock to support larger
plants is the key root cause of suboptimal plant size and capacity
factors. A key strategy under MyRER is clustering, i.e. the creationof centralized biomass plants using aggregated feedstock frommultiple neighbouring mills (see Chapter 6.2.2.2), thereby securing
larger and more reliable feedstock procurement. Target size forplants in biomass clusters is 20-30 MW with 70% capacity factors.
In order to further increase feedstock availability, challenges related
to competing uses of palm oil waste also need to be addressed.
In particular, EFB is also used for mulching and currently, there isno policy to support the use of EFB for biomass power generation.
In Chapter 6.2.2.2, the need of cross-ministerial coordination to
mandate a minimum proportion of EFB for use in power generation
is discussed should the government decide to push RE frombiomass EFB.

INCONSISTENT FEEDSTOCK PRICE AND QUALITY
The lack of consistency in the price and quality of feedstock (e.g.
water content) are also impacting the performances of biomass
power plants in Malaysia.
In most cases, palm oil millers have no stakes in biomass power
plants. Hence, there is little incentive for them to stabilize feedstock
prices and provide high quality feedstock.
A key strategy under MyRER, alongside clustering, is to encouragepalm oil millers to take equity stakes in biomass power generation
projects. This would realign the incentives towards consistent
feedstock pricing and to ensure provision of high-quality feedstock(see Chapter 6.2.2.2).

LOCATION OF SOME PALM OIL MILLS IN AREAS FAR FROMGRID CONNECTIONS
As palm oil mills tend to be located in areas with low population
density, they are sometimes distant from existing substations. This
results in high grid connection costs, relative to biomass plant size
which limits the viability of biomass projects.
As outlined in Chapter 6.2.2.2:, three measures with focus towards
mitigating the challenges are as follows (1) a study to be conducted
to establish feasibility of grid extensions to allow connection of
additional mills; (2) support measures to be assessed in promoting
off-grid power generation; and (3) assess feasibility of leveraging
biomass potential which is available far from grid substations to
be connected, to unlock potential in bio-CNG and co-firing in coalplants, subject to assessment of feasibility.

UTILIZATION OF LESS EFFICIENT TECHNOLOGIES FOR POWER
GENERATION
Some existing biomass plants in Malaysia utilize less efficienttechnologies for power generation, e.g. low- efficiency boilers.
MyRER advocates for a study to be conducted to establish: (1)Technologies currently deployed in Malaysia; (2) Best-practicetechnologies; and (3) Resulting gaps and recommended
technologies to be rolled out. As outlined in Chapter 6.5.2.3, someof the key areas of technology development in bioenergy are as
follows:● technologies for treatment and upgrading of bioenergy
feedstock for power generation, such as drying, pelletizing,
torrefaction of biomass and production of syngas throughgasification of biomass; and● high efficiency biomass boilers and generation technologies.

4.4.3

WASTE-TO-ENERGY CHALLENGESINCONSISTENCY IN TIPPING FEESWTE projects generate revenue through two income streams: (1)electricity tariff from off-take of power; and (2) tipping fees that arepaid to WTE projects depending on the quantity of waste received
by the facility.
Tipping fees are a key contributor to the overall economics of WTE
plants. Depending on the level of tipping fees, offtake electricity
tariffs can be optimized. For example, if tipping fees are high,developers can bid lower offtake electricity tariffs at the auctions.
Based on current practice in Malaysia, tipping fees varyconsiderably depending on the region or state79. As a result,developers face difficulty in achieving the right economic balance
between tipping fees and maintaining competitive tariff rates.
At the point of publication of this document, KPKT has alreadyestablished a WTE tendering framework and carried out tendering
exercise for WTE.

LOGISTICS
Supply of waste feedstock is a key factor affecting the economics
of WTE plants. Even though solid waste is abundant (9.5 million
tons generated a year) in Malaysia, landfill sites are widely
scattered across the country. This results in logistical issues
as high transportation cost is required (due to proximity) whenaggregating waste feedstock for WTE generation.
To address this, WTE development is targeted at landfill site with
waste volume of at least 500 tons per day. This corresponds tothe minimum required waste volume to achieve commercial
sustainability (see Chapter 6.2.3.2).

79. Expert interviews
80. Expert interviews

RENEWABLES IN MALAYSIA

51
4.4.4		SMALL HYDRO CHALLENGES

4.4.5

LONG GESTATION PERIOD DUE TO EXTENSIVE APPROVAL
TIME

LONGER GESTATION PERIOD DUE TO NUMEROUS PERMITSREQUIRED

Securing authority’s approval for the development of small hydroprojects in Malaysia is a long and difficult process. Developers are
required to secure 19 different permits from both state and federal
authorities before construction of projects can begin, which is aprocess that can take up to two years80.

The gestation period of a large hydro power plant takes significantly
longer time to complete when compared to small hydro projects,
depending on the complexity of each site of the project. Generally,
it may take two to three years to get the needed approvals, thenanother five to seven years to construct the plant. This includes
additional negotiation and compensation costs for relocations
and resettlements of the local people due to its large scale ofdevelopment.

When including development and construction, the gestation
period for small hydro projects can be as long as five years,
significantly more than other RE technologies.
As outlined in Chapter 6.3.2.1, facilitation and coordination with
State authorities is required to help small hydro developers
navigate the approval process and is expected to result inshortened gestation periods for small hydro projects.

LACK OF REGULATION ON UPSTREAM DEVELOPMENT
Activities carried out upstream of small hydro projects, such as
logging and water flow diversions or pumping for irrigation can
produce residues in the water and disrupt natural river flows. Thiscan adversely affect the performance of small hydro plants locateddownstream.
There are currently no regulations in place to create buffer zones
in water catchment areas to manage the development of activities
upstream of small hydro plants. Coordinated effort between theauthorities and small hydro developers is needed to effectively
design and implement a framework regulating upstream activities(see Chapter 6.3.2.1).

LACK OF DATA ON HIGH POTENTIAL SITES FOR HYDRODEVELOPMENT
Even though Malaysia has 189 river basins, there is a lack ofcentralised data to identify small hydro sites with high potential
for development. This is among the detrimental factor which
prevented developers from investing more aggressively in smallhydro projects.
Furthermore, the collection of data on potential sites and validating
actual potential on the ground take time and require funding
and specialized resources. Small hydro developers do not havethe financial resources and expertise to carry out such predevelopment activity.
Thus, the possibility of developing an opened-source and openaccess database can be explored for small hydro developers aswell as to aggregate information on high-potential, available smallhydro sites in Malaysia (see Chapter 6.3.2.2).

LARGE HYDRO CHALLENGES

The utilities will need to provide detailed, vital documentations
such as: Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), Social Impact
Assessment (SIA), Development Order (DO), Heritage Impact
Assessment (HIA), Environmental Management Plan (EMP),
Wildlife Management Plan (WMP) and any other needed approvalsby the state government.

HIGH DEVELOPMENT COSTS
The large hydro projects in Malaysia are all developed by regional
utilities (namely TNB, SESB, and SEB) due to high commitment foreach project especially in terms of costs, and all the costs haveto be borne by the utilities upfront. The common development
costs are inclusive of the: preliminary project feasibility study,
local community relocation and resettlement compensation, andwater rights royalty. Depending on the total project costs, this willaffect the project viability (how much resource potential could be
utilised by the large hydro power plant) and tariff passthrough tothe consumers in the end.

PUBLIC ACCEPTANCE
While preparing the needed vital documents listed above, theutilities are required by the state government to engage with thelocal NGOs and communities to understand their needs and toensure their livelihoods will not be affected. The NGOs’ concerns
are mainly on the environmental aspect while local communities
are concerned about native customary rights, ancestral lands andlivelihoods. The consensus is usually achieved by a mutual twoway communication to reduce the common misunderstanding andto improve the public acceptance towards large hydro projects.

GOVERNMENT AND POLICY SUPPORTA concise and coherent government and policy support is pivotal tothe development of large hydro projects. For example, the federal
and state government shall align their support for large hydroprojects and this includes tax incentive (such as pioneer status
or import duty reduction). This alignment provides same level of
support for all forms of renewables and can help to lower the costof borrowings. Like all renewable projects, there is no income
during the gestation period until the project is commissioned andin the case of large hydro, the gestation period is significantly
longer than other renewable technologies.

MALAYSIA RENEWABLE ENERGY ROADMAP52
LACK OF REGULATION ON UPSTREAM DEVELOPMENT
Similar to the challenges faced by small hydro RE projects, there
are currently no regulations in place on upstream development.
The exception to this is the Sarawak state, in which the upstream
development will be regulated by the newly proposed Lake
Development Authority. Relevant regulators shall act together
in order to preserve the water quality downstream and maintainthe plant performance. As per current practice, the developmentof large hydro is to adhere to sustainability standards and is toaddress mitigation plan in line with the Environmental Impact
Assessment’s outcomes.

4.4.6

CROSS-TECHNOLOGY CHALLENGES

Interview with key stakeholders revealed that additional challenges
exist across different technologies as discussed below:

HUMAN CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT
Malaysia lacks a pool of skilled and semi-skilled human resources
with specific knowledge in RE. Efforts have been put in bygovernment agencies in producing local talent pools since 2012,
though it was not sufficient as specific areas for large scale RE
projects require years of experience. The specific areas with large
gaps in human resource availability are EPC, and Operation and
Maintenance of RE plants. In addition, understanding of issues andrisk/reward profile of RE projects is generally lacking in financial
institutions in Malaysia.

LACK OF PUBLIC AWARENESS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF
ENERGY TRANSITION AND GOVERNMENT EFFORTS
Malaysia’s current transition towards a developed nation statuscomes in parallel with its ambitions towards global climate
sustainability.
In the past decade, policy direction has shifted in favour of RE
to increase its share in the nation’s energy mix. However, public
understanding on the urgency of energy transition and theopportunities available to participate in this emerging RE sector
is still low.
Public awareness on RE benefits is still lacking, in key areas e.g.:(1) Importance of RE in mitigating impacts of climate change
and contributing to environmental sustainability; (2) Role of RE in
improving energy security by reducing reliance on imported fuel;and (3) Increasing affordability and socio-economic benefits of RE.
In addition, there is also low awareness of Government policies inspurring the RE power generation sector.
The MyRER includes initiatives to drive the development of a REcentric society as described in Chapter 6.5.2.3.

In Chapter 6.5.2.3, a set of initiatives is described to develop a poolof human resources including in the financial sector.

Image for illustration purpose only.

5

RENEWABLE ENERGY CAPACITY MIX TO 2035

53

chapter five

RENEWABLE
ENERGYCAPACITYMIX TO 2035

MALAYSIA RENEWABLE ENERGY ROADMAP54

RENEWABLE ENERGYCAPACITY MIX TO 2035
SUMMARY
Based on the expected evolution of installed capacity, in order to reach the Government target of 31% RE share in the national installedcapacity mix, a total of 12,916 MW of RE capacity is required by 2025. This corresponds to 4,466 MW of renewable capacity additions
from 2021 to 2025.
The MyRER considers two distinct scenarios: (1) a Business as Usual (BAU) scenario; and (2) a New Capacity Target (NCT) scenario,
representing the Malaysian Government’s official and committed pathway to reach the 31% RE target by 2025 and 40% by 2035 forfurther decarbonization of the power sector.
In the BAU scenario, considering only implementation of existing policies and committed programmes, the projected share of renewablesin the installed capacity only reaches 29% in 2025, falling short of the 31% Government national RE target by 1,174 MW. Minimal future
RE growth occurs post 2025, resulting in 32% in 2035. This target is falling short of the 40% national RE target by 4,250MW.
The NCT scenario is designed to achieve the target of 31% RE share by 2025 while ensuring that penetration of variable renewableenergy (VRE, in this case solar PV) does not exceed 24% of peak demand in Peninsular Malaysia and 20% in Sabah. The thresholds were
established by the Grid System Operator (GSO) in Peninsular Malaysia and SESB in Sabah due to concerns that the system may become
unstable in case solar generation reaches maximum levels in very low demand days. In order to reach the Government RE target, the New
Capacity Target scenario contemplates additional new capacity of 4,466 MW in Malaysia by 2025 while additional 5,080 MW is neededfrom 2025 to arrive at 40% RE in 2035. In case post-2025 solar PV penetration exceeds 30% of peak demand in Peninsular Malaysia,
specific measures to ensure system stability must be embedded, including roll-out of energy storage solutions, as well as improving
system flexibility. These measures are expected to enable a shift towards flexible and dispatchable solar generation. In this regard, theconcern for the tolerance of solar penetration’s peak demand will be less relevant when solar reaches the state of being dispatchable.

RENEWABLE ENERGY CAPACITY MIX TO 2035

55
5.1		
RETAINED SCENARIOS FOR

RENEWABLE CAPACITY EVOLUTION

Two scenarios for renewable capacity evolution were developed aspart of the MyRER: (1) a Business-as-Usual (BAU) scenario; and (2)a New Capacity Target (NCT) scenario, representing the Malaysian
Government’s official and committed pathway to reach the 31%
RE target by 2025 and 40% by 2035; for further decarbonization of
the power sector in the 2035-time horizon.

In the NCT scenario, solar PV penetration is capped at 24% of
peak demand in Peninsular Malaysia and 20% in Sabah in orderto ensure system stability with minimal measures. It assumes
additional RE capacity of 4,466 MW in Malaysia by 2025. While
post-2025, additional 5,080 MW is required with target reaching of
40% RE by 2035.
Solar penetration increases from 24% of peak demand in Peninsular
Malaysia in 2025 to reach 30% of peak demand by 2035, requiring
measures to ensure system stability (see Chapter 6.4.3.3).

Business-as-usual (BAU) scenario
The BAU scenario represents the baseline evolution of RE capacity
in case no additional action is taken to further drive the RE
agenda. Up to 2035, the BAU scenario takes into account only the
implementation of already-approved and committed / announced
capacities under existing programmes, i.e. new capacities under
the FiT programme as well as announced and awarded capacities
under non-FiT programmes (LSS, NEM).
Based on SEDA’s estimates, the BAU scenario would fully allocate
the RE fund by 202581 – no further new FiT quota will be given out
post 2025.
Solar PV is supported by LSS auctions, the NEM scheme and
SELCO scheme. As part of the BAU, the remaining committed
and announced capacity for LSS auction (LSS 4), as well as theremaining quota available for the NEM scheme are forecasted tocome online by 2025.
Fossil fuel and large hydro capacities in the BAU scenario follow
the announced schedule of plant up and retirements up to 2035,
in line with the latest capacity development plan (2020) by Energy
Commission.
As shown in Chapter 5.2.1, under the BAU scenario, the projectedshare of renewables in the national installed capacity only reaches
29% in 2025, falling short of the 31% Government target. The
corresponding shortfall to the Government target amounts to
1,174 MW.
New Capacity Target (NCT) scenario
The NCT scenario aims for higher RE capacity target to align withfurther decarbonization of electricity sector in Malaysia toward 2035
milestone. This scenario is aligned with the capacity development
plan of Planning and Implementation Committee for Electricity
Supply and Tariff (JPPPET 2020) for Peninsular Malaysia, JPPPET
2021 for Sabah and current outlook for Sarawak. In realizing more
RE potentials in Sabah, additional inputs are gathered based onagreement with Sabah Electricity Sdn. Bhd. (SESB) and will be thebasis in formulating JPPPET 2022 for Sabah.

The NCT scenario is optimized following three key principles
1. Reducing coal-fired power generation; this is achieved by
avoiding new greenfield coal plant up post 2025 whilst reducing
reliance on coal in the capacity mix;
2. Optimize renewables; utilization of remaining non-variable
resource potential and solar PV capacity is added as the main
contributor to meeting annual energy demand; and3. Maintain system stability; additional gas-fired capacity is
optimized to fill any annual energy demand gaps and meet key
system stability criteria, such as (1) maintain minimum reserve
margin as determined by SB/GSO to comply with LOLH –Loss-of-Load Hours criteria. It should be highlighted that thesimulation of peak demand evolution up to 2035 used in thereserve margin calculation is based on the same load profile
assumptions as in the forecast up to 2025; actual evolution ofpeak demand to 2035 may be affected by shift of peak towards
evening hours, thus impacting reserve margin projections;(2) maintain minimum spinning reserves (on top of operating
reserves) determined as 11% of installed VRE capacity as per
SB/GSO guidelines; and (3) ensure adequate level of powersystem inertia, in case of high solar PV penetration and low
demand. As a result of high VRE penetration, appropriate
energy storage capacity is deployed to maintain grid stability.

81. SEDA’s forecasted RE fund is estimated based on JPPPET (2019) sales forecast and existing displaced cost

MALAYSIA RENEWABLE ENERGY ROADMAP

56
5.2

SCENARIOS TO 2025

5.2.1

BAU SCENARIO TO 2025

5.2.1.12025 RE CAPACITY BY TECHNOLOGYThe BAU scenario considers continued administration of the FiT
programme and plant up of committed and announced nonFiT solar capacities. Under these assumptions, 11,742 MW ofrenewables are expected to be installed by 2025, through thefollowing mechanisms:

In the BAU scenario, the projected share of renewables in thenational installed capacity only reaches 29% in 2025, falling shortof the 31% Government target. The corresponding shortfall to theGovernment target is as shown in Figure 5-1.

● Continued administration of the FiT using available resourcesin the RE fund for biomass, biogas and small hydro; and● Remaining plant up of awarded solar PV capacities under LSS
1 to LSS 4 and remaining capacity under NEM 3.0, as well as
off-grid capacity for rural electrification in Sarawak.

Figure 5-1: Planned 2025 capacity – BAU scenario

11,742 MW
29% RE Share

Shortfall to
31% target

BiogasSolar

323 MW

3,608 MW

Biomass
792 MW

Large Hydro
5,867 MW

Source:

SEDA; ST; SB Peninsular Malaysia, SB Sabah; SESB; SEB

1,174 MW
Small Hydro
1,153 MW

RENEWABLE ENERGY CAPACITY MIX TO 2035

57
5.2.1.22025 RE CAPACITY BY REGION

The breakdown of RE capacity by region in 2025 under the BAU
scenario is illustrated in Figure 5 2. Peninsular Malaysia contributes
approximately 7.4 GW of RE capacity or 23% RE share. Sabah
represents a 19% RE share at 482 MW in the planned national RE
capacity in 2025, despite being the only region with no large hydro.
On the other hand, Sarawak has the highest RE share at 60% withcapacity contribution of 3,903 MW, mainly from large hydro. This
reflects a 33% share from total installed RE capacity in the country.

Image for illustration purpose only.

Figure 5-2: Planned 2025 capacity by region – BAU scenario

Note:
Source:Evolution of RE capacity in Sabah is subject to handing over of SESB to the State
SEDA; ST; SB Peninsular Malaysia, SB Sabah; SESB; SEB

5.2.2

NEW CAPACITY TARGETSCENARIO TO 2025

5.2.2.12025 RE CAPACITY BY TECHNOLOGYThe NCT scenario for 2025 achieves the Government’s nationaltarget of 31% RE share. This corresponds to 12,916 MW of RE
installed capacity by 2025, and a total 4,466 MW of renewablecapacity additions from 2021 to 2025.
Compared to the BAU scenario, the New Capacity Target scenario
contemplates an additional 1,174 MW of RE capacity. The
additional growth in the New Capacity Target scenario from the
BAU scenario is driven by solar and bioenergy as in Figure 5-5.

82. Analysis conducted by the Grid System Operator (GSO) and ST

In the NCT scenario, a threshold for system stability was set bylimiting solar penetration at 24% of peak demand in Peninsular
Malaysia and 20% in Sabah. This was due to concerns amongsystem operators that on low-demand days (e.g. major public
holidays), high levels of solar penetration may cause stability
issues82. Solar penetration limit assessment for Peninsular
Malaysia from the DNV-GL study can be seen in Figure 5-4.
Periodic assessment to review the penetration limit to stay in linewith the latest developments with respect to grid readiness andtechnologies breakthroughs is crucial to ensure fair opportunities
for cross-sectors to benefit from the values propositions via PV
technologies.

MALAYSIA RENEWABLE ENERGY ROADMAP

58

Figure 5-3: Planned 2025 capacity – New Capacity Target scenario

12,916 MW
RE Share 2025 31%

Biogas
333 MW

Solar
Large Hydro
5,862 MW

Biomass
862 MW

4,706 MW
Solar penetration
2025
24% of peakdemandSmall Hydro
1,153 MW

Note:
Source:Solar penetration of 24% of peak demand is applicable only for Peninsular Malaysia and 20% in Sabah
SEDA; ST; SB Peninsular Malaysia, SB Sabah; SESB; SEB

Figure 5-4: Solar penetration limit assessment for Peninsular Malaysia from the DNV-GL study

Source:DNV-GL (2018); SB Peninsular Malaysia

RENEWABLE ENERGY CAPACITY MIX TO 2035

59

Figure 5-5: Breakdown of additions for RE capacity for Malaysia up to 2025 – New Capacity Target scenario

Source:

SEDA; ST; SB Peninsular Malaysia, SB Sabah, SESB; SEB

5.2.2.22025 RE CAPACITY BY REGION

The breakdown of RE capacity in 2025 by region is illustrated in Figure 5-6.
Peninsular Malaysia achieves 8,531 MW of RE capacity with RE share in installed capacity reaches 26%. Solar penetration in Peninsular
Malaysia reaches 24% of peak demand.
Sabah reaches 482 MW of RE capacity by 2025, corresponding to 18% RE share in installed capacity.
In Sarawak, RE capacity contribution is 3,903 MW, corresponding to 60% RE share.

Figure 5-6: 2025 capacity by region – New Capacity Target scenario

Note:
Source:Evolution of RE capacity in Sabah is subject to handing over of SESB to the State
SEDA; ST; SB Peninsular Malaysia, SB Sabah; SESB; SEB

MALAYSIA RENEWABLE ENERGY ROADMAP

60
5.3

SCENARIOS TO 2035

5.3.1

BAU SCENARIO TO 2035

In the BAU scenario to 2035, RE share at national level remains
nearly flat at 29% in 2025 to 32% in 2035. From a RE capacityof 11,742 MW in 2025, only additional 2,004 MW are planned
between 2026 - 2035, leading to a total RE capacity of 13,746 MW
in 2035 (Figure 5-7).

By region, Sarawak has the highest RE share in the country at 69%
with 5,480 MW installed capacity, in which 5,037 MW is generated
from large hydro, followed by Sabah with 645 MW or 24% RE
share, while Peninsular Malaysia is at 7,620 MW reflecting a 24%
RE share (Figure 5-8).

Figure 5-7: 2035 capacity – BAU scenario

13,746 MW
RE Share 2025 32%

Biogas255 MW

Small Hydro

1,171 MW

Large Hydro
7,754 MW
Biomass
734 MW

Source:Geothermal- MW

SEDA; ST; SB Peninsular Malaysia, SB Sabah; SESB; SEB

Figure 5-8: 2035 capacity by region - BAU scenario

Source:

SEDA; ST; SB Peninsular Malaysia, SB Sabah; SESB; SEB

Solar

3,831 MW
Solar penetration
2025
15% of peakdemandRENEWABLE ENERGY CAPACITY MIX TO 2035

61
NEW CAPACITY TARGETSCENARIO TO 2035

5.3.2

5.3.2.12035 RE CAPACITY BY TECHNOLOGYAs discussed in Chapter 5.1, the NCT scenario represents the
Malaysian Government’s official and committed pathway to reachthe 31% RE target by 2025 and additional capacity evolution isprovided post 2025, reaching 17,996 MW or 40% of RE in thenational installed capacity mix by 2035 (see Figure 5 -). The RE
technology capacity is shown in Figure 5-10 in which 51% of
the growth will be driven by solar capacity. However, solar PV
penetration in Peninsular Malaysia will reach 30%, breaching the
24% limit set by GSO (see Figure 5-10). In this regard, flexibility
measures will have to be deployed including energy storage andother measures to ensure grid stability).

Figure 5-9: 2035 capacity – New Capacity Target scenario

17,996 MW
RE Share 2025 40%

Biogas406 MW

Small Hydro

1,219 MW

Large Hydro
8,062 MW
Biomass
998 MW

Source:Geothermal
30 MW

Solar

7,280 MW
Solar penetration
2025
30% of peakdemandSEDA; ST; SB Peninsular Malaysia, SB Sabah; SESB; SEB

Figure 5-10: Breakdown of additions for RE capacity for Malaysia post 2025 – New Capacity Target scenario

Source:

SEDA; ST; SB Peninsular Malaysia, SB Sabah; SESB; SEB

MALAYSIA RENEWABLE ENERGY ROADMAP

62
5.3.2.22035 RE CAPACITY BY REGION

The breakdown of RE capacity by region in 2035 under the New
Capacity Target scenario is illustrated in Figure 5-11.
In the 2035 New Capacity Target scenario, RE share is expected toincrease from 31% in 2025 to 40% by 2035 (Figure 5-12).
Peninsular Malaysia achieves 10,944 MW of RE capacity
corresponding to 32% RE share in installed capacity. Sabahreaches 1,571 MW of RE capacity corresponding to 48% RE sharein installed capacity.

The 2035 New Capacity Target scenario involves no greenfieldcoal plant up post 2025. The resulting decrease in coal-fired
generation due to the gradual retirement of existing coal plants iscompensated mainly by introducing new RE capacity. Reduced
reliance on coal resources in the capacity mix will contribute
further to the carbon intensity reduction.
In Peninsular Malaysia, solar penetration in peak demand grows to
30% by 2035, well beyond the 24% threshold for system stability(Figure 5-11). Consequently, under the 2035 New Capacity Target
scenario, MyRER advocates for a gradual roll-out of energy
storage systems (See Chapter 6.4.3.3), in combination with othermeasures to enhance system flexibility (see Chapter 6.5.2.4).

In Sarawak, RE capacity reaches 5,480 MW corresponding to 69%
RE share in installed capacity, the biggest in the country. This isreflected from the vast capacity of large hydo installed in the region
at 5,037 MW.

Figure 5-11: 2035 RE capacity by region – New Capacity Target scenario

Source:

SEDA; ST; SB Peninsular Malaysia, SB Sabah; SESB; SEB

Image for illustration purpose only.

RENEWABLE ENERGY CAPACITY MIX TO 2035

63

Figure 5-12: Summary of RE capacity – BAU vs New Capacity Target

Source:Summary of RE capacity and generation– BAU vs New Capacity Target

Figure 5-13: Summary of RE capacity and generation– BAU vs New Capacity Target

Scenario
BAU

2025

11,74239,366

Total RE capacity (MW) Total RE generation (GWh)

Scenario
New Capacity Target

12,916

SEDA; ST; SB Peninsular Malaysia, SB Sabah; SESB; SEB

13,746

41,64050,618

Total RE capacity (MW) Total RE generation (GWh)2025

Total RE capacity (MW) Total RE generation (GWh)
Source:

2035

2035

17,99657,233

Total RE capacity (MW) Total RE generation (GWh)MALAYSIA RENEWABLE ENERGY ROADMAP

64

Intentionally left blank

6

STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK AND INITIATIVES FOR 2025 AND 2035

65

chapter six

STRATEGIC
FRAMEWORK AND
INITIATIVES FOR
2025 AND 2035

MALAYSIA RENEWABLE ENERGY ROADMAP66

STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK AND INITIATIVES
FOR 2025 AND 2035
SUMMARYSTRATEGIC FRAMEWORKMyRER has been formulated to support Malaysia’s vision to achieve 31% RE share in the national installed capacity mix by 2025.
Furthermore, the MyRER designs a pathway to enhance decarbonization of the electricity sector through 2035. The MyRER strategic
framework builds upon four technology-specific pillars:●●●●

Solar pillar;
Bioenergy pillar;
Hydro pillar; andNew solutions and resources pillar, including geothermal, wind and energy storage technologies.

These four pillars are supported by cross-technology enabling initiatives, along four areas: (1) future-proofing existing electricity regulatory
and market practices; (2) access to financing; (3) future readiness; and (4) increased system flexibility.
The framework takes into account the outcome of MyRER’s assessment on available RE resources, existing institutional and regulatory
framework, industry practices and technology adoption as well as projected future social and economic development. Key actions areplanned to realize respective milestone targets up to year 2025, and post 2025 to 2035 horizon.

ROADMAP STRATEGIC PILLARSThe Roadmap strategic pillars with milestone development target for 2025 will be achieved through enhancement of existing programmes.
Meanwhile, the 2035 development milestones will be achieved with the implementation of new business models in line with the Government’s
strategy in future-proofing its existing electricity market regulatory and power sector industry practices.
STRATEGIC PILLAR 1: SOLAR
The Solar energy pillar is built upon existing programmes (i.e; NEM and LSS auctions) but to be complemented with the possibility of
introducing new business models.
The key actions towards 2025 for SP1 are as follows:i.

Review future NEM programmes for rooftop solar and the offtake tariffs to gradually converge with the energy costs for a more
equitable socialization of grid and system operation costs. Decrease in NEM tariffs and grandfathering of contracts will be continued
to create incentives for early movers; supporting the rate of uptake under NEM;
ii. Explore new business models in addition to those enabled by the NEM and LSS programmes. These include corporate PPAs, thirdparty access framework and providing greater avenues for distributed generations, monetization of environmental attributes throughRenewable Energy Certificates (RECs); andiii. Explore LSS auctions focusing on modern technologies with lesser land used such as floating solar. The potential implementation ofexisting hydroelectric basins and water bodies shall be assessed to address the large land requirements while utilizing the existing
grid connection facilities. Engagement and involvement of state Governments to identify suitable sites for solar development will beenhanced, thereby de-risking solar projects and allowing solar costs to decrease.

STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK AND INITIATIVES FOR 2025 AND 2035

67

The key actions for post 2025 shall include the introduction of a RE programme framework as follows:i.

Improve and continue solar auctions to ensure competitive tariff. Auction format will be regularly reviewed to align with evolving
technological advances and best global practices;
ii. Explore framework for deployment of solar quota based on direct corporate offtake or different forms of PPAs;iii. Enhance existing rooftop programmes including exploring possible frameworks to allow non-utility offtakers under NEM; andiv. Facilitate, encourage and increase participation of Government agencies in Government solar rooftop programmes.
STRATEGIC PILLAR 2: BIOENERGYThe Bioenergy pillar aims to increase bioenergy capacity by supporting the roll-out of biomass, biogas and WTE capacity under the
existing FiT via new business models (i.e; auctions and tendering programmes), as well as exploring potential opportunities in bio-CNG
and biomass co-firing.
The key actions towards 2025 for SP2 are:i. Explore the feasibility for the clustering of bioenergy power for power generation to improve project economics;
ii. Assess auction systems beyond the FiT to support additional capacity build-up for post 2025;
iii. Conduct a feasibility study of grid extensions to allow additional development of bioenergy clusters by encouraging off-grid bioenergy
power plants to re-power and upsize, and building new off-grid and micro-grid power plants;
iv. Explore possibility of a net metering scheme for bioenergy resources;
v. Leverage available bioenergy feedstock from municipal solid waste for the development of Waste to Energy (WTE) facilities as a twopronged strategy in addressing the waste management issue and in supplying energy to the national grid;vi. Conduct feasibility study of bio-CNG power generation and biomass co-firing in coal-fired power plants; andvii. Encourage studies and assessments to be conducted on improvement in bioenergy power generation technology.
The key actions for post 2025 shall build upon the strategies implemented by 2025 to support further capacity build-up as follows:i.

Recommend a new auction mechanism (beyond FiT) to support additional capacity build-up with improved by-products management
towards circular economy;
ii. Undertake syndication of bioenergy potential with possible grid extensions to identify additional development of bioenergy clusters;iii. Improve and review energy purchase framework for WTE projects to ensure equitable socialization cost;
iv. Explore the implementation of equitable and feasible support mechanisms for bio-CNG and biomass co-firing; andv. Support improvement in bioenergy power generation technology.
STRATEGIC PILLAR 3: HYDROThe Hydro pillar supports accelerated deployment and operation of hydro generation capacity.
The key actions towards 2025 for SP3 are as follows:i.

Continue to optimize small hydro FiT through auctioning while considering differences in development costs for low-head and highhead system;
ii. Encourage hydro-geological study for identification and characterization of new high potential sites for small hydro development. The
study shall lead to development of open access geo-referenced database that will be utilized by developers;iii. Explore lifetime extension of existing large hydro peaking plants to support greater VRE penetration;
iv. Coordinate with state authorities to expedite approvals and facilitate implementation and operation regulations for hydro plants
development; andv. Devise and improve existing tendering process format for small hydro development.
The key actions for post 2025 shall supports development of remaining potential resource to meet prevailing energy demand as follows:i. Continue to encourage identification and characterization of new sites for small hydro through hydrogeological study;
ii. Enhance project development coordination and facilitation with state authorities to expedite approvals including facilitation on hydroplants related development and operation regulations; andIii Assess deployment of large hydro, as part of the national power development plan through collaboration between regulators, stateauthorities and utilities.

MALAYSIA RENEWABLE ENERGY ROADMAP68

STRATEGIC PILLAR 4: NEW TECHNOLOGY AND SOLUTIONSThe new technology and solutions pillar support roll-out of new RE resources post 2025, as well as exploring solutions to maintain systemstability under high VRE penetration.
The key actions towards 2025 for SP4 under new technology and solutions pillar are as follows ;i. Explore new RE technologies, resources and solutions for efficient and cost effective RE deployment; andii. Assess required energy storage roll-out to maintain system stability.
The key actions for post 2025 under new technology and solution pillar are:i.

Conduct feasibility study and economics assessment on implementation of new RE sources including geothermal, onshore andoffshore wind; andii. Prioritize and roll-out cost-effective energy storage solutions (i.e., battery storage and hydrogen solution).

ENABLING INITIATIVES
There are four Enabling Initiatives supporting the implementation of the action plans for each strategic pillar. The initiatives are as follows:i.

Future-proofing existing electricity regulatory and market practices to enhance private sector participation and to provide greater
customer choice in choosing RE powered electricity, including exploring the prospect for corporate PPA and Third-Party Access (TPA)
framework. The existing green tariffs and REC mechanism will also be improved to enable direct procurement of REC from utilities or
mandated party in meeting both public and private sectors demand;ii. Improve access to green financing to increase financial flows vis-à-vis the Government’s intent to accelerate RE deployment inenergy transition. This initiative includes enhancing existing fiscal and non-fiscal incentives, exploring new incentives for RE financing
and continuous engagement and facilitation with financial institutions;iii. Increase system flexibility by exploring feasible framework for demand-side management, smart grids including battery energy
storage system integration to improve grid management (through solar forecasting, dispatching, grid and distribution codes) (See
Chapter 6.5.2.4). This shall also include creating an organized markets for grid balancing services, allowing third parties to provide
innovative grid management solutions that will be explored to create new economic activities; andiv. Develop awareness and future readiness to promote RE-centric society. This initiative includes human capital development,
supporting future power sector transition as well as efforts to strengthen technology innovation in RE. In line with 4IR initiative,
technology innovation comprises of digitalization of the power sector through the implementation of distributed energy systems,
advanced metering infrastructure, automated distribution, virtual energy trading and smart grids.

STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK AND INITIATIVES FOR 2025 AND 2035

69
MyRER STRATEGIC FRAMEWORKIn alignment with Government targets and key boundary conditions (the ‘Energy Trilemma’ as outlined in Chapter 1.4), the strategic
framework of the MyRER is designed to achieve 31% share of RE in the national installed capacity mix by 2025 and, through 2035,
enhancing further the decarbonization of the electricity sector, while ensuring affordability, system stability and environmental sustainability.
In order to realize this vision, the MyRER strategic framework hinges on four technology-specific pillars, supported by cross-technology
enabling initiatives.

Figure 6-1: Strategic framework for 2035

VisionPathway Towards Low Carbon Energy System

Technology
specificpillars

Enabling
initiatives

1 2 3 4
SOLAR

BIO-ENERGY

HYDROAccelerate rooftop PV
deployment and rollout
large scale solar to create
new business models

New business models
to leverage bio-energy
resources

Leverage fullhydro potential

5.1 Leverage future-proofing electricity market for RE opportunities

5.2 Improve access to financing

5.3 Shape human capital & infrastructure

5.4 Increase system flexibility

Three pillars are designed to develop readily available RE resourcesin Malaysia: solar PV, bioenergy, and hydro resources, forming
the backbone of renewable generation growth. As of December
2019, a total of 8,170 MW of RE across the three core resources
have been installed in Malaysia. MyRER aims to leverage upon theexisting untapped resources (solar PV, bioenergy, hydro) potential
to drive the roadmap through 2025 and 2035. Post 2025, it isexpected that new technologies and resources may also support
the MyRER ambitions, forming a fourth pillar.
In order to achieve the 2025 Government target for 31% RE sharein Malaysia by 2025, MyRER has developed detailed strategies foreach component of the strategic framework up to 2025 (Figure6-1). MyRER has a longer-term vision to decarbonize the power
generation mix beyond 2025. High-level strategies through to2035 have been detailed as part of the MyRER. An overview of theoverall MyRER roadmap is shown in Figure 6-2.

NEW SOLUTIONSAND RESOURCES(post-2025)

5

Explore development anddemonstration of newenergy technologies

The strategies proposed in MyRER have been prioritized based on:● Continuation and improvement of existing programmes;
addressing existing challenges and implementing improvement
measures for ongoing RE programmes such as the FiT, NEM,
and LSS;● Realistic commercial operational date (COD) for different
technology; launch of initiatives (quota release, auctions) in atimely manner to achieve capacity target by 2025;● System stability; ensuring balanced mix between VRE andnon-VRE; and● Alignment with existing national roadmaps and initiative;
proposed key actions are aligned with adjacent roadmaps suchas the Green Financing Taskforce and ongoing discussion on
Malaysia’s future electricity market reforms.

MALAYSIA RENEWABLE ENERGY ROADMAP

Figure 6-2: MyRER roadmap

70

STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK AND INITIATIVES FOR 2025 AND 2035

71
6.1		
SOLAR PILLAR
6.1.1		OVERALL STRATEGY TO 2035
Figure 6-3: Solar initiatives
SOLAR INITIATIVESKEY ACTIONS UP TO 2025

KEY ACTIONS POST 2025

1.1 Accelerate Net Energy
Metering (NEM)• Enhancement of existing NEM programme- Accelerate NEM approval procedures- Promote awareness of NEM- Explore potential for government rooftop
tendering program• Future NEM programmes- Review net metering tariff- Lift capacity limit restriction- Include Virtual Net Metering• Liberalization of NEM tariff and newretailers to take role of off-takers• Continued implementation of government
rooftop tendering program

1.2

Introduce new
business model• Enable corporate PPAs in line with Third
Party Access framework• Pilot and implement P2P energy trading• Enhanced platform for RECs trading fromrooftop and large scale solar, supporting
corporate PPAs and Green tariff• Large scale adoption of corporate PPAs inline with market reforms

1.3

Enhance large scalesolar auctions• Continue to promote floating solar PV in
LSS auctions• Identify new LSS sites with state level
cooperation• Auction design to align with evolving
technological advances and global bestpractices

6.1.2		DETAILED KEY ACTIONS UP TO 2025
6.1.2.1		
INITIATIVE 1.1 – ACCELERATE NET ENERGYMETERING (NEM)
The NEM scheme was first launched in 2016 (“NEM 1.0”), offering
access to solar rooftop for self-consumption and ensuring that
excess electricity could be sold to the grid at a fixed rate. The
electricity sold is “netted off” from monthly electricity bills. In NEM
1.0, the fixed rate for excess electricity was set at the displaced
cost, which is lower than the retail tariff. In November 2016, theNEM 1.0 scheme was allocated a quota of 500 MW up to 2020,
with an expectation of 100 MW allocation per year.

In addition, NEM 3.0 was announced in 2021 with additional 500
MW quota to be offered (2021-2023). Focus is given to commercial
and industrial users through the Net Offset Virtual Aggregation(NOVA) Program to benefit from generation excess sold at market
price or System Marginal Price (SMP). Virtual aggregation under
this program allows generation excess to be distributed up to
three different electricity bill accounts among its wholly owned
subsidiaries. Measures to further improve these programmes arealso outlined in this Chapter.

From 2016 to 2018, only 10 MW of capacity under NEM were
installed in Malaysia. The lackluster progress of NEM was due
to several factors, including lengthy administrative processes,
maximum capacity limits, unattractive pricing for exported
electricity and low awareness of the programme.
Since January 2019, a revised NEM scheme (“NEM 2.0”) offered abetter compensation for excess solar electricity based on a one-toone retail tariff offset mechanism, replacing the previous displaced
cost off-set mechanism. Due to this, the take-up rate in 2019 alone
is 3.68 times more than the take up of 2016-2018.
Image for illustration purpose only.

MALAYSIA RENEWABLE ENERGY ROADMAP72
ENHANCEMENT OF EXISTING NEM PROGRAMMES

Explore potential for government rooftop tendering program

Accelerate NEM approval procedures

The Government may also take an active role in initiating the roll-outof rooftop solar PV. With an estimated 4.4 GW of rooftop potentialfrom public buildings in Malaysia (Figure 6-4), the Government
could aggregate public building rooftops and tender out space todevelopers or install solar PV systems leased from RPVI. Powergenerated from rooftops could then be purchased by Government
entities through long-term PPAs with developers.

The NEM administrative process is lengthy and can take up to threemonths83. For comparison, the time taken to complete construction
is estimated at two to three months84, so administrative procedures
take up more than 50% of the overall development process. Key
parties, e.g. ST, SEDA, TNB and the PV industry are collaborating
to facilitate approval process for NEM in an effort initiated since2019. The administrative process has improved since then and it isestimated that through streamlining of the approval workflow, thetime required for the administrative process could be reduced byapproximately 30%.
Promote awareness of NEM
Low uptake of NEM 1.0 was partly due to limited awareness ofthe programme across customer segments. A series of awarenesscampaigns promoting NEM especially for rooftop applicationand highlighting its wide applicability across RE technologies will
be accelarated with targeted sectors by collaborating with therelevant associations. In particular, during the current pandemic
situation, leveraging on online platform enables wider range ofreach to identify customer segments.

This scheme could significantly decrease the financing cost ofrooftop solar PV projects and bring it in line with LSS projects.
By aggregating large portfolios of rooftops and leveraging
government-backed PPAs, developers would be able to financerooftop projects using a higher proportion of debt financing, withlower cost of capital than equity financing.
In order to implement this scheme, the procurement of electricity
by the Government PPA models needs to be addressed. This will
enable Government to lower their expenses on electricity bills
and in turn, lead the nation by example in driving the sustainableenergy agenda. Under NEM 3.0 programme, a specific category
with allocation of 100 MW is for facilitating this initiative and will
be further reviewed accordingly.

Figure 6-4: Government rooftop tendering

Note:
Source:Availability of Government rooftops space for low cost flats and flats are subject to the types of land title.
SEDA; National Property Information Center; Ministry of Health; Ministry of Education

83. For commercial / industrial and agriculture customer up to 72 kW
84. SEDASTRATEGIC FRAMEWORK AND INITIATIVES FOR 2025 AND 2035

73
FUTURE NEM PROGRAMMESReview Net Energy Metering tariffs
As technology costs of solar PV decline and electricity market
reform is implemented, opportunities to review the compensation
structure for the NEM programme may emerge.
NEM 2.0 operates on a one-to-one tariff offset and continues inselective categories under the current NEM 3.0. Consequently,
NEM customers are not only compensated for energy costs, butalso for grid and system operation costs, despite being connectedto the grid and enjoying balancing from system operation. The
offtake tariffs will be reviewed upon formulation of future NEM
programme, to ensure offtake tariffs will remain attractive and suitvalue propositions within customer segments. The offtake tariffs
are expected to gradually converge with the energy costs for amore equitable socialization of grid and system operation costs.
As part of future-proofing electricity market initiatives, itemized
billing is expected to be made available, and this could allow
gradual review of the NEM compensation tariff to converge to thecost of energy and customer services. This transition may lead tothe liberalization of NEM compensation, and allow retailers to set
tariffs depending on specific marketing strategies (Figure 6-5).
Image for illustration purpose only.

Figure 6-5: Proposed transition to Future NEM

Note:Retail tariff for grid and system operation include transmission charges, distribution charges, Single Buyer operations charges, grid system operator charges

The gradual decline in the NEM compensation is also aimed
to incentivize “early movers” to take up the existing NEM 3.0
programme.
Lift capacity limits restriction
In 2018, the allowed rooftop PV capacity under NEM for low
voltage industrial and commercial customers is limited to 60%
of fuse rating or 75% of the maximum demand, whichever thelowest. Lifting of this capacity limit will enable available rooftop
space to be fully leveraged for solar PV generation. After reviewing
the industry’s request, the NEM guidelines were amended by endof 2019 to revert to 60% of fuse rating for low voltage industrial
and commercial customers which allows for higher PV installation.
Moving forward, the future NEM programme should continue
to review if further capacity limit should be lifted to encourage
upscaling of PV rooftop market.
Include Virtual Net Metering (VNM)
The concept of a NEM will require solar PV system to be installed
within the same premise as the electricity customer. Virtual Net
Metering (VNM) is a scheme allowing RE systems that are owned
by a customer, but installations are located off-site. In some PV

MALAYSIA RENEWABLE ENERGY ROADMAP

74
markets, this is also referred to as “Community Solar” and eachcustomer receives credits on their electric bill, corresponding to
the excess energy produced by their share of the RE installation.
The key benefit of VNM is that it allows customers without sufficientspace on their premises (for example government or businesses
with multiple building assets) to benefit from NEM. Consideration
should be given to include VNM in future NEM programmes andnot limited to electricity bill accounts under the same company.
Currently, virtual aggregation model has been introduced forcommercial and industrial sector under NEM 3.0 programme. Data
gathering from this initiative enables the model to be extended toresidential sector as well as to facilitate for the limitation mentioned
and moving towards the VNM scheme.

6.1.2.2		
INITIATIVE 1.2 – INTRODUCE NEW BUSINESSMODELSIn addition to building on existing programmes, MyRER advocates
for the implementation of new configurations and business models
in parallel with regulatory restructuring under MESI 2.0.
Figure 6-6 below shows potential new business models that could
create additional income streams for rooftop solar PV and LSS.
Image for illustration purpose only.

Figure 6-6: New business models for rooftop and LSS

EXISTING BUSINESS
MODEL

1

NEW BUSINESS MODEL

1Net Energy
Metering
LSS PPA

Future• Revised NEM rates• Increasing competition at
auctions decrease strikeprice• Prosumer/Gentailer
using third party
rooftops• LSS asset owner (e.g.
developer or special
purpose company)

Corporate
PPAs

2

Peer-to-peerenergy trading/
VPP

3

Future• Additional income streams through new
business models are required

Renewable
EnergyCertificates

STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK AND INITIATIVES FOR 2025 AND 2035

75
ENABLE CORPORATE PPAS IN LINE WITH THIRD-PARTY ACCESSFRAMEWORKIn Malaysia, on-site corporate PPAs are already viable under thecurrent regulatory structure and economics.
In on-site PPAs, a developer owns and operates a solar PV rooftop
system on the customer’s premises and sells the electricity
generated from the solar system to the customer at a guaranteed
rate. With current technology costs, developers are already able
to offer rates 15 - 30% lower than regulated tariffs85, making thisscheme attractive to customers. The developer can also leverageon the NEM scheme and pay back the rooftop owner for any excess
electricity sold to the grid. Because the electricity supply does not
utilize the grid (it is entirely “behind the meter”), onsite PPAs do
not require third-party access to the grid and are therefore, alreadypossible without any electricity regulatory reform.
Off-site or “front-of-meter” PPAs involve a developer selling
power from a RE generation plant that is located outside of thecustomer’s premises. Because this involves utilizing the electricity
grid to supply the customer, off-site PPAs require a framework
for third-party access (TPA) to the grid. ST is currently developing
such a framework defining third-party access rules and wheelingcharges for grid use.
The importance of the TPA framework is discussed in detail in
Chapter 6.5.2.1.

The P2P energy trading provides an option for consumers topurchase excess solar electricity that is generated from a solar
PV system which is located off-site. The counterparty risk of thisbusiness model is lower compared to PPA for solar PV systems
that are built at the customer’s site as the PV system investors
have full control of their assets. P2P energy trading also supports
aggregation of small distributed RE generations into virtual power
plants (VPPs) and fractionalizing of energy assets (such as utility
scale energy storage providing “storage-as-a-service”). Globally,various P2P pilot projects have been conducted by companies
such as Power Ledger, Electrify, SonnenGroup and LO3 Energy86.
Malaysia has conducted an 8-month pilot P2P project (as shownin Figure 6-7) that allowed prosumers and consumers to leverageon arbitrage opportunities from different tariff categories (seeFigure 6-8). The objectives of the P2P pilot project operating undera regulatory sandbox are to (1) assess technical implementation
readiness and aggregator roles; (2) identify challenges andmitigation actions in operationalising the trading and (3) identify
required regulatory enhancements (if any) to allow nationwide rollout.
Depending on the policy direction of the Government, nationwide
roll-out of P2P energy trading can be envisioned, providing an
additional mechanism supporting investment in RE generation.

Figure 6-7: Concept of pilot P2P project in Malaysia

PILOT AND IMPLEMENT PEER-TO-PEER (P2P) ENERGY TRADINGP2P energy trading is a trading mechanism between prosumers(consumers that also produce their own electricity through, e.g.,rooftop solar PV) and consumers. The concept of P2P energy
trading is premised on a sharing economy and underpinned bydigital systems. P2P energy trading enables a prosumer to sell its
excess solar electricity to a consumer willing to purchase it fromthe prosumer. The potential benefits of P2P energy trading include:● For prosumers, possible monetary benefits from sale of excess
solar electricity. Benefits are realized if prosumers can sell
the excess solar electricity at a rate higher than that offeredthrough NEM;
● For consumers, potential savings by purchasing solar electricity
from prosumers. Savings are possible if the rate offered by the
prosumer is lower than the electricity rate offered by the retailer;● For Government, P2P energy trading is a market-based
mechanism that can support renewables without the need ofsubsidies or regulated tariffs; and● For grid system operators this scheme can potentially resultin avoided capital investments in grid infrastructure as P2P
energy trading occurs through the distribution grid and does
not rely on the transmission grid. In this regard, P2P energy
trading can reduce transmission losses.

85. SEDA estimates from existing tariffs and solar LCOE
86. Respective companies websites

Image for illustration purpose only.

MALAYSIA RENEWABLE ENERGY ROADMAP

76

Figure 6-6: P2P energy arbitrage opportunities in Peninsular Malaysia based on existing tariff bands

Source:

SEDA; TNBENHANCE PLATFORM FOR RECS TRADING FROM ROOFTOP AND LARGESCALE SOLAR, SUPPORTING CORPORATE PPAS AND GREEN TARIFFS
Green attributes could be a source of additional income for RE
asset owners via RECs. In Peninsular Malaysia, TNB owns thegreen attributes for LSS and has introduced green tariffs backed
by RECs from LSS.
Moving forward, various options could be made available fordifferent RE asset owners to monetize green attributes. These
strategies are discussed in detail in Chapter 6.5.2.1.

In future LSS auctions, there will be continuous support for floating
solar targeting existing hydroelectric plant dams and water bodies.
Floating solar PV installation on hydroelectric dams has multiple
benefits:● Promotes the conservation of state land required for LSS.
Large reservoir areas in both Peninsular Malaysia and Sarawak
could be utilized for floating solar PV;● Allows to leverage the existing hydroelectric plant gridconnection, thus avoiding additional interconnection cost; and● Enhances energy yield, due to the cooling effect of water onsolar PV modules88.

6.1.2.3		
INITIATIVE 1.3 – ENHANCE LARGE SCALESOLAR AUCTIONSCONTINUE PROMOTING FLOATING SOLAR PV IN LSS AUCTIONS
Although globally the total installed floating solar PV capacity
is low compared to ground-mounted applications, Malaysia isamong the countries that have pioneered such applications. One
project under FiT and another pilot project by TNB have beencommissioned to testbed floating solar system performance.
Meanwhile, there are three large scale solar PV projects that havealready been awarded in Peninsular Malaysia with a cumulative
capacity about 70 MW (located at Tolk Uban lake in Kelantan andin Kuala Langat). In addition, Sarawak has already initiated plans
to trial 30 MW of floating solar PV at the Batang Ai hydroelectric
plant dam by 202287.

Image for illustration purpose only.

87. Sarawak Energy Berhad
88. SERIS, Solar Energy Research Institute Singapore, Korea Water Resources Corporation – incremental performance improvement of up to 10% on capacity factors due to cooling

STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK AND INITIATIVES FOR 2025 AND 2035

77

Case study
Leveraging large hydroelectric plant dams for floating solar PV

Large hydroelectric power dam such as Kenyir, Temenggor and Chenderoh are built on reservoirs with large water
surface areas that potentially can be used for floating solar PV installation. Even by using only part of the reservoir
area, significant capacity can be built. For example, using approximately 10%89 of the Kenyir, Temenggor and
Chenderoh reservoirs can yield 2 GW, 1 GW and 115 MW capacity respectively. Because these hydroelectric power
plants are owned by TNB, there is potential to leverage TNB’s interconnection point for floating solar PV systems,
thus reducing interconnection costs.

Kenyir HEP Dam

Temenggor HEP Dam

Chenderoh HEP Dam

State

Terengganu

Perak

Perak

Reservoir area

369 km 2

174 km 2

20.5 km 2

Potential capacity1) 2,075 MW

978 MW

115 MW

Ownership

Tenaga Nasional Berhad

Tenaga Nasional Berhad

Tenaga Nasional Berhad

Map
KenyirHEP
Temenggor
HEP

Source:Chenderoh
HEP

SEDA; Department of Irrigation and Drainage

IDENTIFY NEW LSS SITES WITH STATE-LEVEL COOPERATION

6.1.3		DETAILED KEY ACTIONS POST 2025

Appetite for LSS investments is high, as highlighted by theoutcome of the LSS 3 auction conducted in 2019 (112 bids totaling
6.73 GW of capacity were received, corresponding to 13 times theauctioned capacity of 500 MW).

6.1.3.1		
INITIATIVE 1.1 – ACCELERATE NET ENERGY

However, as capacity builds up, land locations with relatively
high irradiance and proximity to grid connections will become
scarcer as highlighted in Chapter 4.4.1 earlier. Hence, measures
to facilitate land access are needed. Global best practices (seediscussion on India’s solar park scheme in Chapter 2.4) suggestthat Governments can play an important role in facilitating accessto land. Government action can contribute to de-risking solar PV
projects, thereby allowing developers to bid more aggressively at
solar auctions, thus decreasing offtake prices.

METERING (NEM)
LIBERALIZATION OF NEM TARIFFS AND NEW RETAILERS TO TAKE ROLE
OF OFF-TAKERS
Post 2025, NEM offtake tariffs can be liberalized (see also Chapter
6.1.2.1 for proposed evolution of NEM tariffs along different stagesof market restructuring). In addition, as new players gradually enter
the retail business alongside TNB, these can take the role of offtakers of excess solar electricity under NEM.
In this scenario, retailers will be free to set NEM rates depending on
their marketing strategies. Thus, multiple NEM rates may emerge,depending on the specific retailer, and each retailer may offerdifferent NEM rates depending on specific customer segments.
In markets with well-developed retail competition and with strong
push for solar generation, such as Australia, competitive retailers
already offer targeted tariff packages combining retail tariffs andsolar offtake tariffs90.

89. Based on existing floating solar PV plants, average utilization of water reservoir surface for solar power generation is 10.9%
90. See for example AGL Energy: https://www.agl.com.au/get-connected/electricity-gas-plans?cidi=A10221#/

MALAYSIA RENEWABLE ENERGY ROADMAP78
The evolution towards liberalized NEM rates is expected toincrease customer choice and favour the development of NEM
offerings that closely match requirements of specific customer
segments, thus increasing the overall attractiveness of the NEM
scheme. However, further studies including the regulatory
framework to enable this need to be conducted by the electricity
regulator (ST).

CONTINUED IMPLEMENTATION OF GOVERNMENT ROOFTOP TENDERINGPROGRAMAs outlined in Chapter 6.1.2.1, tendering of rooftops on
Government buildings will become an important driver of solar
PV rooftop market. As the estimated potential from Governmentbuildings is significant (approximately 4.4 GW), scaling up of thisprogram may take several years and extend beyond 2025. Thus,
initiation on standard government contract and tendering templatefor government rooftops could help to further support build-up ofsolar PV rooftop market besides the commercial and industrial
sectors.

6.1.3.3

INITIATIVE 1.3 – ENHANCE LARGE SCALESOLAR AUCTIONSAUCTION DESIGN TO ALIGN WITH EVOLVING TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCESAND GLOBAL BEST PRACTICESLSS auctions are expected to be a key driver of additional solar
capacity post 2025. Release of quota for future LSS auctions
would need to consider evolution of installed capacity versus
pre-defined targets and in particular, take into account capacity
awarded through corporate PPAs, as well as the rate of adoptionof solar PV rooftop applications.
Auction design will be regularly reviewed to ensure alignment withevolving technological advances and global best practices, as
captured by leading international bodies (e.g. IRENA91).
Additionally, as solar penetration in the grid increases, LSS auctions
could include revisions to allow mechanisms to mitigate variable
output of solar PV generation, e.g., provisions for firm PPAs, using
energy storage technologies in combination with solar.

6.1.3.2		
INITIATIVE 1.2 – INTRODUCE NEW BUSINESSMODELSLARGE SCALE ADOPTION OF CORPORATE PPAS IN LINE WITH EMERGING
MARKET REFORMS
Further implementation of electricity market restructuring canenable large scale adoption of corporate PPAs, thereby supporting
investment in RE generation in the long term. The MyRER
advocates for appropriate grid access tariffs to be introduced inorder to make front-of-meter PPAs for RE projects to be viable fora wide range of customer segments. In addition, increasing liquidityof the wholesale market as the number of trading counterparts andtrading volumes increase should enable synthetic PPAs, further
facilitating corporate procurement of RE (for a more detailed
discussion of PPAs, see also Chapter 6.5.2.1).

91. IRENA, Renewable Energy Auctions, Status and Trends Beyond Price, 2020

Image for illustration purpose only.

STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK AND INITIATIVES FOR 2025 AND 2035

79
6.2		
BIOENERGY PILLAR
6.2.1		OVERALL STRATEGY TO 2035
Figure 6-9: Bioenergy initiatives
BIO-ENERGY INITIATIVESKEY ACTIONS UP TO 2025

2.1 Accelerate
administration of RE
fund through FiT andclustering• Explore feasibility of biomass power plants
implementation through clustering of mills,
coupled with equity participation by palm
oil millers

2.2 Conduct auctions/NEM
for remaining biogas
and biomass potential• Conduct feasibility study for grid extension
to leverage resource potential outside ofidentified clusters, decision to extend will
be based on result of study• Encourage capturing of identified potentialfrom remote mills, through off-grid
generation• Explore feasibility of NEM for bioenergy• Organize auctions outside of FiT forremaining biogas and biomass capacity
within identified clusters

2.3 Tender Waste-toEnergy (WTE) plants• Set up tendering process framework andconduct auction for WTE projects• Continue implementation of WTE plants at
all viable sites

2.4 Explore otheropportunities tomaximize bio-energy
resource• Establish feasibility of bio-CNG utilizationand co-firing of biomass• Conduct technology improvement study
for bio-energy power generation• Explore the implementation and incentive
mechanism for bio-CNG co-generation andbiomass co-firing, depending on outcomeof feasibility studies

6.2.2		DETAILED KEY ACTIONS UP TO 2025
6.2.2.1		
INITIATIVE 2.1 – ACCELERATEADMINISTRATION OF RE FUND THROUGH FIT
AND CLUSTERINGEXPLORE FEASIBILITY OF BIOMASS POWER PLANTS THROUGH
CLUSTERING OF MILLS, COUPLED WITH EQUITY PARTICIPATION BY PALM
OIL MILLERS
Economics of biomass projects is challenging in Malaysia as plants
face several operational challenges, such as securing reliable
volumes of feedstock supply, feedstock prices fluctuations, aswell as issues with feedstock quality92. As highlighted in Chapter
4.4, these challenges have resulted in relatively low biomass plantutilization (approximately 48%) and low average system size
(approximately 11 MW)93 which increase LCOE.

92. Expert interviews
93. Based on actual SEDA FiT projects
94. SEDA analysis based on survey results from IRENAKEY ACTIONS POST 2025

Biomass clustering and equity participation of palm oil millers inbiomass powerplants are recommended as solutions to thesechallenges, through two aspects:
1. Aggregation of feedstock from multiple neighboring feedstock
sources (e.g. palm oil mills) to support larger biomass plants (atleast 20-30 MW); and2. Encourage feedstock providers (e.g. palm oil mills) to participate
as co-investors in biomass power generation plant. This would
incentivize millers to ensure reliable delivery of high-quality
feedstock.
With larger and stable flow of feedstock, improved plantutilization and larger capacity plants can be achieved. Assuming
70% utilization, in line with global average, the levelized cost ofgeneration is expected to decline by approximately 10% comparedto current levels94. In addition, larger system size (30 MW) would
decrease the capital expenditure per MW.

MALAYSIA RENEWABLE ENERGY ROADMAP

80
These strategies will also allow a better utilization of the RE fund, enabling “more MW for the same amount of money”. This is because
FiT rates for larger plants (>10 MW to 20 MW) are lower at MYR 34.86 sen / kWh vs MYR 36.85 sen / kWh for a smaller plant (≤10 MW)95.
These strategies may be jointly facilitated and administered by MPOB and SEDA if the following conditions are fulfilled:● Interest of feedstock providers within each cluster to co-own biomass power generation plants through joint ventures; and● FiT compensation scheme that incentivizes plants / clusters that can achieve higher capacity factors in line with global best practice(approximately 70%96).

Case study
Improving the economics of biomass combustion projects

Global benchmarks from IRENA have shown that biomass plants economics improve with increasing plant capacity97. Based on data from
Asia Pacific, Middle East, Africa, and South America, it is shown that with increasing system size from 10 MW to 30 MW, the levelized costof generation decreases by 43% from 0.41 EUR / kWh to 0.23 EUR / kWh98. This is driven by economies of scale, favourably impacting
equipment and interconnection costs per MW and by increasing plant utilization, Malaysia could create clusters of palm oil mills providing
feedstock to biomass power plants. This would enable biomass power plants to aggregate feedstock and support larger biomass power
plant, thus reducing the cost of generation per kWh.
Based on relative location of palm oil mills and grid substations, 16 clusters are identified with potential to support 444 MW of biomass
generation capacity. This resource potential of 444 MW has been estimated based on current grid topology and coverage of geographic
areas. Part of this capacity could be implemented under the FiT programme, while the remaining capacity could be supported byadditional mechanisms, e.g. auctions and/or NEM.

95.
96.
97.
98.

Assuming with FiT bonuses included
Expert interviews
IRENA, Renewable Power Generation Costs in 2018, 2019
Generation cost estimated based on survey results from IRENASTRATEGIC FRAMEWORK AND INITIATIVES FOR 2025 AND 2035

81
6.2.2.2		
INITIATIVE 2.2 – CONDUCT AUCTIONS / NEM FOR

ADDITIONAL BIOGAS AND BIOMASS POTENTIAL

In order to achieve successful tendering of WTE capacities, close
cooperation between relevant ministries is crucial to establish an
enhanced tendering and energy purchase framework.

CONDUCT FEASIBILITY STUDY OF GRID EXTENSION IN ORDER TO CAPTURERESOURCE POTENTIAL OUTSIDE OF IDENTIFIED CLUSTERS; DECISION TO
EXTEND THE GRID WILL BE BASED ON RESULT OF STUDY

Once the tendering framework is agreed among relevant ministries,
auctions to achieve build-up RE target capacities by 2025 should
be conducted timely.

Part of the palm oil residue resource is “stranded” in clusters thatare too far from the existing grid to be connected. If the grid isextended, part of these clusters may also be connected, adding
new exploitable resource potential. It is recommended that afeasibility study be conducted to determine:● Location of the stranded resources;● Costs of grid extension to these stranded mills (from palm oil
and other agricultural activities); and● Extent of resource potential that can be connected to the gridcost-effectively. Depending on the results of this study, grid
extension may be planned and constructed.

ENCOURAGE CAPTURING POTENTIAL IN REMOTE MILLS THROUGH OFFGRID GENERATION
New measures could be developed to leverage remaining
potential of mills (palm oil and other agricultural activities) outsideof the clusters and grid coverage through off-grid generation. For
example, measures could be introduced to encourage:● Repowering and upsizing existing off-grid power plants; and● New set up of off-grid power plants using high efficiency
solutions, e.g. combined heat and power generation.

EXPLORE FEASIBILITY OF NEM FOR BIOENERGY
Although the NEM programme has been implemented via solar
PV generation, the existing regulations allow other RE sources,
such as biogas, to benefit from NEM model. Assessment on thispotential allows bioenergy investors to gain additional avenue toutilise their available resources beyond their own consumptions
and upscale the bioenergy capacity.

6.2.2.3		
INITIATIVE 2.3 – TENDER WASTE-TO-ENERGY(WTE) PLANTS
SET-UP TENDERING PROCESS FRAMEWORK AND CONDUCT AUCTION FOR
WTE PROJECTS
Total WTE capacity planned by 2025 is supported by the existing
FiT scheme as well as auctions under a new tendering scheme thatis beyond the FiT. This includes WTE projects that are adjacent tolandfill sites with waste volumes exceeding 500 tons per day toensure economies of scale are achieved and logistic challenges
are mitigated.

6.2.2.4		
INITIATIVE 2.4 – EXPLORE OTHEROPPORTUNITIES TO MAXIMIZE BIOENERGYRESOURCESESTABLISH FEASIBILITY FOR BIO-CNG UTILIZATION AND CO-FIRING OF
BIOMASSAs mandated by MPOB in 2014, all expanding mills and new mills
must install equipment to capture biogas from POME. Biogas
from mills that are too far away from a connection point could be
utilized as bio-CNG to be injected in existing gas pipeline for cogeneration plants. Feasibility of this scheme and resulting target
capacities are to be explored further.
Co-firing of biomass in coal power plants could also be exploredwithin existing coal power plants and way forward. Policy support
will be required to promote co-firing and further feasibility studies
are to be conducted including possibility of reviewing existing
PPAs and addressing challenges involved.

CONDUCT TECHNOLOGY IMPROVEMENT STUDY FOR BIOENERGY POWER
GENERATIONAs outlined in Chapter 4.4, technologies deployed in existing
bioenergy plants are sometimes less efficient. A study will be
conducted to establish:● Technologies currently deployed in Malaysia;● Best-practice technologies;● Resulting gaps and recommended technologies to be rolled
out. As explained in Chapter 6.5.2.3, some of the key areasof technology development in bioenergy are as follows:(1) technologies for treatment and upgrading of bioenergy
feedstock for power generation, such as drying, pelletizing,
torrefaction of biomass, and production of syngas throughgasification of biomass; (2) high efficiency biomass boilers andgeneration technologies.

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6.2.3		DETAILED KEY ACTIONS POST 2025
6.2.3.1		
INITIATIVE 2.2 – CONDUCT AUCTIONS / NEM

FOR ADDITIONAL BIOGAS AND BIOMASSPOTENTIAL
ORGANIZE AUCTIONS OUTSIDE OF FIT FOR REMAINING BIOGAS AND
BIOMASS CAPACITY WITHIN IDENTIFIED CLUSTERS
Under the New Capacity Target scenario, the biomass for
agriculture waste resources potential is expected to be maximized
in Peninsular Malaysia by 2035 to support the 40% RE target. Afterthe FiT quota are fully allocated, the remaining required capacity
could be tendered through new business models such as auctions.
The combined capacity that is estimated to be available underidentified clusters is about 444 MW.
However, in order to achieve beyond the New Capacity Target
scenario target by 2035, biomass potential other than the 133 palm
oil mills of the clustering coverage will need to be captured andauctioned. In order to do so, three main directions are outlined in
the sections below:● Increase resource (palm oil waste) available for power
generation by mandating a minimum proportion of EFB for
use in power generation and reviewing existing tariffs (for all
agriculture waste);● Extend the grid coverage to allow additional mills (palm oil andother agricultural activities) to be clustered; in order to assess
the economics of this option and mill owners willingness, afeasibility study is recommended; and● Create measures to capture potential in remote mills (palmoil and other agricultural activities), e.g. through off-grid
generation.

6.2.3.2		
INITIATIVE 2.3 – TENDER WASTE-TO-ENERGY(WTE) PLANTSCONTINUE IMPLEMENTATION OF WTE PLANTS AT ALL VIABLE SITES
Remaining WTE potential can be awarded through auctions post
2025, subject to its feasibility and viability to maximise further WTE
potentials. Priorities will be given to all viable landfill sites (>500tpd). Improvement and revision of the current energy purchaseframework of WTE projects will be the key towards promoting amore competitive pricing scheme that attracts participation fromboth private and public sectors.

6.2.3.3		
INITIATIVE 2.4 – EXPLORE OTHEROPPORTUNITIES TO MAXIMIZE BIOENERGYRESOURCESEXPLORE THE IMPLEMENTATION AND INCENTIVE MECHANISM FOR
BIO-CNG CO-GENERATION AND BIOMASS CO-FIRING, DEPENDING ON
OUTCOME OF FEASIBILITY STUDIES
Depending on the outcome of feasibility studies on bio-CNG andbiomass co-firing in coal plants, as outlined in Chapter 6.2.2.4,
implementation of incentive mechanisms can be considered post2025.
For bio-CNG, incentives could include (1) price adder for bio-CNG
as compared to standard CNG from non-renewable sources, (2)incentives on offtake price for the portion of electricity generated
from bio-CNG in gas-fired power plants.
For biomass co-firing, incentives on the offtake price for the portionof electricity generated from biomass in coal-fired power plants
could be introduced.

Image for illustration purpose only.

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6.3		
HYDRO PILLAR
6.3.1		OVERALL STRATEGY TO 2035
Figure 6-10: Hydro initiatives
HYDRO INITIATIVESKEY ACTIONS UP TO 2025

KEY ACTIONS POST 2025

3.1 Accelerate
administration of RE
fund through FiT• Optimize small hydro FiT• Facilitate and coordinate discussion with
State authorities to expedite approvals• Coordinate regulatory changes on
upstream activities• No new FiT quota after RE fund fully
allocated

3.2 Identify additional
resource availability bysite• Conduct a hydro-geological study toidentify additional sites beyond current
resource potential- Create taskforce of subject matter
experts- Create a long list of sites- Prioritize small-hydro sites fordevelopment- Create an open-access geo-referenced
resource potential database• Site study expected to be completed by
2025

3.3 Auctioning of future
capacity• Set up and conduct auctions for additional
small hydro capacity beyond FiT• Conduct auctions for remaining smallhydro potential and sites newly identified in
3.2

3.4 Large Hydro potentials

6.3.2

DETAILED KEY ACTIONS UP TO 2025

6.3.2.1		
INITIATIVE 3.1 – ACCELERATEADMINISTRATION OF RE FUND THROUGH FIT• Deployment of large hydro will beassessed as part of the national power
development plan driven by collaboration
between regulators, State authorities andutilities• Explore life extension of existing largehydro peaking plants to support greater
VRE penetration

A critical success factor to ensure that smooth implementation ofsmall hydro projects is to secure the buy-in of state authorities
to support small hydro development. Facilitating and coordinating
regular engagements with state authorities could help small hydrodevelopers to navigate and hasten the approval process.

OPTIMIZE SMALL HYDRO FITCOORDINATE REGULATORY CHANGES ON UPSTREAM ACTIVITIES

Since 2019, an e-bidding mechanism has been introduced where
small hydro developers bid for the FiT projects.

Upstream activities, such as logging, can disrupt natural river
flow and produce residues affecting hydro plant performancedownstream. This issue could be resolved by enforcing policies toregulate activities upstream of small hydro plants. A coordinatedeffort between the authorities and small hydro developers isneeded to effectively implement this initiative.

New Capacity Target prices for e-bidding are set separately forhigh head and low head projects (respectively 0.26 MYR/kWh and0.29 MYR/kWh), to reflect higher costs for low head projects.

FACILITATE AND COORDINATE DISCUSSION WITH STATE AUTHORITIES TO
EXPEDITE APPROVALS
The extended Federal and State-level permit application process
required for small hydro developments is a major hurdle anddeterrent for hydro developers.

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6.3.2.2		
INITIATIVE 3.2 – IDENTIFY ADDITIONALRESOURCE AVAILABILITY BY SITECONDUCT A HYDRO-GEOLOGICAL STUDY TO IDENTIFY ADDITIONAL SITESAs discussed in Chapter 4.1.3, Malaysia is rich in hydroelectric
power potential, with 189 river basins ready to be exploited. A
bottom-up hydro-geological assessment of the river basins isneeded to identify small hydro sites that could further support
the growth of small hydro sites suitable for development. The
assessment could be implemented in four steps:
1. Create taskforce of subject matter experts
A countrywide hydro-geological assesment conducted by local
and international experts familiar with the local geography andpossesses te required technical knowledge is needed.
2. Create a long list of sites
A preliminary list of all sites is first created through consolidation
and aggregation of past studies and existing data sources. A
database will need to be created include all available data (e.g.,head, hydrology) for each site.

High potential site selection is conducted through anassessment of all the sites using available geospatial data. This
is to include river head, water flow velocity, seasonal hydrology
changes, topography, distance of river location to nearest
interconnection, and others.
After the high potential sites are identified, an on-the-groundassessment will be done to validate the feasibility of thesesites. A preliminary economic and environmental feasibility
study will be performed at this stage to further narrow down
the list of potential sites.
Depending on the amount of geospatial data available and theresult of site validation, further iteration is expected to refine thelist.
4. Create an open access geo-referenced resource potential
database
An open-access database is proposed to be created inorder to support small hydro developers in assessing project
feasibility and the investment decision-making process, while
maintaining clear potential that can be assessed by relevant
parties.

3. Prioritize small-hydro sites for development
After the creation of the preliminary list of sites, a filtering
process will be carried out to identify and rank the sites basedon potential for small hydro development. The filtering process
is conducted in two phases; (i) high potential site selection fromavailable data, and (ii) on-the-ground validation.

Figure 6-11: Small and mini hydro sites identification process

Source:

SEDA; World BankSTRATEGIC FRAMEWORK AND INITIATIVES FOR 2025 AND 2035

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6.3.2.3		
INITIATIVE 3.3 – AUCTIONING OF FUTURE

CAPACITYSET UP AND CONDUCT AUCTIONS FOR ADDITIONAL SMALL HYDROCAPACITY BEYOND FIT
Similar to biomass projects, in order to achieve the New Capacity
Target scenario in 2025, new mechanism to support additional
small hydro capacities beyond the FiT programme will be required,
which will also include the tendering process framework.
After the FiT quota has been fully allocated, new small hydroprojects can be awarded through auctions to encouragecontinuous competitive bidding process.

6.3.3		DETAILED KEY ACTIONS POST 2025
6.3.3.1		
INITIATIVE 3.2 – IDENTIFY ADDITIONALRESOURCE AVAILABILITY BY SITE
SITE STUDY EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED BY 2025
As the hydro-geological site study is expected to be completed
by 2025, the key actions will be dependent on the outcome of thestudy.

6.3.3.2		
INITIATIVE 3.3 – AUCTIONING OF FUTURE

CAPACITYCONDUCT AUCTIONS FOR REMAINING SMALL HYDRO POTENTIAL AND
SITES NEWLY IDENTIFIED IN INITIATIVE 3.2
New small hydro capacities identified in the site study can beawarded through auctions post 2025, subject to its feasibility andviability to maximise further hydro potentials with strong policy
support where necessary to encourage continued competitive
bidding process in its implementation.

6.3.3.3		
INITIATIVE 3.4 LARGE HYDRO POTENTIAL
EXPLORE LIFE EXTENSION OF EXISTING LARGE HYDRO PEAKING PLANTS
TO SUPPORT GREATER VRE PENETRATION
Large hydro facilities have the potential to continue operations
beyond its PPA term, with the civil structures are designed to remain
durable up to 100 years. The initial investment in constructing thelarge hydro facilities are mostly allocated for the civil structure
costs. Hence, assessment on life extension programme may utilize
this potential, while incorporating additional features including
coupling with floating solar or pumped-storage to improve thecapacity factor and to support greater VRE penetration.

DEPLOYMENT OF LARGE HYDRO WILL BE ASSESSED AS PART OF THE
NATIONAL POWER DEVELOPMENT PLAN DRIVEN BY COLLABORATIONBETWEEN REGULATORS, STATE AUTHORITIES AND UTILITIESPost 2025, several sites for development of large hydro projects
have been identified, and currently being assessed as part of
the national power development. Close collaboration between
regulators, State authorities and utilities is crucial in ensuring
timely completion of the large hydro projects, and in adherence tothe local and international standards including:a) Technical compliance – International Commission on large
Dams (ICOLD)b) Social and environmental compliance – International
Hydropower Association (IHA), Hydropower Sustainability
Assessment Protocol (HSAP)c) Local technical compliance – Malaysian National Committeeon Large Dams (MYCOLD)
Currently, the assessment to extend life of retiring hydroelectricfacilities along Sg. Perak is undertaken by TNB under the purview
of ST. Aside from enabling the facilities to continue operation
beyond its expiring PPA, the latest technology improvements allow
higher capacity to be delivered.

Image for illustration purpose only.

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6.4		
NEW SOLUTIONS AND RESOURCES PILLARS
6.4.1		OVERALL STRATEGY TO 2035
Figure 6-12: New solution and resources initiatives
NEW SOLUTIONS ANDRESOURCES INITIATIVESKEY ACTIONS UP TO 2025

KEY ACTIONS POST 2025

4.1 Explore new RE
resources• Facilitate discussion to explore new RE
technologies, resources and solutions for
efficient and cost effective RE deployment• Explore offshore and onshore windpotential and feasibility of wind energy
integration

4.2 Roll-out of new
solutions to ensure
system stability• Assess required energy storage to avoid
curtailment and ensure system stability• Adopt cost competitive storage solutionsin the short term and explore initiatives todevelop storage technologies, e.g. greenhydrogen in the long term
• Determine and implement appropriate
deployment strategies for storage systems
including decentralized and centralized
options

6.4.2		DETAILED KEY ACTIONS UP TO 2025
6.4.2.1		
INITIATIVE 4.1 – EXPLORE NEW RE RESOURCESFACILITATE DISCUSSION TO EXPLORE NEW RE TECHNOLOGIES,RESOURCES AND SOLUTIONS FOR EFFICIENT AND COST-EFFECTIVE RE
DEPLOYMENTCurrent RE resources that are being utilised within the current
programmes including solar, biomass, biogas, hydroelectric andgeothermal. Two studies have been conducted to identify up to229 MW of geothermal potential in Tawau, Sabah, and Ulu Slim,
Perak. Given the relative complexity and high capital costs ofgeothermal projects, it is expected that these resources may be
developed only post 2025.
In order to support development of these additional non-VRE
resources, given that the RE fund will be fully deployed by 2025,
it will be important to set up an auction mechanism outside of the
FiT mechanism for geothermal projects. With emerging trend of
new technologies, SEDA alongside with Ministry, ST and utilities
will facilitate discussion in exploring beyond abovementioned RE
resources. Technical and commercial consideration are two crucial
areas to ensure the feasibility to embark on new RE resources
either under FiT scheme or beyond, to open up new economics
sector within the new technologies, and to continue innovative
solutions in accelerating the clean energy transition and havebetter diversification of energy resources in meeting the electricity
demand.

6.4.2.2		
INITIATIVE 4.2 – ROLL-OUT OF NEWSOLUTIONS TO ENSURE SYSTEM STABILITYASSESS REQUIRED ENERGY STORAGE AND GRID FLEXIBILITY TO AVOIDCURTAILMENT AND ENSURE SYSTEM STABILITY
Based on a study conducted by DNV-GL for Single Buyer99,
the grid system in Peninsular Malaysia is technically able toaccommodate up to 30% solar penetration in the peak demand.
The New Capacity Target scenario involves solar penetration well
below the 30% limit within the 2025-time horizon.
However, concerns are mounting that some mitigation measures
may be needed when solar penetration exceeds 24% of peakdemand in the New Capacity Target scenario. The system may
become unstable in case solar generation reaches maximum levels
in very low demand days (worst case scenario of clear weather
throughout Peninsular Malaysia during major national holidays),
thereby requiring measures such as energy storage100.
Up to 2025, solar penetration maintains at 24% only in the
scenario. Consequently, minimum additional measures such asenergy storage will be required up to 2025, leaving sufficient time
for planning and selection of the best options. However, by 2035,
solar penetration would have reached 30% for the New Capacity
Target scenario in Peninsular Malaysia.

99. DNV-GL, Consultation Services On Renewable Energy Penetration Study For Peninsular Malaysia And Sabah Final Report for Peninsular Malaysia System For The Single Buyer, 2018 (DNV-GL
study)
100. Briefing to KeTSA by Single Buyer and the Grid System Operator

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87

● Feasibility and costs of mitigation through energy storage; thiswill include an assessment of required energy storage capacity
by 2025 and up to 2035, and overall implied costs for thissolution. The capacity development plan (2020) has included
plans for utility-scale energy storage post 2025 in addressing
the higher penetration from solar resources; and● Additional recommended measures to improve grid flexibility(see Chapter 6.5.2.4 for a discussion of possible measures).

● Technology advancements in offshore wind; Focus on (1)increasing size of offshore turbines allowing greater capacity
factors; and (2) new technologies potentially allowing costeffective deployment in deep-sea areas, including new floating
configurations being tested in e.g., Japan;● System stability issues due to variability of wind generation,
mitigation measures such as energy storage including greenhydrogen could be considered; and● Outlook for grid strengthening measures and newinterconnection, especially in Sabah, where current grid isparticularly sensitive and isolated.

6.4.3		DETAILED KEY ACTIONS POST 2025

6.4.3.3		
INITIATIVE 4.2 – ROLL-OUT OF NEW

In order to select appropriate options to maintain system stability,
a study to be conducted to assess the following aspects:

6.4.3.1		
INITIATIVE 4.1 – EXPLORE NEW RE RESOURCES
Conduct assessment and deployment enablers towards
harnessing the geothermal potential post 2025, auctions for
identified geothermal capacities could be conducted to support
maximization of non-VRE potential in Malaysia. An existing study
has identified geothermal potential in Ulu Slim and Tawau. The New
Capacity Target scenario expects at least 30 MW of geothermal tobe commercially operational by 2035. Assessment on its feasibility
and deployment enablers will be continued towards harnessing
the geothermal potential.

6.4.3.2

INITIATIVE 4.2 – EXPLORE OFFSHORE ANDONSHORE WIND POTENTIAL

EXPLORE OFFSHORE AND ONSHORE WIND POTENTIAL AND FEASIBILITY
OF WIND ENERGY INTEGRATIONAs discussed in Chapter 4.1.6, preliminary estimates of windpotential in Malaysia have been conducted. To fully assess therealistic wind potential, further investigation will need to take
into account new sites, including offshore locations, their gridconnectivity and advances in wind technologies. For offshore sites,
bathymetric studies will be needed to determine ocean depths ofpotential areas. Some of the key points to be considered are as
follows:

SOLUTIONS TO ENSURE SYSTEM STABILITY
At 30% solar penetration level in relatively low demand days suchas on weekends, excess solar PV generation may cause somebaseload plants to shut down and result in frequency stability
issues101.
Energy storage could be used to mitigate these issues through thefollowing mechanisms:● Avoid reducing online conventional generation, thereby ensuring
sufficient spinning reserves, complemented by synthetic
inertia to mitigate any frequency drops. In the DNV-GL study,
it is estimated that the required level of online conventional
generation to maintain system stability is approximately 8 GW;● Mitigate sharp evening ramp as energy storage will bring
down evening peaks and ease the ramping requirement of
conventional generation (between 19:00 and 21:00); and● Avoid solar PV energy curtailment during days of low demand.
Figure 6-13 below has been derived as part of the DNV-GL
study’s projection for Peninsular Malaysia on a low demand day,illustrating the role of energy storage in modulating the net load
profile to integrate high solar PV generation volumes. Based on
preliminary analysis, it is estimated that 5.7 GWh of energy storage
will be required in 2035 to maintain system stability.
However, it should be noted that a full study is in the pipeline toestimate the required energy storage capacity, as recommended
in Chapter 6.4.2.2.

● Grid connectivity; locations with higher wind speed may
not be connected to the grid or may be located on islands /offshore with no connectivity to the main grid (e.g., Banggi
Island in Sabah);● Technology advancements in onshore wind; Focus on newtechnologies for low-speed wind turbines;

101. DNV-GL, Consultation Services On Renewable Energy Penetration Study For Peninsular Malaysia And Sabah Final Report for Peninsular Malaysia System For The Single Buyer, 2018 (DNV-GL
study)

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Figure 6-13: Load profiles on low-demand days and role of energy storage under solar PV capacity

Source:

SEDA; DNV-GL (2018)

ADOPT COST COMPETITIVE ENERGY STORAGE SOLUTIONS IN THE
SHORT TERM AND EXPLORE INITIATIVES TO DEVELOP NEW STORAGETECHNOLOGIES, E.G., GREEN HYDROGEN IN THE LONGER TERM
As shown in Figure 6-14, battery storage, flow batteries, pumped
hydro, and green hydrogen storage cover a wide variety of
applications relevant to preserving grid stability in the presenceof VRE.

Pilot project for utility-scale energy storage have been earmarked incoming years, enabling real-time data to be used in assessing the
optimal utilization of energy storage with respect to the current grid
operational regimes, and provide insights in developing framework
towards adoption of cost-competitive initiatives and deployment
strategies for storage systems. Both decentralized and centralized
options will be explored to best deploy energy storage systems
that suits the grid requirements.

Battery storage is more adapted to relatively smaller scale energy
storage and provides quick sub-second response to enable fast
ancillary services such as frequency regulation. In addition, rapid
decline in battery cost is expected in the next years102.
Green hydrogen storage is adapted to larger scale applications,such as storing large volumes of excess energy from hydro or windenergy assets for longer periods.
Given the high cost of equipment for hydrogen generation(electrolyzers)103, economic viability for green hydrogen can only
be realized by ensuring high utilization rate of the electrolyzer
which requires excess energy for extended periods104.
Other energy storage technologies, such as lithium-ion batteries,
flow batteries and pumped hydro will be considered in the shorter
term, as technology and cost maturity are greater than greenhydrogen105.

Image for illustration purpose only.

102. Derived from Bloomberg New Energy Finance, National Renewable Energy Laboratory
103. IEA, 2019; alkaline electrolyzer Capex is estimated in the range 500 approximately 1,400 USD/kW. Future prices (post-2030) are estimated at around 450 USD/kW
104. For example, assuming that natural gas prices in Malaysia will reach 9.31 USD/MMBtu in 2035 as per SB projections and 450 USD/kW electrolyzer costs, green hydrogen is price competitive
with natural gas only beyond 2,000 hours per year utilization of the electrolyzer which require availability of excess renewable energy for at least 22% of the time in the year
105. IRENA, Electricity storage and renewables: Costs and markets to 2030, 2017

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89

Figure 6-14: Energy storage applications and technologies

DETERMINE AND IMPLEMENT APPROPRIATE DEPLOYMENT STRATEGIESFOR ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS INCLUDING DECENTRALIZED AND
CENTRALIZED OPTIONS
Two deployment strategies may be considered for energy storage(Figure 6-15):● Decentralized approach: solar PV plants could have theirown dedicated energy storage facilities. This would offer
more energy storage flexibility and has lower absolute upfront
investment cost. However, decentralized energy storage does
not allow to leverage on economies of scale, and with multiple
storage sites, this approach may increase maintenance costs;
and● Centralized approach: “giga-storage farms” could leverage
economies of scale and optimize maintenance costs. In thisform, energy storage could also be delivered through “storageas-a-service” business models provided by independent
investors / energy storage operators to either solar plantdevelopers or to the grid system operators (See also Chapter
6.5.2.4.) Alternatively, it could also be managed by the grid
operators – in this case, investments will be recovered as partof transmission and distribution costs. Another advantage ofgiga-storage farms is the potential to be retrofitted on retired
power plant sites, e.g. coal or gas plants, allowing to leverage
pre-existing grid interconnection. In addition, energy storage
farms could be integrated with manufacturing and recycling
facilities (see case study below).

Image for illustration purpose only.

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Figure 6-15: Illustrative model for the type of energy storage deployment options

Case study
Illustrative vision for integrated giga-storage farm, battery production / recycling

An integrated giga-storage farm that also hosts a battery manufacturing and recycling site will support the conceptof circular economy by integrating end-to-end component of a battery lifecycle.
Utility-scale energy storage could leverage on 2nd life batteries, e.g., EVs that no longer meet the performancestandard could be repurposed for use on less demanding application such as for stationary energy storage. The
end-of-life batteries from the giga-storage farm could then be recycled onsite to extract raw materials for use in newbattery production.
The onsite battery manufacturing plant can leverage on on-site recycled materials in its production, ultimately
supplying EVs with newly produced batteries from the integrated plant.
For example, Daimler, together with its subsidiary (Accumotive) and joint ventures (Coulomb and Remondis)
designed a value chain to make full use of the battery and to achieve the recycle and reproduction at the end of
lifecycle. It can enlarge the eco-friendly feature of EVs while the service life of Li-ion battery will be prolonged as
the new stationary battery. In all, it will contribute to a more economical, efficient and cleaner ecosystem of EVs106.

106. Daimler, 2nd use battery storage, https://www.daimler.com/sustainability/resources/2nd-use-battery-storage.html

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91
6.5		
ENABLING INITIATIVES
6.5.1		OVERALL STRATEGY TO 2035
Figure 6-16: Key enabling initiatives
ENABLE INITIATIVESKEY ACTIONS UP TO 2025

5.1 Future-proofing
electricity regulatory
and market practices• Implement Third Party Access (TPA) framework and other measures to facilitate direct
procurement of renewable energy through corporate PPAs
• Promote retail competition to support customer choice• Large scale adoption of new business models and offtake structures enabled by market
reform• Create liquid and vibrant voluntary REC market, including large hydro assets

5.2 Green financing• Implement best practices to increase level of financial flows towards accelerating RE
deployment in energy transition• Enhancement of fiscal and non-fiscal incentives• Leverage on Funds-of-Funds (FoF)

5.3 Public awareness andreadiness• Inculcate RE-centric society• Human capital development: Develop pool of skill and semi-skill RE human resources
including financial sector• Coordination of RD&D to strengthen technology innovation• Leverage on 4IR initiatives to digitalization of the power sector encompasses theimplementation of distributed energy systems, advanced metering infrastructure,
automated distribution, virtual energy trading and smart grids

5.4 System flexibility• Broad-base deployment of demand side management• Strengthening of the grid through smart grid initiatives• Implement operational measures to manage increased penetration of VRE• Create organized markets allowing third parties to provide innovative grid management
solutions• Increase market integration and multilateral power trading framework throughinterconnections

6.5.2		DETAILED KEY ACTIONS UP TO 2035
6.5.2.1		
INITIATIVE 5.1 – FUTURE-PROOFINGELECTRICITY REGULATORY AND MARKET
PRACTICESIMPLEMENT THIRD-PARTY ACCESS (TPA) FRAMEWORK AND OTHER
MEASURES TO FACILITATE DIRECT PROCUREMENT OF RENEWABLE
ENERGY THROUGH CORPORATE PPAS

Global corporate PPA activities are largely driven by the North
American market, contributing to over 67% of the 33 GW, followedby Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) at 18%. Asia Pacific(APAC) is estimated to contribute approximately 15%. Corporate
PPAs in APAC has been largely driven by PPA growth in India
where solar PV costs have already dropped and reliability ofsupply from utilities remains challenging108. Corporate PPAs arealso becoming more relevant in SEA, driven by increasing green
procurement policies of major corporates.

Globally, direct corporate sourcing of RE has been on the rise as
an alternative to traditional procurement from utilities companies
or building with own generation assets. Over 33 GW of PPA deals
have been signed globally between 2008-2018107. PPAs provide
corporations with clean energy while taking advantage on a rangeof economic, reputational and sustainability benefits, such as longterm electricity price stability.

107. Bloomberg New Energy Finance, Corporate Energy Outlook, 2018108. IRENA, Corporate Sourcing of Renewables: Market and Industry Trends, 2018
Image for illustration purpose only.

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Case study
The rise of corporate PPAs – RE100 Alliance

An RE100 Alliance has been established to pursue corporate renewable procurement. Under the RE100, 242 global
and influential companies (as of September 2020) across a wide range of sectors have made a commitment to use
100% renewable electricity. In part driven by RE100 Alliance, SEA has also witnessed a flurry of corporate PPAs.
Apple to power 100% of its
operations in Singapore withclean energy, making Apple thefirst company to be 100% RE
powered in Singapore

Under a 20-year agreement,
Microsoft will purchase 100% of
the renewable output from
Sunseap's new 60 megawattpeak (MWp) solar portfoliothat will span hundreds ofrooftops across the nation

Thai agro-industrial and foodconglomerate Charoen
Pokphand Foods (CPF) has
signed an agreement with local
clean energy firm Gunkul
Engineering to install a 40 MW
rooftop solar project througha 15 year PPA

Nov 2015

Mar 2018

Jul 2018

Figure 6-17: Evolution of PPAs

Depending on the level of market maturity and regulatoryenvironment, several types of corporate PPAs are possible, withvarying potential to support RE growth.

NEM framework. In the longer term, as competition is introduced in
the retail market, new entrants will be allowed to act as balancing
responsible parties besides TNB.

Under existing regulations in Malaysia, behind-the-meter (BTM)
PPAs are already possible. In these schemes, the RE developer
can sell power to the off-taker through on-site RE plants. The RE
developer can also sell any excess power through NEM scheme,
as existing regulations allow export of excess generation to grid.

In synthetic PPAs, the supplier offers hedging of electricity price tothe off-taker through financial contracts. Typically, the PPA price isdetermined as a contract for differences between an agreed strikeprice and fluctuating wholesale market price. The physical delivery/ off-take is settled by supplier and off-taker independently throughwholesale market transaction. This type of PPA is only possible if
sufficient liquidity exists in wholesale power markets.

Third-party access to the grid is required for front-of-the-meter(FTM) PPAs (physical and synthetic). In physical PPAs, the suppliersells power to two off-takers through the RE plant, or portfolio
thereof. The imbalance between supplier / off-taker is settled by
the utility / retailer, which acts as the balancing responsible partyor seller / buyer of last resort. Physical PPAs require grid accessand negotiation of balancing fees to be paid by the supplier and/or off-taker to the balancing responsible party. Physical PPAs canenable the implementation of P2P energy trading to complement

As front-of-the-meter PPAs require utilization of the grid, theRE generator will have to shoulder the grid access tariffs todeliver power to the off-taker109. If grid charges are too high, thecompetitiveness of RE PPAs is hampered. Hence MyRER strongly
advocates for moderate grid charges at least in the interim tofavour growth of corporate RE procurement.

109. The reverse arrangement is also possible, whereby the off-taker pays energy costs to the RE generator and grid costs to the grid operator

STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK AND INITIATIVES FOR 2025 AND 2035

93
In addition, grid access charges are to be set with a clear andtransparent mechanism, and prospective tariffs will remaintransparent and be communicated at least for the following three
to five years to create certainty for investors.

LARGE SCALE ADOPTION OF NEW BUSINESS MODELS AND OFFTAKESTRUCTURES ENABLED BY MARKET REFORM
Implementation of electricity market restructuring can allow
widespread implementation of new business models such as
corporate PPAs and virtual energy trading. Introduction of thirdparty access framework and the expected increasing liquidity ofwholesale markets will enable a wide variety of corporate PPA
structures, including physical and synthetic contracts. These
contracts can be applied across all RE technologies, not only solar
PV. Thus, RE projects will be able to access additional sources ofrevenues.
In parallel, innovative off-take structures such as revenue proxyswaps, may be introduced by market players110. These new
products will allow better management of uncertainties related to
VREs, thereby decreasing the risk of these projects.
Thus, the combination of new income streams and new offtake
structures will greatly improve bankability of RE projects, allowing
RE development to become increasingly independent from
regulatory incentives.

PROMOTE RETAIL COMPETITION TO SUPPORT CUSTOMER CHOICE
In liberalized markets, green tariffs have emerged as way for
Image for illustration purpose only.
electricity retailers
to differentiate their offerings.
Electricity suppliers purchase RECs for RE generation, bundlingthem with electricity supply to structure green tariffs for
consumers. Hence, green tariffs can generate demand for RECsand consequently support investment in RE generation.
TNB is offering green tariffs to electricity consumers commencing
January 2020111. The green tariff is priced at MYR 8 sen/kWh andsold in 100 kWh blocks.

Image for illustration purpose only.

110. In the US market these new products are now being developed. See for example “A Better Way For Corporations To Buy Green Power? The Proxy Revenue Swap”, Forbes April 8 2019111. TNB website, accessed at https://www.tnb.com.my/mygreenplus

MALAYSIA RENEWABLE ENERGY ROADMAP

94

Case study
Green tariffs - competitive strategies in liberalized energy markets

Green tariffs already exist in Singapore, Australia, and most EU markets, e.g., Germany and the Netherlands. Greentariffs are used by competitive retailers as part of their strategies to differentiate offering.
In 2018, Singapore launched the Open Electricity Market initiative to encourage competition and innovation in the
power sector. This has introduced competition in the electricity retail segment that was previously dominated by
SP Group. Since the electricity market reform launch, new entrants have utilized green tariffs to differentiate theirofferings from competition, setting residential green tariffs at a lower level than regulated tariffs but at a premiumcompared to non-regulated tariffs.
Residential electricity tariffs offered in Singapore [SGD $ ct/kWh].

In Australia, customers can voluntarily purchase green electricity by paying a premium over the conventional
electricity tariff. Both the conventional tariff and the premium depend on the supplier.
Commercial electricity tariffs offered in New South Wales [Australia $ ct/kWh]STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK AND INITIATIVES FOR 2025 AND 2035

95
CREATE A LIQUID AND VIBRANT VOLUNTARY REC MARKET, INCLUDINGLARGE HYDRO ASSETS
RECs can facilitate the take-up of corporate PPAs and green tariff
programmes while providing additional income streams for RE
asset developers. Corporates can utilize RECs to purchase green
attributes from RE developers and meet their RE procurement
goals. In addition, utilities can utilize RECs to purchase green
attributes from RE developers and package green tariffs.
In order to create a vibrant and liquid REC market, a strategy basedon four key points is recommended (Figure 6-18). The REC market
should incorporate flexible procurement from utilities or mandated
party in meeting both public and private sectors demand. In linewith the current transition towards sustainability from private
sectors, the REC market is expected to be on high demand andwill be able to create new trading models.
Image for illustration purpose only.

Figure 6-18: REC strategies

1

Facilitate Supply• Kick-start liquidity in
REC market• Increase market
participants

23

Support demand• Decrease aggregationand transaction cost
• Aggregate RECs forsmaller RE assets

4
Certify green attributes• Tracking and certifyingof RECs

1. Facilitate supply of RECs
Malaysia potentially has huge supplies of RECs for the market.
Sources of RECs include (1) hydro assets – mostly owned by
SEB, and also by TNB, (2) LSS plants, whose RECs are assigned
to TNB, (3) assets under FiT whose RECs are in principle ownedby the Government and (4) NEM/SELCO assets whose RECs are
owned by asset owners.

112. Data from Eurostat and ICIS

Support RE Fund• Monetize REC (under
FiT assets) to support
RE Fund

In order to enable liquidity of RECs supply, three measures arerecommended:● All renewable assets, including large hydro assets, to be
encouraged in generating RECs to initiate market liquidity. For
example, in Europe, hydroelectric assets generate about 77%
of available certificates. This allowed the certificates market tobecome very liquid with volumes totaling approximately 500
TWh or 17% of total power consumption in EU 28 countries112.
In Malaysia, SEB has, at the end of 2019, commenced REC
trading for their Batang Ai hydro generations while TNB is
monetizing LSS RECs under their green tariff offering toconsumers;

MALAYSIA RENEWABLE ENERGY ROADMAP

96● The number of REC suppliers to be enhanced. For this, RECownership for assets that are unsubsidized113 (e.g. LSS), could
be given to the asset owner to further reduce their bid priceas the RECs can offer additional source of revenue to the LSS
developers114; and● Aggregation of RECs by the off-takers and available market
aggregator are encouraged to allow owners of smaller RE
assets to issue and monetize RECs. This would allow NEM
and SELCO asset owners to issue RECs more easily throughmarket aggregators.
If all renewable assets are leveraged to generate RECs, then theestimated number of certificates issued in one year would beapproximately 29 million in 2021, corresponding to 19% of total
power consumption in Malaysia, growing to 38 million by 2025 or
14% of power consumption. If large hydro assets are excluded,
RECs issuance could still cover 4% of electricity consumption in
2021, growing to 9% by 2025115.
Image for illustration purpose only.

Figure 6-19: Potential volume of REC generation in Malaysia, 2020-2025 for the New Capacity Target scenario

Note:

Excluding peaking plant and off-grid capacities; Assuming 1TWh = 1 million RECs

2. Create a tracking and certification system for green
attributes
In order to effectively connect the supply of RECs with demand, a
tracking and certification system needs to be put in place to ensure
the relevance of green attributes attached with RECs.

As an early mover among ASEAN countries, Malaysia can take thelead in developing an REC standard that may be adopted in thewider ASEAN region and beyond. This would also place Malaysia
as prime investment destination in the region for corporates with
ambitious RE procurement targets.

Large global corporate buyers often require a certification system
to ensure that REC quality satisfies their global standards. Although
global standards for REC exist and are promoted by corporates,
the Government could play a key role in this area to promote thecreation of an REC standard.

3. Support demand
Globally, REC demand is generated by utilities purchasing
green attributes to package green tariffs, and for corporates, bypurchasing green attributes to meet their corporate ESG goal.

113. For assets owners that already enjoy guaranteed premium off-take through the FiT scheme, allowing REC monetization would result in a “double support” system. Instead FiT RECs could
be owned by the FiT programme implementing agency (SEDA) and revenues from sales of FiT RECs could be used to support the RE fund to finance the FiT programme (see point 4 in this
Chapter)
114. As of 2018, RECs generated by LSS assets are automatically owned by TNB, not by the respective owners of LSS assets
115. These figures assume plant up of renewables as per New Capacity Target scenario

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97
In Malaysia, TNB has introduced green tariff riders based on green
attributes116 which was announced in October 2019. Promotion of
corporates to comply with their ESG goals in Malaysia supports
REC demand especially in the interim when third-party accessframework is not in place yet and corporate PPAs are limited tobehind-the-meter contracts (see Chapter 6.5.2.1).
Prospect to create demand outside of Malaysia can be exploredat the ASEAN level through the development of harmonized REC
standards among countries to encourage greater RECs trading
within the region. The standards should also be expanded toadopt the requirements of RECs by other APAC countries (such as

Japan, South Korea, Taiwan) so that the regional market for RECs
can be increased.
4. Monetization of RECs to support RE fundWithin the framework of a voluntary market for RECs, green
attributes could become a source of additional income for the RE
fund in addition to the 1.6% surcharge on electricity bills. As FiT
asset owners already receive guaranteed offtake at a premium rate,
the ownership of the RECs generated by FiT assets is currently
being explored to be monetized by the Government and channelledback to the RE Fund for future RE development. A similar scheme
was put in place in Hong Kong (see case study below).

Case study
RECs in Hong Kong partly offsets tariff surcharge to finance FiT energy markets

Hong Kong introduced FiT on rooftop solar systems and leverages RECs to partly finance FiT scheme. Customers
can sell solar electricity from their own rooftop systems at the FiT rate but are not entitled to own and monetizeREC. This allows the utilities, who purchase power generated from rooftop systems at FiT rate to own the RECs to
be sold to corporates, which offers additional monetization option from REC sales to partly offsets tariffs surcharge
to finance FiT.

6.5.2.2		
INITIATIVE 5.2 – GREEN FINANCING
IMPLEMENT BEST PRACTICES TO INCREASE LEVEL OF FINANCIAL FLOWSTOWARDS ACCELERATING RE DEPLOYMENT IN ENERGY TRANSITION
Financing for some RE projects (such as solar PV and smallhydro) has improved since the implementation of the FiT scheme.
Nevertheless, there are additional improvement areas that havebeen identified by local financial institutions:● Lack of understanding of RE project by the financial institutions;● Existing implementation challenges resulting in track record of
construction delays and project default for some RE projects;
and● Bankability of small RE projects whose sponsors are perceived
to have lower creditworthiness compared to utility-scale
projects.

116. Focus Group Discussion

In response, the Malaysian Green Financing Taskforce (MGFT) led
by the Securities Commission of Malaysia was set up to resolve
operational issues that are hindering the availability of affordable
green financing and develop an ecosystem that will support thegrowth of a viable and sustainable green economy. In July 2019,
eight recommendations from the MGFT were tabled across threecore themes:(1) Process changes, (2) Product, and (3) Education, awarenessand knowledge (see case study on next page).

MALAYSIA RENEWABLE ENERGY ROADMAP

98

Case study
Summary of Malaysian Green Financing Taskforce recommendations

The MGFT has proposed the following recommendations to address financing issues faced by stakeholders in the
RE sector:● Improve efficiency and clarity of the financing application process: Provide technical specifications and summary
reports to financial institutions to improve efficiency and clarity of the process;● Enhance financial strength of project sponsors: Project sponsor to show evidence or proof of financial capacity
at least 20% of the total capital cost;● Coordinated government interface and targets: Draw up a proposal on facilitation of RE project at state level
which will be presented in meeting with Chief Ministers chaired by Prime Minister;● Streamlining of projects to be channelled to private sector: Categorize project sponsors into distinct categories
●
●

●
●

e.g., by plant size and ability to finance past projects to assist the private sector in assessing the project sponsor
and providing the appropriate amount of capital;
Building supply of dedicated green products: Provide tax incentives, including to residential buildings, andgrants as well as enhance current policies to drive supply;
Financial solutions to meet current financing gaps: Collaborate with Development Financial Institutions (DFI)or financial institutions through a back-to-back funding arrangement, implement RECs, utilize fund-of-funds(FoF) to generate a pooled climate change fund, and formalize access to Green Climate Fund (GCF) to increasefinancing solutions;
Enhancing awareness through branding programmes: Introduce national-level branding programmes targeted
to corporations, institutional investors, retail investors, and the general public to enhance awareness about thegreen economy and RE; andCentralized Green Financing Center of Excellence: Establish a Centralized Green Financing Center of Excellence
to provide education, knowledge, and a platform for collaboration and information sharing regarding the green
technologies and RE.

Source:Malaysian Green Financing Taskforce 2019

From the MGFT’s recommendations, two key actions arehighlighted to improve access to financing for RE projects: fundof-funds (FoF) schemes involving finance institutions, investors,commercial banks and funds to support RE projects, as well as
extending existing incentives beyond 2020. Though this initiativeis currently on hold, the recommendations from this task force
remains relevant in improving the access to green financing.

LEVERAGE FUND-OF-FUNDS (FOF)
A FoF financing structure creates additional layers between
investors and developers, achieving diversification across investors
and assets. Financing cost may be reduced, and additional fund
may be sourced to support RE development:● Multiple investors (both public and private) can be pooled
together to invest in a portfolio of funds, diversifying investor’srisk and insulating investors from project risk;● Injection of debt through tranches by Multilateral Development
Banks (MDBs), Development Financial Institutions (DFIs),
institutional investors, commercial banks and evenphilanthropists funds to lower expected return of total portfolio,
thus reducing financing cost for RE developers; and● Portfolio approach to invest in multiple RE assets across
Malaysia and across multiple technologies, achieving
diversified the risk exposure.

ENHANCEMENT OF FISCAL AND NON-FISCAL INCENTIVESThe existing GTFS, GITA and GITE programmes are due to expire
by 2023. Key proposed measures include:● Extension of GTFS beyond 2023. Recent launch of GTFS 3.0
driven by Danajamin filled the gaps in previous GTFS 2.0 toallow more attractive financing solutions for available RE
resources, with increased allocation on the fiscal incentives;● Alignment with sustainable financing framework. Engagementwith Financial Institutions to address the current concernsand gaps in promoting shift from conventional financing andrecognition of RE as an asset class enables better financing
option to RE projects;● GITA and GITE may also be extended to companies offeringsolar leasing and PPA services.
As of October 2019, Malaysian Investment Development Authority’s(MIDA), GITA and GITE have been extended until 2023 under the
Budget 2020 announcement.

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99
6.5.2.3		
INITIATIVE 5.3 – PUBLIC AWARENESS ANDREADINESSINCULCATE RE-CENTRIC SOCIETYThis is to address a society that is currently lacking in awarenessof the need to embrace a cleaner form of electricity generation forthe purpose of mitigating climate change. This change in society’s
attitude is important as it means that policies that are politicallychallenging to implement will have greater acceptance when the
public at large understand the rationale behind the policy decision.

HUMAN CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT: DEVELOP POOL OF SKILLED AND SEMISKILLED HUMAN RESOURCES INCLUDING THE FINANCIAL SECTOR
As highlighted in Chapter 4, there is a current lack of talent pool
within the RE sector. In this regard, human capital development
is important to support Malaysia’s transition into a RE-centriceconomy and could be implemented along the following directions:● Thought leadership in green energy policies: Strengthen
local institutions, e.g. think tanks or dedicated university
departments, focusing on advancing renewable energy
policies in Malaysia. These institutions could support humancapital development through specific training and research
programmes that would allow (1) to develop local energy policy
thought leaders; and (2) to attract globally-renowned energy
policy thought leaders;● RE technology innovation: Develop structured programmes
and industry alliances to support training and research in RE
technologies for universities and/or private research institutions;● Sustainable pool of local talent: Develop RE-specificvocational curricula in local institutions to train skilled andsemi-skilled human resources, focusing on creating a domesticpool of talent for the EPC, and Operations and Maintenance(O&M) sectors; and● Awareness and knowledge building in the financial
sector: In line with the recommendations by MGFT, capacity
development in financial sector is needed to enhanceknowledge of environmental, social and corporate governance(ESG).

COORDINATION OF RD&D TO STRENGTHEN TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION
RD&D effort in renewable energy and energy transition solutions
will be crucial in ensuring future-proofing of the energy transition.
Coordination and collaboration are required between governmentfunded research bodies, utility companies, industry, start-ups,
and venture-capital funds in creating a conducive ecosystem fortechnology innovation in Malaysia.
Based on the focus ares of MyRER, below is a selection of themost prominent R&D topics. Other topics with high strategic
importance for decarbonization but that are not directly supporting
the MyRER are not listed here but should be considered in wider
R&D strategies for the energy sector (e.g. solar heat integration inindustrial processes, bio-fuels for transportation). It is important tonote that R&D activity on these topics can be initiated before 2025,
however it may continue post 2025.
● RE power generation→ High-efficiency and low-emission biomass boilers→ WTE technology development→ Increasing efficiency of solar PV modules→ New materials and designs for floating solar configurations→ New materials and designs for rooftop configurations→ Development of high efficiency low-head hydro turbines→ Low speed wind technologies→ Geothermal technologies● Energy Storage→ New battery chemistries and materials→ Green hydrogen production through electrolysis→ Fuel cells→ Other energy storage technologies (e.g. compressed air,heat storage)● Digitalization→ Smart grid
→ Communication networks and protocols for remote sensors→ Cybersecurity→ Software development for energy storage system control→ Vehicle-to-grid technology development→ AI-enabled forecasting● Technologies supporting systemic efficiency→ High-efficiency generation technologies→ Low carbon cities and buildings→ High efficiency grids (e.g. direct current transmission andsuperconducting cables)

LEVERAGE ON 4IR INITIATIVES TO DIGITALIZATION OF THE POWER
SECTOR ENCOMPASSES THE IMPLEMENTATION OF DISTRIBUTED ENERGYSYSTEMS, ADVANCED METERING INFRASTRUCTURE, AUTOMATED
DISTRIBUTION, VIRTUAL ENERGY TRADING AND SMART GRIDS
Fourth industrial revolution (4IR) technologies are key enablersof some of the measures supporting the MyRER. For example,
P2P energy trading is enabled by IoT (smart metering) and
implementation of peer-to-peer trading protocols using distributed
ledger technologies (DLTs) that provide greater data security,transparency and traceability. Distributed energy systems andsmart grids rely heavily on IoT for sensing, communication, andcontrol of equipment such as RE generation, energy storage, andgrid assets.

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100
6.5.2.4		
INITIATIVE 5.4 – SYSTEM FLEXIBILITY
Solar sources can potentially impact grid system stability, due to their fluctuating nature. VREs introduce uncertainties in supply
forecasting, making it difficult to control demand-supply balance.
As shown by global examples (see case study below), specific initiatives can be implemented to increase system flexibility and facilitate
integration of VREs. Initiatives applicable in Malaysia within the 2025 timeframe are outlined in this Chapter.

Case study
Measures to cope with high VRE penetration globally

California

Germany
Variable RE
installed capacity,
2016 [GW]90.3 GW

Source:19.3 GW

Spain
0.99 GW

45.8%• • Develop interconnection
standards• • Coordinate grid controls
amongst grid operators• • Implement VRE forecast• • Improve flexibility• • Implement balancing market

32.9%

28.5%

• • Implement renewable
forecast program; REWatch• • Active reserves allocation• • Relax fixed operatingschedules thermal plants• • Integrate energy storage anddemand response• • Develop interconnection
standards• • Implement VRE forecast• • Build new interconnection
capacity with France• • Implement flexibility
programs

22.9%• • Develop interconnection
standards• • Improve VRE forecast• • Improve power system
response time
• • Redesign balancing market
mechanism• • Integrate battery storage

DNV-GL

Chemical storage

Involuntary load
shedding
Transmission
expansion

Coal ramping

Cost

Residential
demand response
Expandedbalancing footprint /joint system
operation

Flexibility reserves
Sub-hourlyscheduling anddispatch

CT and CCGT gas
ramping

Upward reserveand dispatch

Downward
reserves

Industrial &commercial
demand response

Hydro ramping

Systemoperation

Advanced network
management

Pumped hydrostorage

Thermal storage

Voltage support

Option costs are system-dependentand evolving over time

Services fromvariable RE

Load

Flexible
generation

Type of intervention
NREL, USAID

Transmission
reinforcement

Fuel storage /flexibility
scheduling

Frequency support

RE forecasting

Source:30.1 GW

Figures below are VRE penetration out of total installed capacity. If calculated out of peak demand, VRE
penetration will be higher

VRE penetrationout of total
installed
capacity 2016[%]
Controlmeasuresadopted

HawaiiTransmission

StorageØ 33

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101
BROAD-BASE DEPLOYMENT AND OPTIMIZATION OF DEMAND SIDE MANAGEMENT
In jurisdictions with high penetration of solar at distribution level, the net demand for energy declines during mid-day when solar production
peaks. Above a certain level of solar penetration, the main demand peak is shifted from mid-day to evening hours (Figure 6-20). According
to simulations by DNV-GL, with PV penetration beyond 22%, the evening peak may become dominant during evening hours and otherenergy sources will need to be quickly ramped up to meet the peak demand. This requires increased flexibility in the system that canbe achieved by installing flexible generation assets (e.g. fast-response gas plants), by deploying energy storage (discussed in Chapter
6.4.3.3), or through demand response.

Figure 6-20: Peninsular Malaysia’s load profile at different PV penetration

Source:DNV-GLIn terms of demand response, the time-of-use (TOU) scheme is one area of demand side management that could be optimized to shift
the TOU peak pricing period to evening hours in order to minimize peak demand and minimize additional investment in peaking capacity
and/or energy storage.
The current TOU is available only to C, D and E category commercial and industrial (C&I) customers. TOU could be extended to C&I
customers in B tariff category and residential customers (Figure 6-21).

Figure 6-21: Enhanced TOU scheme implemented by TNB

Source:

SEDA; TNB

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102
STRENGTHENING OF THE GRID THROUGH SMART GRID INITIATIVES
The deployment of smart grid technologies is essential for energy
transition, and it is an on-going effort by TNB through theirinvestment in the Grid of the Future117.

AI is employed to increase flexibility in demand-response, enabling
to deliver “fine-detail” modulation of loads. This is achieved byenabling more accurate forecasting of how different loads respondto a demand-response dispatch signal depending on external
conditions (e.g. weather, time of the day, and others). Algorithms
incorporating external conditions allow to optimize dispatch
schedules and create robust load shedding curves that closely fit
grid balancing requirements.

These technologies allow more precise monitoring and control of
the grid and distributed assets with multiple benefits, for example:(1) allow granular understanding of grid conditions at local level,
thereby informing planning of grid strengthening measures and,
whenever possible, of VRE deployment;

IMPLEMENT OPERATIONAL MEASURES TO MANAGE INCREASEDPENETRATION OF VRE(2) allow real time monitoring of grid load conditions that can beused to trigger effective mitigation measures in case of eventsaffecting grid stability; and (3) allow incorporation and control ofdemand-side resources, such as demand response, batteries andothers that can be used to increase grid flexibility.

Measure pertaining to grid and generation assets operation may
also be implemented to allow better management of increase
VRE penetration. These include improvement in demand/supply
forecasting, scheduling, and dispatching, as well as flexibility offossil plants:

IoT enables aggregation of distributed loads into demand-response
pools that can be remotely controlled, thereby creating virtual
capacities that can be automatically dispatched for grid balancing
or other purposes. Leading demand-response providers in Europe
and the US utilize IoT to aggregate and dispatch thousands ofindustrial and commercial sites under management in different
locations and industries, e.g. heavy industry, retail, public buildings,
hotels and others. Consequently, demand-response can be scaled
up and achieve GW-scale aggregated capacities. In addition,
large amount of data collected from connected devices can be
examined using big data analytics and from this analysis, forecasts
how loads respond to demand-response dispatch signals throughAI algorithms.

● Grid operator to include VRE forecasting and establish arenewable energy coordination and forecast center;● Establish technical grid and distribution codes for VREs basedon global best practices, third-party access framework andnetwork connection rules;● Improve dispatching of generation by shortening dispatch
intervals, e.g. ½ hour intervals;● Allow updates of generation schedule shortly before dispatch118;
and● Increase flexibility of existing fossil fuel plants and plan for the
introduction of fast-response gas plants119.

117. Energy Insider, 2019, accessed at: https://govinsider.asia/smart-gov/malaysia-tnb-fazlur-rahman-smart-grid-renewables/
118. DNV-GL, Consultation Services on Renewable Energy Penetration Study For Peninsular Malaysia And Sabah Final Report for Peninsular Malaysia System For The Single Buyer, 2018 (DNV-GL
study)
119. For example, coal ramping, see also “Principles of Energy Storage” by NREL, 2019

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103
CREATE ORGANIZED MARKETS ALLOWING THIRD PARTIES TO PROVIDEINNOVATIVE GRID MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONSIn Malaysia, investment and operation of grid balancing systems is
conducted by the grid system operator.
In most deregulated markets, e.g. in Europe and the US, third
parties can offer grid balancing services to system operators
through dedicated organized markets120. Private sector participants
compete to provide grid balancing services. By introducing
competition, costs can be optimized, and grid operators can thenfocus on regulation and administration, leaving investment andmanagement of assets for grid balancing to independent third
parties.
Another advantage of opening the market for balancing services
is to ensure that participants identify and invest in newer, costeffective and creative solutions or technologies. For example, in
Europe and the US, some players already offer balancing services
based on energy storage technologies or aggregation of demandresponse121.
Post 2025, in addition to demand-response aggregation andstationary energy storage solutions, provision of grid balancing
services through vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technologies by exploiting
the increasing penetration of electric vehicles may also become
possible.
Following electricity market reform in Malaysia, in the longer-term
organized markets could also be set up for the procurement of gridmanagement services fostering roll-out of innovative solutions.

INCREASE MARKET INTEGRATION THROUGH INTERCONNECTIONS
An additional mechanism to improve system flexibility is toincrease market integration through interconnections: e.g.,
integrate Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, and Sarawak, allowing toexport excess RE generation (especially during high RE generationpeak) between the regions, thus facilitating demand and supply
balancing.
Integration of Malaysia’s regional markets also serves to support
the ASEAN power grid across the East-West corridor, fostering
regional grid stability.
Within the 2025 time-horizon, progress is expected through theplanned 50 MW connection between Sabah and Sarawak, whichis due to be commissioned in 2022.
Post 2025, integration between regional markets in Malaysia andbetween Malaysia and ASEAN is one of key areas for assessmentand embarkment.
As advocated by the International Energy Agency122, strengtheningof interconnectors capacity between ASEAN member states
coupled with increased coordination and regulatory harmonization
between regional markets is in plan, and expected to be achievedin order to establish a multilateral power trading framework in theregion. Among other benefits, this will allow to integrate higher
shares of variable renewable energy in the regional electricity
system.

Image for illustration purpose only.

120. Expert interviews
121. For example, ENERNOC (has since been rebranded to Enel X) offers services to grid operators based on aggregation of demand-response from 8,000 Commercial and Industrial customers
covering 14,000 sites with a total capacity of approximately 6 GW. See also: https://www.enelx.com/en/stories/2017/08/enernoc-global-leader-in-smart-energy-management
122. IEA, “ Establishing multilateral power trade in ASEAN”, September 2019

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RE 2025 AND 2035 TRANSITION OUTCOMES

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chapter seven

RE 2025
AND 2035
TRANSITIONOUTCOMES

MALAYSIA RENEWABLE ENERGY ROADMAP106

RE 2025 AND 2035
TRANSITION OUTCOMESSUMMARY
This section highlights the transition impact with respect to the energy mix, carbon emissions and socio-econmics benefits. RE
resources inclusive of large hydro is defined under this study. However, large hydro is reported under its own category aside
from other RE resources to differentiate RE capacity that is market-driven via existing RE programmes (I.e. RE classification) andcapacity that is commonly utility-driven (I.e. large hydro classification).

OUTCOMES TO 2025
Up to 2025, 1.2 GW of RE capacity additions are planned to reach the RE 31% target. Increase in RE capacity to meet the 31% target by2025 does not displace planned non-RE capacity additions, i.e. the non-RE capacity build-up is the same as in BAU scenario.
Increased renewable generation (23% share in the generation mix in 2025, up from 20% in 2021) is expected to displace gas generation(23% share in 2025, down from 24% in 2021) while coal continues to dominate the generation mix (54% share in 2025, down from 56%
in 2021).
As RE generation does not displace coal generation, impact on carbon emissions up to 2025 is limited (reduction of 0.4% in the New
Capacity Target scenario compared to BAU).
The build-up of RE capacity will support over MYR 19.93 bn of cumulative investment in RE from 2021 to 2025 and result in the employment
of about 28,416 jobs in 2025.

OUTCOMES POST 2025
Post 2025, 7.1 GW of coal capacity under existing PPAs is expected to be retired. The New Capacity Target scenario sets a pathway todisplace some of the coal capacity with RE and natural gas. RE share in the capacity mix increases to 40% by 2035, natural gas increases
to 41% share, while the share of coal drops to 18%.
As a result, RE generation share increases from 23% in 2025 to 27% in 2035, close to coal generation at 27% in 2035. Gas-fired generation
increases to 45% of the mix. It is important to note that as technologies evolve enabling greater dispatchability of VRE, successive iterationof the New Capacity Target scenario can be developed, setting higher aspirational targets for RE share while limiting increase in gas-fired
generation.
The New Capacity Target scenario drives significant decarbonization, achieving 11% and 13% reduction in carbon emissions versus the
BAU scenario in 2035 the power sector in Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah.
Post 2025, aggressive RE deployment in the New Capacity Target scenario results in a cumulative 2026-2035 investment, amounting tonearly MYR 33.07 bn and resulting in the employment of about 46,636 jobs in 2035.

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7.1		
RE 2025 TRANSITION OUTCOMES
7.1.1		CAPACITY AND GENERATION MIXCAPACITY MIX

Figure 7-1: Comparison of Malaysia capacity mix for BAU and New Capacity Target scenarios for 2020 and 2025

Scenario
BAU
Installed capacity

2020

2025

2025

Gas

36%

37%

36%

Coal

37%

32%

31%

Hydro

16%

14%

14%

Others

3%

3%

3%

RE

8%

14%

17%

35,98341,02942,292

RE Share

2020

2025

2025

Malaysia RE share (%)

23%

29%

31%

Peninsular Malaysia solar
penetration (%)

N/A

18%

24%

Total capacity (MW)Note:
Source:Scenario
New Capacity
TargetPeninsular Malaysia solar penetration is the ratio of PM’s on-grid solar capacity over peak demand (without solar)
SEDA; ST; SB Peninsular Malaysia, SB Sabah; SESB; MOU, SEB

IN NEW CAPACITY TARGET SCENARIO UP TO 2025, ADDITIONAL RE DOESNOT DISPLACE FOSSIL CAPACITIESAs of December 2020, the RE share of installed capacity in Malaysia
is 23%. Gas and coal dominate the capacity mix, accounting for
36% and 37% of capacity respectively.
In order to reach the 31% RE mix target in 2025, additional RE
capacity build-up is planned alongside existing and committed
fossil fuel plants. From 2021 to 2025, 4.5 GW of RE net capacity
additions are planned under the New Capacity Target scenarios.
In addition, 5.7 GW gas capacity additions are expected within the
period of 2021-2025.

In New Capacity Target scenarios up to 2025, there is nodisplacement of fossil fuel capacities by increasing RE capacity,i.e. the build-up of non-RE capacities is the same as in the BAU
scenario.

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Figure 7-2: Capacity mix for Malaysia for BAU and New Capacity Target scenarios, 2020-2025

Note:
Source:Others includes interconnection, diesel and distillate and industrial heat and process
SEDA; ST; SB Peninsular Malaysia, SB Sabah; SESB; MOU, SEB

Image for illustration purpose only.

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GENERATION MIX

Figure 7-3: Comparison of Malaysia generation mix for BAU and New Capacity Target scenarios for 2021 and 2025

ScenarioBAU
Generation Mix

2021

2025

2025

Gas

24%

24%

23%

Coal

56%

54%

54%

Hydro

16%

15%

15%

Others

0.1%

0.1%

0.1%

4%

7%

8%

165,853

177,380

177,381

RE
Total generation (GWh)
Note:
Source:Scenario
New Capacity
TargetOthers includes interconnection, diesel and distillate and industrial heat and process; Figures may not sum to 100% due to rounding
SEDA; ST; SB Peninsular Malaysia, SB Sabah; SESB; MOU, SEB

IN NEW CAPACITY TARGET SCENARIO WITHIN THE 2025-TIME HORIZON,INCREASE IN RE GENERATION DISPLACES THE HIGHER MARGINAL COSTGAS GENERATION, BUT NOT COAL
In 2021, coal contributes more than half (56%) of the generation
mix as the key baseload generation fuel with the lowest marginalcost. Gas and RE generation account for 24% and 20% of total
generation respectively.
In the New Capacity Target scenario as RE generation increases, it
progressively displaces gas generation. This is because gas is thefuel with the highest marginal cost. Gas contribution in the national
generation mix declines from 24% in 2021 to 23% in 2025.
However, the increase in RE generation is not sufficient to have asignificant impact on coal generation which still makes up morethan half of the generation mix, at 54% in 2025. Upon achieving
the 31% RE national target in 2025, RE contributes approximately
23% of the generation mix, up from 20% in 2021 (Figure 7-3 andFigure 7-4).

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Figure 7-4: Generation mix for Malaysia for BAU and New Capacity Target scenarios, 2020-2025

Note:
Source:Others includes interconnection, diesel and distillate and industrial heat and process;
SEDA; ST; SB Peninsular Malaysia, SB Sabah; SESB; MOU, SEB

Image for illustration purpose only.

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111
7.1.2		CARBON EMISSIONS
Figure 7-5: Comparison of carbon emissions impact for BAU and New Capacity Target scenarios for 2025

Scenario
New Capacity Target
2025

Scenario
BAU
2025

Impact of carbon emissions in P. Malaysia
CO2 emission (millions tonnes)

94.67

94.20

CO2 intensity (tonnes/MWh)

0.71

0.70

CO2 intensity (kgCO2/GDP)

-

0.071

Impact of carbon emissions in Sabah
CO2 emission (millions tonnes)

3.51

3.53

CO2 intensity (tonnes/MWh)

0.43

0.43

CO2 intensity (kgCO2/GDP)

-

0.040

Impact of carbon emissions in Sarawak

Source:CO2 emission (millions tonnes)

11.38

11.38

CO2 intensity (tonnes/MWh)

0.32

0.32

CO2 intensity (kgCO2/GDP)

-

0.062

SEDA, ST, SB Peninsular Malaysia, SB Sabah, SESB, MOU, SEB

DECARBONIZATION IN NEW CAPACITY TARGET SCENARIO UP TO 2025 IS
LIMITED AS RE DOES NOT DISPLACE COAL GENERATION

Figure 7-6: Total GHG emission for Malaysia for BAU
and New Capacity Target scenarios, 2021-2025

The New Capacity Target scenario has limited impact on carbon
emissions up to 2025.
In total, the New Capacity Target scenario reduces carbon
emissions by 0.4% as compared to the BAU scenario.
This is because up to 2025, RE displaces gas generation but does
not displace coal generation123.

Source:

SEDA; ST; SB Peninsular Malaysia, SB Sabah; SESB; MOU, SEB

123. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories, 2006; coal has an emissions factor of 96.1 kg CO2/GJ, over 70% more than the
carbon emissions factor of natural gas, which is 56.1 kg CO2/GJ; thus, displacing coal has much greater impact than displacing natural gas

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112
7.1.3		SOCIO-ECONOMIC OUTCOMES
THE NEW CAPACITY TARGET SCENARIO GENERATES COMPARABLE SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACT BY 2025, SUPPORTING OVER MYR 19.93 BN OF
CUMULATIVE INVESTMENT AND 28,416 JOBS

Figure 7-7: Comparison of key socio-economic impact indicators for BAU and New Capacity Target scenarios for
2025

ScenarioBAU
Cumulative Investment(MYR bn)

Scenario
New Capacity Target

2010-2025

16.12

Employment Impact(# of Jobs)

2025

20,3852021-2025

19.93

2025

28,416

Figure 7-8: Cumulative capital investment by technology for BAU and New Capacity Target scenarios by 2025

Cumulative
Investment(MYR bn)

Scenario
BAU

Scenario
New Capacity Target

2021-2025

2021-2025

Biogas

1.51

1.58

Biomass (Agriculture
and WTE)

2.37

3.23

Small Hydro

6.01

6.01

Solar Rooftop

1.23

1.23

Solar LSS

5.01

7.88

Geothermal--

Large Hydro

-

-

16.12

19.93

Total

The cumulative capital investment124 expenditure in the New
Capacity Target scenario from 2021 to 2025 is estimated at MYR
19.93 bn. During this period, investment in LSS assets amounts
to MYR 7.88 bn, while small hydro is expected to contribute MYR
6.01 bn in investment.

Biomass, which includes biomass agriculture and WTE, is
expected to contribute MYR 3.23 bn, while biogas and solar
rooftop contribute MYR 1.58 bn and MYR 1.23 bn respectively.

124. Expert interviews, SEDA, Roland Berger - 1) Cost reduction of approx. 2% applied to solar equipment on a yearly basis; 2) Considers new planted up capacity onlyRE 2025 AND 2035 TRANSITION OUTCOMES

113
EMPLOYMENT IN RE JOBS

Figure 7-9: Total employment by technology for BAU and New Capacity Target scenarios in 2025

Total
Employment(# of jobs)

Scenario
BAU

Scenario
New Capacity Target
2025

2025

Biogas

4,277

4,559

Biomass (Agriculture
and WTE)

7,329

8,129

Small Hydro

3,858

3,858

Solar Rooftop

4,026

4,026

Solar LSS

895

7,848

Geothermal--

Large Hydro--

20,38528,416

Total

Implementation of the New Capacity Target scenario is expected
to support almost 28,416125 direct and indirect jobs in the RE
sector in 2025.
Direct employment includes jobs related to core activities of RE
generation, such as management, corporate and administrative
jobs, and jobs in RE plant operations and maintenance126. Indirect
employment refers to jobs at service and material providers suchas fuel supply127, engineering, procurement, construction (EPC),
and equipment manufacturing/preparation. Direct employment
depends on cumulative installed capacity, thus tends to increase
with increasing RE installed capacity. On the other hand, indirect
employment depends on annual capacity additions, hence it canincrease or decrease, depending on the rate of deployment of RE
capacities.
In the New Capacity Target scenario, biomass power generation is
expected to contribute the most to employment with 8,129 jobs in2025. Solar LSS is expected to be the second biggest employment
contributor with 7,848 jobs in 2025, followed by biogas and solar
rooftop with 4,556 and 4,026 jobs respectively. Small hydro125. Expert interviews, SEDA, Roland Berger
126. European Union Energy Initiative, The Employment Effects of Renewable Energy
Development Assistance, 2017127. Only applicable to bioenergy

supports only 3,858 jobs in 2025 as plants require only minimum
workforce for operation and maintenance due to availability of
automation systems (Figure 7-9).
Image for illustration purpose only.

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114
7.2		
RE 2035 TRANSITION OUTCOMES
7.2.1		CAPACITY AND GENERATION MIXCAPACITY MIX

Figure 7-10: Comparison of Malaysia capacity mix for BAU and New Capacity Target scenarios for 2020 and 2035

Scenario
BAU
Installed capacity

2020

2035

2035

Gas

36%

42%

41%

Coal

37%

24%

18%

Hydro

16%

18%

18%

Others

3%

3%

2%

RE

8%

14%

22%

35,98342,98345,588

RE Share

2020

2035

2035

Malaysia RE share (%)

24%

32%

40%

Peninsular Malaysia solar
penetration (%)

N/A

15%

30%

Total capacity (MW)Note:
Source:Scenario
New Capacity
TargetPeninsular Malaysia solar penetration is the ratio of PM’s on-grid solar capacity over peak demand (without solar); Figures may not sum to100% due to rounding
SEDA; ST; SB Peninsular Malaysia, SB Sabah; SESB; MOU, SEB

POST 2025, THE NEW CAPACITY TARGET SCENARIO SETS A HIGHERTARGET TO REDUCE DEPENDENCY ON COAL THROUGH RE AND GAS
Post 2025, 7.1 GW of coal capacity under existing PPAs is
expected to be retired under New Capacity Target scenario, but
additional 1.2 GW and 1.9 GW of new gas and hydro capacity are
expected to meet the power demand.
The New Capacity Target scenario advocates for no new coalplant up post 2025 and sets to accelerate Malaysia’s energy
transition by replacing some retiring coal plants with RE and gasfired capacities.

128. Assuming a solar capacity credit of 17%

As a result, in 2035, RE emerges as a crucial component of thecapacity mix with 40% share. Natural gas is maintained in thenational capacity mix with 41% share, slightly up from 36% sharein 2020, while coal contribution in the capacity mix sharply declines
from 37% in 2020 to 18%% in 2035.
Under the New Capacity Target scenario, RE reaches 40% sharein the capacity mix, supporting Malaysia’s longer-term vision
towards decarbonization of the power sector. Reserve margin in
2035 meets ST’s target level to maintain system stability at 20%128.

RE 2025 AND 2035 TRANSITION OUTCOMES

115

Figure 7-11: Capacity mix for Malaysia for BAU and New Capcity Target scenarios, 2020-2035

Note:
Source:No forecast for Sarawak after 2030, capacity assumed to be constant after 2030; Others includes interconnection, diesel and distillate, andindustrial heat and process
SEDA; ST; SB Peninsular Malaysia, SB Sabah; SESB; MOU, SEB

SUCCESSIVE ITERATIONS OF NEW CAPACITY TARGET SCENARIO COULD
PAVE THE WAY FOR HIGHER RE SHAREThe New Capacity Target scenario adheres to SB/GSO’s minimum
reserve margin requirement to comply with the Loss-of-Load Hours
criteria. Due to the low capacity credit of solar, set at 17%129, gasfired capacity is required to ensure that the minimum level of 20%
reserve margin is maintained.
Post 2025, roll-out of energy storage technologies is expected
to enable greater dispatchability of VRE. Combined solar/battery
plants may provide flexible and dispatchable solar generation. This
would increase the effective capacity credit of combined solar/
battery plants limiting the need of additional gas-fired capacity,
thus enabling higher share of RE in the capacity mix.

To support this, a study will need to be carried out to determine:(1) capacity credits of combined solar/battery plants to be used in
the calculation of reserve margin; and (2) relative cost of meeting
minimum reserve margin with combined solar/battery plants
versus gas-fired power plants.
Hence, as energy storage technologies evolve and enable greater
dispatchability of VRE, successive iteration of the New Capacity
Target scenario can be developed, setting even higher aspirationaltargets for RE share in Malaysia.

129. SB Peninsular Malaysia
Image for illustration purpose only.

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116
GENERATION MIX

Figure 7-12: Comparison of Malaysia generation mix for BAU and New Capacity Target scenarios for 2021 and 2035

ScenarioBAU
Generation Mix

2021

2035

2035

Gas

24%

41%

45%

Coal

56%

34%

27%

Hydro

16%

18%

19%

Others

0.1%

0.2%

0.1%

4%

6%

9%

165,853

210,358

209,598

RE
Total generation (GWh)
Note:
Source:Scenario
New Capacity
TargetOthers includes interconnection, diesel and distillate and industrial heat and process;
SEDA; ST; SB Peninsular Malaysia, SB Sabah; SESB; MOU, SEB

IN THE NEW CAPACITY TARGET SCENARIO, RE GENERATION ALMOST REACHES COAL GENERATION BY 2035
The share of coal in the generation mix drops from 54% in 2025 to 27% in 2035. The decline in coal generation scenario is met by gas
and RE that contribute 45% and 27% of the generation mix respectively by 2035.

Image for illustration purpose only.

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Figure 7-13: Generation mix for Malaysia for BAU and New Capacity Target scenarios, 2021-2035

Note:
Source:No forecast for Sarawak after 2030, generation assumed to be constant after 2030. Others includes interconnection, diesel and distillate andindustrial heat and process;
SEDA; ST; SB Peninsular Malaysia, SB Sabah; SESB; MOU, SEB

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CARBON EMISSIONS

Figure 7-14: Comparison of carbon emissions impact for BAU and New Capacity Target scenarios in 2035

Scenario
New Capacity Target
2035

Scenario
BAU
2035

Impact of carbon emissions in P. Malaysia
CO2 emission (millions tonnes)

88.23

78.35

CO2 intensity (tonnes/MWh)

0.56

0.50

-

0.039

CO2 intensity (kg/GDP)

Impact of carbon emissions in Sabah
CO2 emission (millions tonnes)

3.56

3.10

CO2 intensity (tonnes/MWh)

0.36

0.31

-

0.028

CO2 intensity (kg/GDP)

Impact of carbon emissions in Sarawak
CO2 emission (millions tonnes)

7.76

7.76

CO2 intensity (tonnes/MWh)

0.19

0.19

-

0.028

CO2 intensity (kg/GDP)
Source:

SEDA; ST; SB Peninsular Malaysia, SB Sabah; SESB; MOU, SEB

THE NEW CAPACITY TARGET SCENARIO TAKES LARGESTRIDES IN DECARBONIZING THE POWER SECTOR AFTER
2025 AND SUPPORTS ACHIEVEMENT OF MALAYSIA’S
NDC’S COMMITMENT

Figure 7-15: Total GHG emission in Malaysia for 2026 to 2035

As a result of displacement of coal generation by RE
and gas-fired generation, the New Capacity Target
scenario results in 11% emission reduction versus
BAU in 2035.

Note:
Source:No forecast for Sarawak after 2030
SEDA; ST; SB Peninsular Malaysia, SB Sabah; SESB; MOU, SEB

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119
Malaysia’s NDC commitments is to reduce its economy-wide
carbon intensity (against GDP) of 45% in 2030 compared to 2005
level. The corresponding target for GHG emissions intensity of thepower sector for Peninsular Malaysia is 0.053 kgCO2/GDP130 in
2030 (45% decline from 0.096 kgCO2/GDP131 in 2005).
For Peninsular Malaysia, under the New Capacity Target scenario
it will achieve a CO2 emission intensity reduction of 45%, reaching
0.053 kgCO2/GDP131 in 2030. The BAU scenario will not meet
the NDC target (0.054 kgCO2/GDP131 emission intensity in 2030).
Further decline of 60% (0.038 kgCO2/GDP) is expected to reachby 2035 due to reduction in coal generation.
For Sabah, initiative identified under the Roadmap is expected
to support GHG emission intensity reduction of 41%, reaching
0.03 kgCO2/GDP in 2030 (from 0.052 kgCO2/GDP in 2005), post
2025 reduction will increase to 46% as compared to 2005 level.
While for Sarawak, significant carbon intensity reduction has beenrealized with the commissioning of Bakun and Murum HEP since2011, reaching 0.062 kgCo2/GDP in 2025 and further reductionof 0.028 kgCO2/GDP are anticipated as the renewable portfolio
increases from current capacity mix to year 2030.

Image for illustration purpose only.

Figure 7-16: Target emission intensity corresponding to NDC

Source:SB Peninsular Malaysia, ST, MoU & SEB

The New Capacity Target scenario supports achievements of the target reduction for the Malaysian power sector by 2030. This createsroom to address any possible uncertainties in forecast, such as:● Discrepancy between 10-year GDP projections and actual GDP evolution; and● Lower than expected GHG emissions reduction from other sectors that would increase the burden on the power sector to reduce
emissions.

130. Total value of the goods and services produced denominated in MYR

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120
7.2.3		SOCIO-ECONOMIC OUTCOMES
THE NEW CAPACITY TARGET SCENARIO SUPPORTS ALMOST MYR 33.07 BN OF CUMULATIVE INVESTMENT IN THE 2026-2035 PERIOD AND OVER
46,636 JOBS IN 2035

Figure 7-17: Comparison of key socio-economic impact indicators for BAU and New Capacity Target scenarios 2035

ScenarioBAU
Cumulative Investment(MYR bn)

Scenario
New Capacity Target

2026-2035

19.51

Employment Impact(# of Jobs)

2035

27,7862026-2035

33.07

2035

46,636

CAPITAL INVESTMENT

Figure 7-8: Cumulative investment by technology for BAU and New Capacity Target scenarios for 2026 to 2035

Cumulative
Investment(MYR bn)

Scenario
BAU

Scenario
New Capacity Target

2026-2035

2026-2035

Biogas-1.06

Biomass (Agriculture
and WTE)0

2.00

Small Hydro

0.23

0.66

Solar Rooftop

0.002

2.21

Solar LSS

0.52

3.73

Geothermal

-

0.44

Large Hydro

18.76

22.96

19.51

33.07

Total

The New Capacity Target scenario supports sustained capital
investment131, in the 2026 to 2035 period. Cumulative investment
over this period is estimated at MYR 33.07 bn as compared to BAU

scenario at RM 19.51 bn for the same period. Hydro, large scalesolar and bioenergy are the largest contributors to investment.

131. Expert interviews, SEDA, Roland Berger - 1) Cost reduction of approx. 2% applied to solar equipment on a yearly basis; 2) Considers new planted up capacity onlyRE 2025 AND 2035 TRANSITION OUTCOMES121
EMPLOYMENT IN RE JOBS

Figure 7-19: Total employment by technology for BAU and New Capacity Target scenarios in 2035

Cumulative
Investment(MYR bn)

Total

Scenario
BAU

Scenario
New Capacity Target
2035

2035

Biogas

3,201

5,313

Biomass (Agriculture
and WTE)

6,609

9,082

Small Hydro

1,858

1,934

Solar Rooftop

3,910

9,611

Solar LSS

978

4,239

Geothermal-

28

Large Hydro

11,23016,43027,786

46,636

In 2035, implementation of the New Capacity Target scenario is expected to generate 46,636 direct and indirect jobs132, as compared
to BAU scenario with only 27,786 jobs.
Large hydro is expected to contribute a total of 16,430 jobs in 2035. Solar rooftop is expected to be the second biggest jobs contributor
in 2035 with 9,611 jobs, followed by biomass rooftop with 9,082 jobs, biogas with 5,313 jobs and solar LSS with 4,239 jobs.

132. Expert interviews, SEDA, Roland Berger

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NOTES

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123
NOTES

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NOTES

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125

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126