Go solar, DPM Fadillah tells local councils for cheaper, cleaner electricity
KUALA TERENGGANU, May 25 — The government is opening opportunities for all parties, especially local authorities, to adopt Solar Photovoltaic (Solar PV) systems as part of efforts to transition towards clean energy.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said that by installing Solar PV systems at their premises, these entities can save on electricity consumption, generate new renewable energy and reduce carbon emissions.
Fadillah, who is also Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation (PETRA), cited the example of the Kuala Terengganu City Council (MBKT) initiative, which installed Solar PV systems at the MBKT Tower's parking area and rooftop.
'The Solar PV system at MBKT is the largest installed on a building owned by a local authority under the Net Energy Metering (NEM 3.0) programme, under the NEM GoMEN category, approved by the Sustainable Energy Development Authority (SEDA) Malaysia on Dec 16, 2021.
'It has been operational since Jan 2, 2024, and is estimated to generate 1,147 megawatt-hours (MWh) of green electricity annually, resulting in estimated electricity bill savings of 11 per cent or over RM200,000 per year,' he said.
He was speaking to reporters after inspecting the Solar PV installation at the MBKT Tower today during the PETRA Squad East Zone Roadshow, a two-day event held in Kelantan and Terengganu that began yesterday.
Fadillah also said the PETRA Squad tour continued to the Large-Scale Solar (LSS) Coara Marang plant to observe its operation firsthand, which is part of the government's initiative under the LSS3 programme.
'The energy capacity generated by this plant is estimated to supply electricity to more than 10,000 households daily and is among the most advanced solar plants in terms of technology and efficiency.
'Besides helping to reduce carbon emissions, the LSS Coara Marang project also serves as a model for disaster-resilient solar plant design suitable for development in flood-prone areas, thereby strengthening the resilience of the country's energy sector,' he said.
Fadillah said the roadshow concluded with a visit to the biogas power plant operated by Concord Biotech Sdn Bhd in Kemaman.
He said the development of the biogas power plant involved an investment of RM21 million, including the installation of two biogas engines with a total capacity of 2.404 megawatts (MW), using biogas derived from palm oil mill effluent (POME).
The plant commenced commercial operation on March 12, 2022, with the Sustainable Energy Development Authority Malaysia approving the Feed-in-Tariff (FiT) quota on Feb 18, 2019.
'As of March 31, 2025, the power plant has generated 29,158 MWh of electricity, equivalent to avoiding 22,568 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2eq) emissions,' he said. — Bernama
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