Government Launches Solaris for Rakyat Scheme to Boost Residential Solar PV Adoption

KUALA LUMPUR (March 27): The Ministry of Energy Transition and Water Transformation (Petra) has rolled out the Solar for Rakyat incentive scheme, dubbed Solaris, aimed at accelerating the adoption of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems among residential users. This initiative is a significant step forward in promoting renewable energy efforts across Malaysia.

In a statement released on Wednesday, Deputy Prime Minister Fadillah emphasized the importance of residential solar PV installations in advancing the government's renewable energy goals. He highlighted the potential of these installations to contribute to a greener future and align with the nation's target of achieving a 70% renewable energy capacity by 2050, alongside reducing carbon emissions.

Under the Solaris scheme, new net energy metering (NEM) applicants starting from April 1, 2024, stand to benefit from rebates of up to RM4,000 per kilowatt alternating current (kWac). Administered by Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB), the initiative targets Malaysian citizens with a TNB account, offering a one-time rebate per individual. Additionally, first-time applicants for the NEM Rakyat program are eligible to participate.

The rebate system operates on a first-come, first-served basis for NEM quotas applied between April 1 and December 31, 2024. Successful NEM Rakyat applications must be operational by March 31, 2025, or until the Solaris rebate quotas are exhausted.

Fadillah clarified that rebate payments will be issued upon the installation and activation of the solar PV system within the NEM Rakyat program, registered under the bill holder's name. These rebates will be transferred to the user's local bank account, subject to specified terms and conditions.

To further encourage public engagement in renewable energy, the government has approved an additional quota of 100 megawatts (MW) under the NEM Rakyat program, bringing the total allocated quota to 350MW. Applications for these quotas will remain open until December 31, 2024, or until all allocated quotas are filled.

Petra expresses confidence that the Solaris scheme will drive increased participation from domestic users, enabling them to leverage the benefits of residential solar installations. This aligns with the nation's energy transition objectives and its commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.

(Source: The Edge)

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