KUALA LUMPUR: The government is committed to providing energy efficiency and renewable energy in electricity supply for the people.
Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Minister Yeo Bee Yin said despite the ministry having introduced and implemented 73 initiatives throughout the 10 months in administration, she said the most important programme was the renewable and efficient energy initiative.
She said the ministry was expecting 20 per cent of the country’s energy to be generated from renewable sources by 2025, adding that the initiative was to increase the renewable energy mix in electricity supply, thus reducing consumption of fossil fuels, as well as reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
“This is our new target. We have been producing greenhouse gasses and this is not good.
“Hence, we have created several new targets and policies to have better energy efficiency and to make use of renewable energy as a replacement for fossil fuels.
“We have introduced the enhanced net energy metering (NEM) programme and solar leasing for this initiative,” she said at a press conference in conjunction with the one-year anniversary of the Pakatan Harapan administration.
She said the NEM programme was a solar photovoltaic (PV) initiative by the ministry to encourage Malaysia’s renewable energy uptake.
Under the programme, she said, energy produced from solar PV systems would be consumed first, and any excess exported to Tenaga Nasional Bhd on a “one-on-one” offset basis.
“The solar PV panel can be installed on any commercial and industrial rooftop. By doing so, they can save consumption of electricity and reduce carbon dioxide emissions ,” she said.
Yeo added the ministry had implemented the Large-Scale Solar initiative to increase renewable energy in electricity supply through the implementation of large scale renewable energy projects with competitive tariff rates.
She said last year, the ministry opened up a quota of 114 megawatts and 74 megawatts for mini-hydro, 30 megawatts for biogas and 10 megawatts for biomass.
“The new initiative that we have introduced is the purchasing of quotas. We did an e-bidding for the first time for biogas. If the price of the bidding is low, then you will get the quota.
“We will continue this so that we have a competitive tariff rate in the industry,” she added.
Besides renewable energy, Yeo said the government had allocated RM24 million to help agencies share data with the private industry.
This sharing of data is expected to be fully operational within two years.
Yeo said the sharing mechanism was through research and development, transfer of technology, consultation and training.
The programme was to help industries to make use of the latest technology, to increase innovation and productivity through various systems and to improve processes.
“We also want to share the existing researchers from government-related agencies with any sector which may want their services.
“So far, we have sent 10 researchers to those who are interested in getting their services and it is for free.
“If this proves to be successful, we will propose such measures to other ministries as well,” she said.
On the environment sector, Yeo said the ministry was planning to propose a new bill to replace the Environmental Quality Act 1974.
She said the new bill, if passed at the Dewan Negara, would provide for heftier punishments and better enforcement.