KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 25 — Malaysia is stepping up efforts to expand large-scale solar (LSS) projects as the government works towards its target of 40 per cent renewable energy (RE) in the national energy mix by 2040, said Deputy Energy Transition and Water Transformation Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir today.
Akmal said the current grid capacity can still accommodate new RE sources, but long-term stability will require investments in battery energy storage systems (BESS) and other smart grid technologies.
“On the 40 per cent target set for 2040, that is why we have been rolling out, and with the necessary approvals deploying more LSS projects, which the existing grid can currently handle.
“However, to improve grid flexibility and manage the intermittent nature of solar power, which can only be generated during daylight hours, we have already begun or are in the process of deploying Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS),” he told Dewan Rakyat today.
Akmal was responding to a supplementary question by Simpang Renggam MP Datuk Seri Hasni Mohammad on the government’s strategy to achieve Malaysia’s renewable energy targets.
He said the government is exploring new energy sources under the National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR) presented two years ago, with a clear commitment set out in the 13th Malaysia Plan (RMK13).
This includes assessing clean energy potential through pilot projects led by MyPower, which has been appointed as the National Energy Planning and Implementation Office (NEPIO).
Beyond domestic capacity, he said Malaysia is also pushing for greater regional integration under the Asean Power Grid initiative, which would enhance resilience and open up cross-border energy trade.
Taking Vietnam as an example, he said the country’s strong wind energy potential, if connected through regional grid networks, would allow Malaysia to benefit from it.
