Malaysia’s push for residential solar adoption has hit a milestone, with the Net Energy Metering (NEM) Rakyat programme reaching full subscription. According to the latest figures from the Sustainable Energy Development Authority (SEDA), nearly the entire 600MW quota allocated under NEM Rakyat has been applied for, with 579MW already approved.
NEM Rakyat forms one of the three core pillars under the broader NEM 3.0 initiative launched by the Ministry of Energy Transition and Water Transformation (PETRA). The programme aims to accelerate rooftop solar uptake across various sectors, including residential, government, commercial, and industrial buildings.
Government uptake through NEM GoMEn — the segment targeting solar installation on public buildings — has also seen strong progress, with 82MW applied out of the 100MW allocation. Of this, 67.72MWac has been approved to date.
Meanwhile, the commercial and industrial sector continues to show robust interest under the NOVA (Net Offset Virtual Aggregation) programme. Out of the 1,700MW available quota, 1,165MW has been applied for, with approvals issued for 1,112MW — underscoring strong momentum in private-sector green energy transition.
While NEM Rakyat has reached capacity, it remains unclear whether the residential quota will be expanded. In the meantime, other initiatives such as the Community Renewable Energy Aggregation Mechanism (CREAM) offer alternative pathways. Under CREAM, users can participate in shared solar energy generation, though a grid usage fee of 15 sen/kWh applies.
For homeowners looking to generate solar power for their own consumption without exporting excess energy, the self-consumption (SelCo) model remains an option. Unlike NEM, however, SelCo does not allow the banking of surplus electricity for future offset.
Malaysia’s clean energy roadmap continues to evolve, and with residential demand reaching new highs, all eyes are now on the next wave of solar-friendly policies.
Comments