COMMENT | Solar powers Malaysia's renewable energy push

COMMENT | Malaysia has bold plans to rapidly transform its energy system to solar. So far, the signs are good.

As climate change accelerates, so too Malaysia is accelerating its use of renewable energy.

Since 2000 and the Five Fuel Diversification Policy, the country has included biomass, biogas, municipal waste, solar and small hydropower in the energy mix.

This use of renewable energy was accelerated by the 2010 National Renewable Energy Policy, which set a target of 20 percent renewable energy in the power generation mix (also known as the installed capacity mix) by 2025.

By March, Malaysia’s percentage of renewables was 25 percent, surpassing the 2010 target.

The main reason for this success is solar energy.

Malaysia has a huge potential to...