Kelantan: Despite its significant geographical and climatic potential to become the nation's renewable energy (RE) hub or economic hotspot, Kelantan has seen slow adoption of renewable energy technology at the household and small and medium enterprise (SME) levels. Associate Professor Dr. Hasyiya Karimah Adli of the Faculty of Data Science and Computing, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK), noted that although large-scale solar projects have started to emerge in the state, public awareness and adoption of private solar systems remain low due to high upfront capital costs.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the cost of installing a domestic solar panel system is currently estimated at between RM15,000 and RM30,000 for a typical house. Dr. Hasyiya highlighted Kelantan's flat terrain and consistent sunlight exposure, with high solar radiation levels ranging from 4.21 to 5.56 kWh/m² per day, making the state highly suitable for the solar industry. However, she pointed out that adoption at the household level remains slow. Public awareness of government initiatives like solar leasing schemes, which do not require any upfront capital, is limited.
Dr. Hasyiya elaborated on Kelantan's potential, noting that the state records annual electricity consumption of between 2,500 GWh and 3,000 GWh, and it would require only about 2.22 GWp (gigawatt-peak) of installed capacity to meet 100 percent of its own electricity needs. This capacity would require approximately 7.777 acres of land, representing only 0.2 percent of Kelantan's total land area of 3.7 million acres. She praised the 98 MWp Danau Tok Uban floating solar plant in Pasir Mas as an exemplary model, addressing issues of forest clearing while minimizing environmental impacts.
Dr. Hasyiya also touched on global developments impacting energy supply, including geopolitical tensions in West Asia and the Strait of Hormuz, which have pushed Brent crude oil prices above USD100 per barrel. She cited a report by Maybank Investment Bank, highlighting that Malaysia is in a high-risk zone due to its dependence on the Persian Gulf region for 69 percent of its crude oil imports. She stressed the importance of accelerating energy sovereignty in Kelantan, suggesting hybrid work-from-home policies for civil servants and government-linked companies (GLCs) as short-term measures.
To boost green energy adoption, Dr. Hasyiya proposed a fast-track approval process for domestic solar installation applications, with streamlined registration procedures. She suggested that applications for installations with a capacity of less than 10 kilowatt-peak (kWp) be approved within 48 hours through a green lane mechanism. Additionally, she recommended offering incentives such as cash rebates or discounts through e-wallet applications like the BUDI MADANI platform to encourage consumer participation.
Dr. Hasyiya expressed optimism about the socioeconomic impact of the renewable energy transition, aligned with the National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR), which could create thousands of high-skilled jobs for local communities. She emphasized the rising demand for skilled workers in fields such as smart grid management, solar engineering, and energy data analytics. Educational institutions like UMK are playing a role by offering relevant programs and utilizing technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to forecast solar energy generation.
The growing adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) serves as a catalyst in the energy transition, with Vehicle-to-Home (V2H) technology enabling EV batteries to function as household energy storage systems. Dr. Hasyiya stressed the importance of collaboration between universities, industry players, and the state government to formulate comprehensive socioeconomic policies. She concluded by emphasizing that the strength of a nation or state now lies in interpreting data and harnessing sunlight effectively, rather than extracting oil.