KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 19): Under Malaysia’s latest approved electricity generation plan, 37.81% of the nation’s installed electricity capacity in 2030 will be powered by renewable sources, said Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.
This, he said in a written parliamentary reply on Thursday, is pursuant to the Power Development Plan (PDP) approved in the 2022 Planning and Implementation Committee for Electricity Supply and Tariff meeting held in February.
The committee holds meetings on an annual basis to determine the policy on the electricity sector’s fuel mix with the 20-year PDP.
As for the remaining electricity capacity in 2030, the PDP projects that 38.94% or 19,098MW will be generated with gas, while coal will still account for 23.25% (11,401MW). Renewable energy (RE) is expected to generate 18,545.05MW.
Currently, the capacity breakdown in 2023 stands at gas accounting for 37.9% (14,584.38MW), followed by coal at 33.69% (12,962MW), RE at 27.05% (10,410.25MW), and diesel at 1.36% (521.98MW).
Nik Nazmi said the transition from coal-based generation sources to RE is in line with the government’s net zero commitment under the Paris Agreement, as well as its own target of increasing RE’s share of electricity capacity to 70% by 2050.
“This increase in RE capacity will allow excess capacity to be exported cross-border with neighbouring countries in the region based on a mechanism that will be set by the government, further fulfilling the desire to realise the Asean Power Grid initiative,” he said.
“The planning of electricity supply through the PDP emphasises the balance of the energy trilemma, namely energy security, sustainability and affordability,” he added.
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