KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 11): Malaysia will allow approved applicants under the SuRIA Home solar rebate programme until March 2027 to complete their installations and retain their rebates.

The extension accommodates those with unfinished installations ahead of the programme’s original end-2026 deadline, according to Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof. Up to RM90 million worth of rebates are still up for grab under the scheme.

“Those who have applied and received approval can proceed with their solar installations, provided installation is completed by March next year,” he said. “They will still receive the rebate decided by the government.”

Fadillah was responding during Wednesday’s oral question time in the Dewan Rakyat to Datuk Mohd Isam Mohd Isa (BN-Tampin), who raised concerns about consumers who had paid deposits, signed agreements and obtained approvals but had yet to complete their installations.

SuRIA Home, introduced with an allocation of RM150 million, offers eligible households a one-off rebate of RM600 per kilowatt of installed solar capacity, capped at RM3,000 for systems of five kilowatts or more. Launched in May, the programme targets as many as 50,000 homes.

The original deadline was Dec 31, 2026, or when its 250-megawatt quota was fully taken up, whichever came first. Fadillah noted that 12,374 domestic consumers had received rebates totalling RM36.2 million as at Sept 15.

SuRIA Home provides financial support for eligible Malaysian domestic consumers participating in the broader Solar Accelerated Transition Action Programme, or Solar ATAP. Applicants must not have received a cash rebate under the earlier SolaRIS scheme.

Solar ATAP, which began on Jan 1, allows consumers in Peninsular Malaysia to generate solar electricity for their own use and export surplus power to the grid for credits against their electricity bills.

Unlike the rebate programme, Solar ATAP operates without a specific overall quota and covers domestic, commercial, industrial and other eligible consumers. Authorities had approved 24,291 Solar ATAP applications with a combined capacity of 391.85MW as of Sept 15.

On improving access for lower- and middle-income households, consumers could consider solar leasing or rent-to-own arrangements to reduce upfront installation costs, while the government continues to assess installation costs and financing options, Fadillah said.

He also urged consumers to consult the ministry, Tenaga Nasional Bhd (KL:TENAGA) or the Energy Commission before committing to installations, and to engage registered providers to ensure safety and compliance with technical standards.

For more Parliament stories, click here.