PUTRAJAYA, March 27 — The government has introduced the Solar for Rakyat Incentive Scheme (SolaRIS), a special initiative aimed at encouraging the installation of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems in residential premises under the Net Energy Metering (NEM) programme.

Deputy Prime Minister and Energy Transition and Water Transformation Minister, Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, said the installation of solar PV systems in residential premises by domestic users is a ‘quick wins’ measure that enables the effective utilisation of building roof space for renewable energy generation (REG).

“Considering its great potential, the installation of solar PV systems in residential premises should be expanded to support the government’s efforts to increase the REG capacity in the electricity supply system to 70 per cent by 2050 and reduce carbon emissions from the power supply sector,” he said in a statement here today.

Fadillah said the launch of SolaRIS is expected to increase solar generation adoption under the NEM programme, providing rebates of RM1,000/kWac up to a maximum of RM4,000 to new NEM Rakyat users who submit their NEM applications to the Sustainable Energy Development Authority (SEDA) Malaysia on or after April 1 this year.

He said that the scheme is open to all Malaysian citizens with a one-time claim limit per individual who is a TNB account holder and is also available to first-time applicants for the NEM programme.

The rebates will be given on a ’first come first served’ basis for NEM Rakyat quotas applied for from April 1 until Dec 31, 2024, and NEM Rakyat applications that are approved must be operational by March 31, 2025, or until all SolaRIS rebate quotas have been exhausted, whichever comes first.

In addition, rebate payments for the installation and operation of the solar PV system under the NEM Rakyat programme will only be disbursed to the bill holder’s local bank account upon completion, subject to specific claim terms and conditions, and the granting of the incentive will be handled by TNB.

Details about the programme can be found on the websites of TNB, SEDA Malaysia, and the Energy Commission.

Fadillah said that to expand public participation in REG generation, the government has agreed to allocate an additional quota of 100 megawatts under the NEM Rakyat programme, raising the total allocated quota to 350MW.

Applications for the NEM Rakyat Programme quotas will be open until Dec 31, 2024, or until all allocated quotas are fully distributed, whichever comes first. — Bernama