Media Reports: Plus Solar Sees Opportunity to Change Malaysian Mindset on RE Potential

19 Feb 2021

While the pandemic has challenged both industry players in clean energy and business owners and delayed its progress, BloombergNEF’s Energy Transition Investment Trends, 2021, stated that global solar power had an investment of $148.6 billion, up 12%. As the global growth of solar continues to rise, in Malaysia, we see solar make traction with the help of the recent Net Energy Metering (NEM) 3.0 scheme and extension of tax allowances till 2023. Moreover, solar has been identified as a solution for business leaders to enjoy savings on their electricity bills, get an annual return of 20%* and lower their carbon footprint.

With progress made in the Malaysian solar industry, Ko Chuan Zhen, our CEO and co-founder, shared with Bernama the industry’s potential and opportunities ahead. The interview was picked up by Borneo Post KK, Borneo Post Kuching and more. On top of solar, he also shared that business owners are able to gain further energy savings through the digitalisation of energy as it will empower them to turn their building energy data into smart energy savings.

Not only has solar been identified as a solution for business leaders to enjoy savings on their electricity bills, but they are able to get an annual return of 20%* while fulfilling a greater commitment to the environment by lowering their carbon footprint.

Find the coverage below:

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 17 -- The pandemic has indeed placed limitations on how renewable energy (RE) players conduct business and it is now considered as the biggest challenge faced by the sector.

However for Ko Chuan [Zhen], co-founder and chief executive officer of solar photovoltaic (PV) solutions provider Plus Solar Systems Sdn Bhd, there are opportunities and RE players have been trying to change the mindset of Malaysians as well as the business community in seeing the potential in RE.

“We have succeeded on many platforms with clients such as [AJIYA] Bhd and Mah Sing Plastics Industries Sdn Bhd, the established names who have adopted RE and have enjoyed savings of up to 25 per cent,” he told Bernama.

He said while the pandemic has indeed proven challenging, with the earliest potential recovery only in the second half of 2021, Plus Solar is confident of the prospects in 2021 as well as to contribute towards the newly revised RE target of 31 per cent in 2025 and 40 per cent in 2035.

“The net energy metering (NEM) 3.0 programme provides an opportunity for more users to [install] the solar PV systems on the roof of their respective buildings or homes for electricity bill reduction.

“Through the programme, end-users in the industrial and commercial sectors have seen significant savings, and this will continue to drive up the trend for clean energy,” he said, adding that energy consumption has been identified as one of the top operational expenditures for business owners along with raw material, labour and rent, when they invest.

NEM 3.0 which covers both NEM Rakyat (domestic households), NEM GoMEn (government buildings) and NOVA (for commercial and industrial buildings), to be in effective from 2021-2023, with the total allocation of up to 500MW (megawatts).

Ko said that with the attractive Green Investment Tax Allowance (GITA) by the Malaysian Investment Development Authority and NEM 3.0 in place till 2023, people will begin to realise that solar energy is no longer a luxury but an affordable essential.

“Digitalisation of energy will also be our concentration with Plus Solar’s AIoT (artificial intelligence Internet of things) energy performance management system called SOURCE which empowers business owners to turn their building energy data into smart energy savings.

“We rolled out this system last year as we saw how much it would resolve the concerns of business owners where they can gain up to 25 per cent energy savings,” he added.

Ko said Plus Solar would continue to expand its businesses overseas such as in Vietnam following the government support for solar energy.

-- BERNAMA

Coverage in Malay:

Plus Solar lihat peluang ubah pemikiran terhadap tenaga boleh diperbaharui

KUALA LUMPUR, 17 Feb -- Pandemik telah menyebabkan kekangan terhadap penggiat tenaga boleh diperbaharui (RE) menjalankan perniagaan dan kini dianggap sebagai cabaran terbesar yang dihadapi oleh sektor tersebut.

Bagaimanapun, Pengasas Bersama dan Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif penyedia penyelesaian solar fotovoltaik (PV) Plus Solar Systems Sdn Bhd, Ko Chuan [Zhen] berpendapat wujud peluang dalam tempoh sukar ini dan penggiat RE telah berusaha mengubah pemikiran rakyat Malaysia serta komuniti perniagaan dalam melihat potensi dalam RE.

"Kami telah berjaya di banyak platform dengan pelanggan seperti [AJIYA] Bhd dan Mah Sing Plastics Industries Sdn Bhd, antara syarikat terkemuka yang menggunakan RE dan menikmati penjimatan hingga 25 peratus," katanya kepada Bernama.

Walaupun pandemik COVID-19 memberi cabaran kepada semua dengan fasa pemulihan hanya akan berlaku pada separuh kedua tahun 2021, Plus Solar yakin akan prospek pada tahun 2021 serta dapat menyumbang kepada sasaran RE yang disemak semula iaitu 31 peratus pada tahun 2025 dan 40 peratus pada tahun 2035.

“Skim Pemeteran Tenaga Bersih (NEM) 3.0 menyediakan peluang bagi lebih banyak pengguna untuk memasang sistem PV solar di bumbung bangunan atau rumah masing-masing untuk pengurangan bil elektrik.

"Melalui program ini, pengguna di sektor industri dan komersial telah melihat penjimatan yang besar dan ini akan terus meningkatkan trend untuk tenaga bersih, penggunaan tenaga telah dikenal pasti sebagai antara perbelanjaan operasi yang utama untuk pemilik perniagaan bersama dengan bahan mentah, tenaga kerja dan penyewaan apabila mereka melakukan pelaburan,” katanya.

NEM 3.0 yang merangkumi NEM Rakyat (isi rumah), NEM GoMEn (bangunan kerajaan) dan NOVA (untuk bangunan komersial dan perindustrian), akan berkuat kuasa mulai tahun 2021 hingga 2023 dengan jumlah diperuntukkan sebanyak 500MW (megawatt).

Ko berkata dengan Elaun Cukai Pelaburan Hijau (GITA) yang menarik oleh Lembaga Pembangunan Pelaburan Malaysia (MIDA) dan NEM 3.0 yang akan berlangsung sehingga 2023, orang ramai akan mula menyedari bahawa tenaga suria bukan lagi sesuatu yang dianggap mewah tetapi ia adalah penting dan mampu dimiliki.

"Digitalisasi tenaga juga akan menjadi tumpuan kami dengan sistem pengurusan prestasi tenaga AIoT (kecerdasan buatan Internet) Plus Solar yang dikenali sebagai ‘SOURCE’, ia memberi keuntungan kepada pemilik perniagaan untuk mengubah data tenaga bangunan mereka menjadi penjimatan tenaga pintar.

"Kami melancarkan sistem ini tahun lepas kerana syarikat telah melihat sejauh mana ia dapat menyelesaikan masalah pemilik perniagaan, mereka dapat penjimatan tenaga sehingga 25 peratus," katanya.

Ko berkata Plus Solar akan terus mengembangkan perniagaannya ke luar negara seperti di Vietnam berikutan sokongan kerajaan untuk tenaga solar.

-- BERNAMA

Original Source:

Bernama

Bernama Malay

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Print Sources - 19 - 02-2021

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