ESTABLISHING A SUSTAINABLE SOLAR ENERGY COMMUNITY IN THE MALAYSIAN RURAL ENERGY LANDSCAPE: A CASE STUDY OF PERAK TENGAH, MALAYSIA

Authors

  • Nur Azfahani Ahmad Green Safe Cities (GreSafe) Research Group, College of Built Environment, UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA, PERAK BRANCH, MALAYSIA
  • Nur Huzeima Mohd Hussain Department of Built Environment Studies and Technology, College of Built Environment, UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA, PERAK BRANCH, MALAYSIA
  • Abd Talib Osman Gas District Cooling (M) Berhad, KLCC, KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA
  • Fiza Abdul Rahim Razak Faculty of Technology and Informatics, UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MALAYSIA, KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21837/pm.v22i31.1459

Keywords:

Photovoltaics, Rural Community, Solar Energy, Sustainable Electricity

Abstract

The extensive reliance on conventional electricity from fossil fuels has heightened dependence in Malaysian communities, but escalating costs, CO2 pollution risks, and the depletion of fossil fuel resources signal its unsustainability. This study investigates the potential of solar PVs to shift rural communities away from fossil fuel-dependent electricity, aiming to foster self-sufficiency. The objective is to enable Malaysian rural communities to benefit from solar technology through a communal-sharing concept. A purposive sampling case study in central Perak reveals that solar energy applications offer communities sustainable electricity access. This approach addresses underutilised roof spaces in Malaysian communities, creating a model for sustainable, resilient living with self-sufficient electricity. Results show successful implementation, with a public building supplying solar-generated electricity to two houses and acting as community storage with a power system of 2 kWp for 24 hours. Illuminance levels improved by 50% to 80%. Town planners and engineers' support is crucial for nationwide dissemination, aligning with the 11th and 12th Malaysia Plan goals for sustainable electricity provision. This effort contributes significantly to achieving national development objectives focusing on providing sustainable electricity for the people.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Abu Bakar, A., Mustapa, S. I., & Mohammad, N. (2021). Green City Initiatives: Human-Nature Interaction. Planning Malaysia, 19(15). https://doi.org/10.21837/pm.v19i15.921 DOI: https://doi.org/10.21837/pm.v19i15.921

Ahmad, N.A and Jamian, J.J (2021). The Installation of Solar Photovoltaics for Charity Homes in Rural Malaysia: A Community-Based Approach. International Journal of Smart Grid and Clean Energy, 10(4), October 2021, 278-285, DOI: 10.12720/sgce.10.4.278-285 DOI: https://doi.org/10.12720/sgce.10.4.278-285

Ahmad, N.A., Che Ahmad, A., Byrd, H. and Hussain, N.H. (2019). Self-Sufficient Electricity Lifestyle: The Feasibility Study. International Journal of Innovative Technology and Exploring Engineering (IJITEE), 8(5S), 277-281, ISSN: 2278-3075. DOI: https://doi.org/10.35940/ijitee.L1048.10812S219

Hassan, A. & Wall, G. (2017). The Ecovillage: Concept and Applications. 10.4018/978-1-5225-2107-5.ch004. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-5225-2107-5.ch004

Iberdrola. (2023). Collaborative Housing (Cohousing) - Cohousing, The Sustainable Model for Collaborative Housing, retrieved from https://www.iberdrola.com/social-commitment/cohousing

International Energy Agency (2023), Fossil Fuels Consumption Subsidies 2022 Report, retrieved from https://www.iea.org/reports/fossil-fuels-consumption-subsidies-2022

Joshi, G. and Yenneti, K. (2020). Community Solar Energy Initiatives in India: A Pathway for Addressing Energy Poverty And Sustainability? Energy and Buildings, 210, 109736, ISSN 0378-7788, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2019.109736 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2019.109736

Macaraig, C. E., & Fenton, A. J. (2021). Analyzing the Causes and Effects of the South China Sea Dispute: Natural Resources and Freedom of Navigation. The Journal of Territorial and Maritime Studies, 8(2), 42–58. https://www.jstor.org/stable/48617340

Malaysia (2021), Twelfth Malaysia Plan (12MP), retrieved from https://www.malaysia.gov.my/portal/content/31186

Ngah, I. (2006). Rural Sustainability: An Examination of the Practice of Sustainable Development Principles in a Rural Community in Malaysia. Planning Malaysia, 1(1). https://doi.org/10.21837/pm.v1i1.35 DOI: https://doi.org/10.21837/pmjournal.v1.i1.35

PLANMalaysia (2020), Safe City Programme, Official Portal of Town and Country Planning Department, Ministry of Local Government Development, Retrieved from https://www.planmalaysia.gov.my/index.php/pages/view/296

PVSyst (2023), Official Website at https://www.pvsyst.com/

SEDA (2023), https://www.seda.gov.my/reportal/fit/, retrieved on 24 Dec 2023.

TNB (2023). Press Statement on Tariff Adjustment (July-Dec 2023) for Peninsular Malaysia by NRECC, Retrieved from https://www.tnb.com.my/announcements/press-statement-on-tariff-adjustment-july-dec-2023-for-peninsular-malaysia

Downloads

Published

2024-05-31

How to Cite

Ahmad, N. A., Mohd Hussain, N. H., Osman, A. T., & Abdul Rahim, F. (2024). ESTABLISHING A SUSTAINABLE SOLAR ENERGY COMMUNITY IN THE MALAYSIAN RURAL ENERGY LANDSCAPE: A CASE STUDY OF PERAK TENGAH, MALAYSIA. PLANNING MALAYSIA, 22(31). https://doi.org/10.21837/pm.v22i31.1459

Issue

Vol. 22 (2024): PLANNING MALAYSIA JOURNAL : Volume 22, Issue 2, 2024

Section

Article

License

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 Unported License.

Copyright & Creative Commons Licence

eISSN: 0128-0945 © Year. The Authors. Published for Malaysia Institute of Planners. This is an open-access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license.

The authors hold the copyright without restrictions and also retain publishing rights without restrictions.

Most read articles by the same author(s)