MOSQUES URGED TO INSTALL SOLAR PANELS, SUPPORT COUNTRY'S ENERGY TRANSITION TARGETS

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 24 (Bernama) -- Mosques nationwide have been urged to apply for rooftop solar installations under the Solar Accelerated Transition Action Programme (ATAP), launched on Jan 1, to expand the use of Renewable Energy (RE), in line with the country's energy transition targets.

Deputy Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Mohamad said rooftop solar installations were suitable for mosques with high electricity bills, ranging from RM1,000 to RM1,500.

He said that although there was currently no subsidy provided for rooftop solar installations in mosques, the long-term savings made solar installation a wise choice for such premises.

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"The cost of solar installation starts from between RM60,000 and RM70,000, and the savings reach up to 80 per cent. If the bill is RM1,000, it means we only need to pay RM200 per month,” he said during the Special Chamber session in the Dewan Rakyat today.

He was replying to a question from Datuk Mumtaz Md Nawi (PN-Tumpat), who asked about the culture of renewable energy through mosques and schools.

According to Abdul Rahman, the ATAP is crucial to supporting the country's efforts to increase RE capacity to 35 per cent by 2030, and 70 per cent of electricity generation capacity from RE sources by 2050.

On the proposal to make it mandatory to integrate renewable energy sources into the construction of new mosques and schools, he said the matter was within the purview of the state government and the Education Ministry, but his ministry was ready to assist any party keen to install solar panels and energy storage systems in their institutions.

He said the ministry was also prepared to hold engagement sessions with the community, including the imam, village heads and women, to explain the country's energy transition targets by 2030 and 2050.

He added that the government has no plans to implement the solar installation programme specifically for the B40 group, as solar panel installations are usually for premises with bills exceeding RM300 per month.

"Normally, this solar panel is installed when the electricity bill exceeds RM300. It's not possible for those in the B40 group to have bills exceeding RM300 per month,” he said.

Meanwhile, Abdul Rahman said efforts to make renewable energy a national agenda are being implemented through a comprehensive approach that includes infrastructure development, educational interventions and behavioural change through the Malaysian Energy Literacy Programme (MELP).

He said the implementation of the MELP involves schools, institutions of higher learning and the general public, in collaboration with various stakeholders, including government agencies, educational institutions and industry partners.

-- BERNAMA