Solar radiation from the sun is an important source of life since it contains basic energy in the form of light and heat. Solar energy is not only limited to plants to carry out the photosynthesis process, it can also generate electricity.
The resource is abundant, clean, free, replenishable naturally and environmentally friendly. It has advantages to overcome the drawbacks of conventional fossil fuel-based power plants that rely on finite resources. At the same time, thousands of jobs can be created in the solar energy industry, especially in Europe, China, Japan and the United States. The industry can offer positive returns to the country and community.
Recently, the prime minister announced an allocation of RM260.8 billion in the 2017 Budget for operating and development expenditure. Consistent with the 11th Malaysia Plan, the budget aims to elevate bottom 40 per cent households to middle-class status, with RM275 million allocated. Interestingly, RM45 million of the allocation is for a solar energy programme, the MySuria Programme.
This initiative is pioneered by a pilot programme, Sunlight at Koridor Utara, or SuriaKU, in Pauh, Perlis. It involves the Perlis government, Northern Corridor Implementation Authority, Gading Kencana Sdn Bhd, Energy Green Technology and Water Ministry and Sustainable Energy Development Authority.
The pilot programme was successful. It was rebranded as MySuria during the 2017 Budget as an initiative to improve the economic opportunities of the B40 group.
Through the initiative, solar panels will be installed in more than 1,600 housing units to generate electricity that will be sold to Tenaga Nasional Bhd, and each participant can earn up to RM600 in extra income monthly.
The initiative is similar to efforts in many Muslim countries that are implementing green technology through solar energy programmes in recent years.
In Jordan, there are plans to install photovoltaic solar systems in 6,000 mosques. In Morocco, a solar thermal power plant provides low-cost electricity to more than a million people.
While in Malaysia, we have proactive measures by the government to improve the livelihood of the lower-income group through the solar energy programme that allows participants to save power consumption and generate income by selling excess electricity. The programme is expected to have long-term benefits up to 21 years through the Renewable Energy Power Purchase Agreement under the feed-in-tariff mechanism. The targeted participants are the B40 group in northern Peninsular Malaysia.
From the Islamic perspective, the implementation of such energy programme is meant for the protection of the people’s wellbeing and the environment, which is in line with the concept of protection of self (hifdz al-nafs) as well as the protection of environment (hifdz al-bi’ah). Advancing these values partake in the higher objectives, or maqasid, of syariah that could also promote sustainability and balance in the economy and environment.
According to renowned Islamic jurisprudence scholar Mohammad Hashim Kamali, Islam advises
followers to practise moderation (wasatiyyah) in the use of resources, including energy and water.
Since humanity runs the progressive risk of energy shortage, any effort to generate renewable and safe energy from the sun is highly recommended in the Islamic viewpoint. These messages are conducive to the implementation of the solar energy programme in terms of the nation’s wellbeing and the balance between socioeconomic development and protecting the environment.
Malaysia is expected to implement Net Energy Metering by next year, which allows self-consumption of electricity generated by solar photovoltaic systems, while selling excess energy to utility companies. Based on the writer’s experience in solar energy research, a major challenge in setting up a solar power system is its high cost.
Therefore, to make solar energy more accessible, the initiative should not be limited to the northern peninsula and should be introduced nationwide. Given the positive development of the renewable energy sector, it is hoped that next year’s budget will see an increase in allocation to boost solar energy accessibility.
According to The New York Times, Malaysia is on the list of the biggest winners in the solar energy sector by becoming the third largest producer of solar modules in the world, next to the European Union and China. The success is attributed to Malaysia’s generous tax breaks for investors, relatively low labour costs and abundance of English-speaking engineering talent.
With the ability to supply a large amount of solar equipment and
the country’s readiness to invest, Malaysia should consider installing more solar power systems throughout the country.
This will surely make Malaysia a leader for other Muslim nations in solar energy programmes to improve the lives of the people.
Dr Shahino Mah Abdullah is a research fellow at the International Institute of Advanced Islamic Studies Malaysia