Hulu Gombak Orang Asli folk powers up with solar energy

SOLS Foundation team members installing a solar panel at one of the 11 participating households in Kampung Sungai Relang in Hulu Gombak, Selangor, — Handout

A TOTAL of 11 households in Kampung Sungai Relang, an Orang Asli community in Hulu Gombak, Selangor, have been fitted with new solar energy systems to resolve chronic power disruptions.

The villagers have been living without stable electricity after the previous micro-grid broke down, leaving them dependent on generators and low-capacity personal solar panels.

Completed in July this year by SOLS Foundation and Google, the deployment now provides more reliable energy access to 46 residents.

It formed part of a wider SOLS Foundation initiative that reached 41 households and 140 residents across Kampung Sungai Relang and Kampung Air Kuning,

Google Community and Workforce Development Asia Pacific manager Arina Dafir said responsible energy growth is a key aspect of the firm’s long-term digital infrastructure commitment to Malaysia.

“This includes investing in new clean energy generation and supporting off-grid households,” she said.

“Access to technology begins with access to electricity.

“To help more people in Selangor thrive in a digital age, we must first address their daily needs – restoring the power that lights up a child’s study space, keeps homes safe at night and serves as a foundation for future opportunities.

“By working alongside SOLS Foundation and local residents, we’re helping to bring reliable solar energy into their homes.

“Our goal is to directly improve the lives of families in the communities where we operate.”

SOLS Foundation Community Energy and Operations coordinator Fakhrul Azmi said reliable electricity means children can study after dark, households can reduce their de­­pendence on generators, and residents can spend more time on productive activities.

“The value goes beyond installing solar equipment.

“It gives the community a de­­pendable source of energy that can support their daily needs for years to come.”

Together, the deployments in both villages are estimated to generate RM177,120 in annual household savings and return 88,560 hours of productive time to residents each year, the foundation said in a statement.