Govt to promote solar power use in public hospitals, says Fadillah

KUALA LUMPUR: The government is planning initiatives to encourage the installation and use of solar energy systems in public hospitals in collaboration with the private sector.

This is to support energy transition efforts at the organisational level based on a service-oriented approach, says Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.

He added that this move, part of the National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR), will involve discussions with the Health Ministry while taking existing financial allocations into consideration.

"What we plan is for (the ministry) to work with the private sector as a service provider handling the installation, but there will be profit-sharing in terms of energy savings besides benefits in carbon trading,” he told reporters after launching a solar power generation facility at a private hospital here on Monday (April 29).

The system, under IHH Healthcare Malaysia, will have a capacity of 420 kilowatts (KW).

Fadillah, who is also Energy Transition and Water Transformation Minister, said in his speech earlier that 88% of the 1,100 megawatt (MW) quota of the Net Energy Metering (NEM) Programme for solar panel installation on building rooftops has been successfully allocated to date.

This includes both commercial and industrial users, he added.

He said the current energy transition focus will be on efforts to harness the potential of renewable energy sources in the country such as solar, biomass, biogas and hydroelectric power.

"Among the renewable energy sources with potential, easy development at optimum cost, and utility-scale is solar resources on the rooftops of premises and buildings,” he said.

Fadillah also praised the efforts of IHH Healthcare Malaysia, which utilised rooftop spaces in all 17 hospitals under its group across Malaysia for solar panel installation.

"IHH Healthcare's initiative is a significant achievement towards Malaysia's commitment to sustainability and renewable energy, in line with the country's goal of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050,” he said.

According to a statement from IHH Healthcare, among the hospitals in its network that have generated solar energy to date are Penang Gleneagles, Pantai Laguna Merbok, Pantai Klang, Pantai Cheras, Pantai Kuala Lumpur, Pantai Ampang and Pantai Batu Pahat.

The full launch of solar energy across its entire network is expected to be completed by the end of next year, it added. – Bernama