KOTA KINABALU (ANN/THE STAR) – Malaysia is currently taking steps to improve power generation in rural homes in Sabah and Sarawak using solar energy, said the Deputy Prime Minister.
According to Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is also the Rural and Regional Minister, the approach involves the large-scale installation of solar panels on the rooftops of homes in rural areas, a project that has been underway in both states for more than a decade.
Despite the long duration of implementation, Dr Ahmad Zahid acknowledged that there have been challenges along the way, leading to the failure to meet certain specific targets.
Among the challenges, he said, was the solar panel battery maintenance and replacement work being given to a limited number of companies.
“Sabah and Sarawak are so vast so this is not practical and the efforts take a long time resulting in areas utilising solar energy ending up facing longer periods in darkness,” he said, after closing the Asia Pacific Cooperative Youth Summit at Kota Kinabalu on Sunday.
Hence, he said, a new system must be created to overcome the issues that have arisen including to replace the solar panel batteries using new technology that would extend its lifespan.
“This technology will be the game changer in the supply of electricity in rural areas,” Ahmad Zahid said
The maintenance system would also be replaced, he said, by allowing several more companies to do the work.
