ORIGINAL PAPER

Social acceptance of solar energy in Malaysia: users perspective

K. H. Solangi R. Saidur M. R. Luhur

M. M. Aman A. Badarudin S. N. Kazi

T. N. W. Lwin N. A. Rahim M. R. Islam

Received: 3 July 2014 / Accepted: 9 February 2015

Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2015

Abstract The increase in energy demand has caused

considerable attention to be directed toward sustainable

energy resources. The importance of electricity generation

through solar energy has been intensively highlighted

globally, but Malaysia has yet to exert efforts to develop

this energy resource. This study explores the social ac-

ceptance and level of human interest in solar energy. In

addition, this work identifies the difficulties in the con-

sumption of solar energy and the expectations for solar

energy development in Malaysia. Survey results show that

80 % of the respondents are highly interested in solar en-

ergy. However, the majority of the respondents have

reported that some hindrances, such as expensive solar

panels and lack of correct information about solar energy

utilization, make fuel-generated electricity a preferable

choice. Meanwhile, almost 80 % of the respondents be-

lieve that government incentives could best enhance solar

energy usage nationwide. To implement new solar energy

policies successfully in Malaysia, the government should

support the establishment of solar power plants, as well as

provide complete information and funding for independent

research. Furthermore, more than 70 % of respondents

perceive the government to be the main organization that

should lead the development of this energy sector. There-

fore, this research provides some useful references for

policy makers to continue promoting the use of solar en-

ergy in Malaysia.

Keywords Solar energy Sustainable energy Generation Electricity Promotion Policy

Introduction

Balancing supply and demand relative to energy con-

sumption has become a global issue. Energy is essential for

economic and social development, as well as for improving

the quality of life of human beings. Concerns about the

increase in oil prices and the depletion of fossil fuel re-

sources have recently arisen. Consequently, renewable

energy (RE) sources have gained attention as alternatives

to fossil fuels (Ashnani et al. 2014; Moosavian et al. 2013;

Yee et al. 2009). Most studies have emphasized the ap-

plication of two renewable resources, namely, solar energy

and wind (Majeed et al. 2010). Among various sustainable

sources used for solar energy technologies, photovoltaic

(PV) technology appears to be relatively attractive for

Electronic supplementary material The online version of thisarticle (doi:10.1007/s10098-015-0920-2) contains supplementarymaterial, which is available to authorized users.

K. H. Solangi (&) R. Saidur A. Badarudin S. N. Kazi M. R. IslamDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering,

University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

e-mail: solangi@quest.edu.pk

M. R. Luhur

Quaid e Awam University of Engineering Science and

Technology, Nawabshah, Sindh, Pakistan

M. M. Aman

Department of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering,

University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

T. N. W. Lwin

Faculty of Economics and Administration, University of Malaya,

50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

N. A. Rahim

UM Power Energy Dedicated Advanced Centre (UMPEDAC),

Level 4, Wisma R&D, University of Malaya,

59990 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

123

Clean Techn Environ Policy

DOI 10.1007/s10098-015-0920-2

electricity generation for its characteristics of noiseless-

ness, non-carbon dioxide emission during operation, scale

flexibility, and simple operation and maintenance (Dincer

2011). The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates

that solar power could provide as much as 11 % of global

electricity production in 2050 (Katinas et al. 2013;

Moosavian et al. 2013).

In 2011, the total PV installed capacity in the world

increased to 68 GW and exceeded 100 GW in 2012 (Zhi

et al. 2014). Among the energy sources, solar energy is

being considered to satisfy energy demand in Malaysia and

the whole world (Gomesh et al. 2013). Malaysia is one of

the developing countries with a GDP of $15,400 per capita,

and its purchasing power parity (PPP basis) based on

steady GDP growth rate was 4.6 in 2009 (IMF 2011;

Fokaides et al. 2014). Parallel to the growth rate, energy

consumption has grown by approximately 5.6 % between

2000 and 2005 (Balo 2011). The energy consumption of

the industrial sector has grown at a rate of 4.3 %, and this

sector used 48 % of the total energy consumed in 2007

(BoroumandJazi et al. 2012; Shafie et al. 2011). Solar en-

ergy remains more than other RE sources mainly because

of its plug and play features, which differs from other

resources that require mechanical support, such as motors

or generators (hydro, wind, and wave), or chemical support

(bio fuels) that are mostly circumstance oriented (Shafie

et al. 2011). In addition, solar energy has huge potential in

Malaysia because of the strategic geographical location of

the country.

The public acceptance of solar energy and the level of

willingness to pay for green electricity among the respon-

dents will be investigated to understand the preliminary

acceptance level of a new RE technology in Malaysia.

With considerations of the global critical energy situation

and the future energy scenario in Malaysia, this study re-

views existing solar energy utilization systems in Malaysia

and investigates public perspectives on the understanding

and acceptance of solar energy among consumers. Survey

results showed that only 26 % respondents were familiar

with and 42 % were somewhat familiar with RE, whereas

almost 30 % are ignorant of RE. Public awareness of RE

remains weak even among potential users of solar energy

furthermore, survey results cover solar energy importance,

awareness, and correct information regarding solar energy

appliances used in Malaysia. The above coordination has

not been considered so the present work has attempted to

compile public awareness and policy making activities. In

sum, this study bridges the gap between policymakers,

investors, and the public regarding the understanding of the

solar energy market.

The issues of solar energy enhancement and RE use in

Malaysia have been comprehensively studied by many

scholars in the energy sector (Cucchiella et al. 2014;

Mekhilef et al. 2014). However, this study is considered

significant for the following reasons: First, this study

briefly reviewed the published literature and government

policy on the use of solar energy to boost its utilization in

Malaysia. Second, this work examines the public per-

spectives on solar energy, including interest in this issue,

hindrances for potential buyers, and public opinions on

how the government should enhance solar energy devel-

opment in Malaysia. Third, this research could help the

government, private organizations, policy makers, or future

investors in the solar energy sector by presenting the per-

ceptions of the general public when determining ways to

boost solar energy utilization in Malaysia.

Review on solar energy situation in Malaysia

Malaysias tropical climate, which has abundant sunshine

averaging 1643 kWh/m2 in annual irradiance, favors solar

energy development. Tables 1 and 2 compare the monthly

mean G (global solar irradiation on horizontal surface with

atmosphere) G0 (extraterrestrial solar irradiation on

horizontal surface without atmosphere), in MJ/m2/day, for

all regions (Kuala Terengganu, Bayan Lepas, KLIA, Sepang,

Muadzam Shah, Senai, Ipoh, Kuantan, Pulau Langkawi,

Subang) for the years 20072009. The monthly mean global

solar irradiation between 2007 and 2009 clearly was the

highest for Kuala Terengganu. However, the Kota Bharu and

Subang stations had higher readings in March. Table 1

shows that the solar irradiation data, especially those of the

northern and north-eastern regions of the Peninsular

Malaysia state of Terengganu, show high solar irradiations

that are higher than those of other states. The regions are also

near the beach. Hence, Terengganu has high development

potential for solar energy applications (especially solar

power plants). Table 3 shows the monthly and yearly aver-

age sunshine duration at the given stations in Malaysia. The

datasets for this study were obtained from the archives of the

Malaysia Meteorological Department stations (University of

Malaya KL, BOP Research Station, PPP Tun Razak, GRC

Tanah Merah and Kuala Terengganu) in 2009. The highest

monthly average sunshine was at GRC Tanah Merah in May

at 7.5 sunshine hours. The yearly average calculated to be the

highest was also at GRC Tanah Merah at 5.93 sunshine

hours. The maximum solar radiation was approximately

6.027 kWh/m2 per day in Sabah and 5.303 kWh/m2 per day

in Sarawak, which indicate that the potential for applying

solar energy for electrification is extremely high (Borhana-

zad et al. 2013). Approximately 10,000 household warm

water systems in Malaysia are running through by solar en-

ergy (Kettha 2008). The climate is suitable for the use of

solar energy because the country enjoys several sunny days

in the year (Azhari et al. 2008). Current solar energy

K. H. Solangi et al.

123

consumption in Malaysia reaches 1 MW and can potentially

achieve 6500 MW (Ashnani et al. 2014).

Malaysia needs more energy sources to meet the de-

mand for energy because of the growing economy. The

country owns the second largest oil reservoir in the Asia

Pacific region with total reserves of 5.6 billion barrels

(Streimikien _e and Balezentis 2014). However, Malaysia

has come to understand that these oil resources may not

meet energy demands (Ashnani et al. 2014). With the

production level of 2005, the country can rely on its oil

reserve for only 15 years, whereas gas reserves are ex-

pected to be reliable for 29 years. Based on the 2013

analyses of Asia-Pacific Energy Research Center, the de-

mand in the residential and commercial sectors will exhibit

Table 1 Monthly mean globalsolar radiation and

extraterrestrial solar radiation

for meteorological stations in

MJ/m2/day

No. Month Bayan Lepas KLIA Sepang Muadzam Shah Senai Ipoh

G G0 G G0 G G0 G G0 G G0

1 January 19.28 32.51 14.91 33.53 13.33 33.40 16.37 33.95 18.93 32.80

2 February 20.23 34.43 13.44 35.11 14.91 35.03 16.19 35.39 19.85 34.63

3 March 19.14 37.35 16.65 37.58 15.41 37.55 18.45 37.65 19.61 37.42

4 April 17.85 36.59 17.83 36.28 18.43 36.32 17.75 36.12 17.72 36.51

5 May 20.23 37.65 19.63 36.89 18.03 36.99 20.38 36.55 19.89 37.45

6 June 18.90 35.51 16.48 34.59 16.25 34.71 17.52 34.18 18.14 35.25

7 July 20.36 37.96 19.94 37.08 19.33 37.19 19.74 36.68 18.98 37.72

8 August 18.83 38.00 16.98 37.49 18.36 37.55 17.78 37.25 17.94 37.86

9 September 11.65 36.38 14.88 36.39 16.60 36.39 14.27 36.38 11.98 36.39

10 October 13.53 36.31 13.06 36.87 13.42 36.80 14.51 37.09 14.76 36.48

11 November 18.73 34.63 15.69 35.61 12.18 35.49 17.61 36.01 18.04 34.92

12 December 17.07 33.40 18.70 34.56 15.40 34.42 18.55 35.04 16.80 33.74

Table 2 Monthly mean globalsolar radiation (G) and

extraterrestrial solar radiation

(Go) for meteorological stations

in MJ/m2/day

No. Month Kuantan Pulau Langkawi Subang Kota Bharu Kuala Terengganu

G G0 G G0 G G0 G G0 G G0

1 January 13.62 33.12 18.59 32.08 15.27 33.38 15.39 32.15 18.51 32.56

2 February 13.72 34.84 19.46 34.14 15.29 35.01 20.06 34.18 21.61 34.46

3 March 14.97 37.49 20.08 37.24 19.10 37.55 20.38 37.25 22.42 37.36

4 April 15.99 36.41 17.59 36.69 17.69 36.33 21.81 36.67 23.63 36.57

5 May 18.73 37.21 19.56 37.94 21.63 37.01 19.51 37.90 19.60 37.61

6 June 17.89 34.97 17.39 35.86 17.93 34.73 19.46 35.81 18.34 35.46

7 July 20.55 37.45 17.61 38.30 20.31 37.21 18.42 38.25 19.20 37.91

8 August 17.64 37.70 17.06 38.18 18.43 37.57 20.63 38.15 20.11 37.97

9 September 16.13 36.39 12.32 36.35 15.94 36.39 19.59 36.35 20.14 36.37

10 October 14.52 36.65 16.00 36.07 15.70 36.79 17.65 36.10 17.19 36.33

11 November 11.67 35.22 17.34 34.22 19.11 35.47 13.96 34.28 16.16 34.68

12 December 16.09 34.10 16.53 32.92 20.14 34.39 13.87 33.00 12.95 33.46

Table 3 Monthly and yearly average sunshine duration hours of stations for 2009

Stations Lat Long Ht above

M.S.L (m)

Yearly

avg

Monthly average sunshine duration hours

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Universiti Malaya, KL 3070N 101390E 104.0 5.6 5.1 6.3 5.5 6.8 7.2 6.2 5.9 6.2 5.2 5.2 3.4 4.2BOP Research Station 2490 N 101300 N - 4.3 2.9 4.4 4.6 6.2 6.3 4.9 4.6 5.2 3.0 4.6 2.9 3.0PPP Tun Razak 03500N 102340E 76.3 5.9 5.6 7.1 5.8 6.7 6.8 7.0 5.5 6.5 5.4 6.4 3.6 4.5GRC Tanah Merah 2390N 101470E 5.4 5.9 5.8 6.0 5.5 6.2 7.5 6.9 6.0 6.6 5.3 6.0 4.1 5.3Kuala Terengganu 5200N 103080E 35.1 5.2 4.3 7.3 5.8 5.3 5.4 6.9 5.2 5.6 5.1 4.9 3.2 4.4

Social acceptance of solar energy in Malaysia

123

the fastest growth from 2010 to 2035 at 1023 Mtoe or 64 %

(Brau et al. 2013). Crude oil and natural gas are the major

energy sources. Approximately 47 % of total energy sup-

ply came from crude oil in 2001. However, this supply

decreased substantially to 31 % of the total energy supply

within 10 years (Gutierrez-Arriaga et al. 2013). Natural gas

gradually replaced crude oil as the leading energy source,

accounting for 45 % of the total energy supply in 2011

compared with 40 % in 2001 (Lim and Lam 2014). The

energy supply of coal and coke increased from 6 to 19 % of

the total commercial energy supply over 10 years from

2001. This circumstance is akin to turning the clock back

because a large body of evidence has shown that coal

burning negatively affects the environment (Singh and

Parida 2013).

Solar technology is a new technology and developing at

a linear rate. Solar technology has been popularized since

the application of this alternative energy source on a pocket

calculator (Solangi et al. 2011). Solar panels are being used

along the northsouth highways, telecommunication tow-

ers, and even for street lighting (Chua and Oh 2012). The

massive advertisement and popularity of solar technology

have prompted the public to rely on solar technology

(Bamufleh et al. 2013). Solar energy is expected to become

a crucial energy source that will sustainably meet national

electricity demand (Rahman Mohamed and Lee 2006).

This case will be especially apparent in several remote

islands and hilly areas without grid connection access.

Thus, solar energy integration into the existing energy

system in remote island communities and rural areas is of

significant interest to researchers (Hossain et al. 2014). The

solar energy can be use at industry level for example; solar

thermal energy Hot water usage for bathing and washing,

Pre-heated water up to 80 to Boilers, Pasteurization,condensation and cleaning in Milk Dairies, Drying and

tanning in leather process industries, Degreasing and

phosphating in metal finishing industry, Resin Emulsifica-

tion in Polymer Industry, Drying in food, wood, livestock

and pharmaceutical industry, and Swimming pool water

heating etc. (Basri et al. 2015). In terms of the sectoral

breakdown, the food and tobacco sector has almost half of

the potential, with the balance well spread among other

sectors. This is particularly important for developing and

least developed countries, where the development and

modernization of the food industry has a critical role to

play in terms of food security (Cucchiella et al. 2014).

Solar thermal systems can help developing countries to

stabilize food prices by reducing their connection to the

volatile prices of oil and other energy commodities

(UNIDO 2014). An analysis of several sources suggests the

current generation and investment costs for technologies

need substantial cost reductions to become competitive. In

some specific markets, taxes on fossil fuels or subsidies for

RE make solar thermal competitive already today even in

areas of low solar radiation (Katinas et al. 2013). Although

solar cooling is still in an early demonstration stage, in

countries with stable solar radiation and unstable, expen-

sive electricity, solar cooling may become a viable alter-

native to electric chillers in the next 10 years.

Electricity demand in Malaysia is expected to reach

18,947 MW by 2020 and 23,092 MW in 2030, with the

latter being a 35 % increase from 14,007 MW in 2008

(Shafie et al. 2011). The tenth Malaysia Plan sets the target

of 985 MW by 2015 for grid-connected generation pro-

duced by RE sources (i.e., 5.5 % of total electricity gen-

eration in the country). This energy volume is supposed to

be generated from biomass (330 MW), biogas (100 MW),

mini-hydro (290 MW), solar PV (65 MW), and solid waste

(200 MW) sources. The Malaysian state adopted the feed-

in-tariff (FiT) program in December 2011 for the power

obtained from renewable sources. FiT is financed by way

of a levy charged on electricity subscribers in the economy

(Ashnani et al. 2014). The state also founded a special

agency called the Sustainable Energy Development

Authority as a subsidiary of the Ministry of Energy, Green

Technology, and Water to handle the FiT fund, as well as

to foster and motivate developments in the field of RE. The

government expects that an operational capacity of 3 GQ

may be obtained from new RE by 2020. Thus, one-third of

the energy will be generated from solar PV. Moreover,

biomass will constitute another one-third of the energy.

Malaysias current RE electricity capacity is 50 MW,

which is expected to reach approximately 2000 MW by

2020 (Muhammad-Sukki et al. 2011).

Malaysias Vision 2020 aims for a fully industrialized

Malaysia by 2020. This objective highlights the energy

usage of the country (Oh et al. 2010). Current plans for

addressing environmental issues include preparing of a

national greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory (committed to

Articles 4 and 12 of UNFCCC), signing of the Kyoto

Protocol, and reviewing and assessing updates on vul-

nerability the of animal habitats caused by climate change

(which will gauge the adaptation needs and prepare the

initial National Communication for the COP) (Saidur et al.

2011). Meanwhile, the energy sustainability issue has been

addressed through the implementation of a few measures

(Saidur et al. 2009). The eighth Malaysia Plan specified a

new five-fuel strategy, with RE being targeted as the fifth

fuel with a 5 % (600 MW) contribution to the 2005 elec-

tricity mix (Muhammad-Sukki et al. 2011). The nineth

Malaysia Plan (20062010) also targeted a 5 % contribu-

tion (Islam et al. 2011). However, the announcement for

the five-fuel policy resulted in only 1 % RE contribution

after a decade (Oh et al. 2010). The Malaysian energy

policy encompasses only supply, usage, and environmental

objectives, with no particular solar energy policy being in

K. H. Solangi et al.

123

place (Mariyappan 2000b). Post-2020, solar energy is

predicted to surpass all other REs (Fig. 1) in Malaysia in

terms of cumulative installed capacity (Chen et al. 2007).

By 2050, solar PV alone is expected to contribute more

than a third of the annual total electricity generation.

As an initiative effort of the government, RE was an-

nounced as the fifth fuel in the energy supply mix (Rahim

2011). In addition, RE has been targeted to be a significant

contributor to the total electricity supply in the eighth

Malaysia Plan (Masa et al. 2013). RE has exemplified an

energy policy with emphasis on intensifying energy effi-

ciency to meet 5 % of the countrys energy mix in line with

the sustainable development agenda, as discussed in the

nineth Malaysian Plan (20062010) (Gude et al. 2012).The

Malaysian Building Integrated PV (BIPV) project intro-

duced the following three major incentives in 2010:

(i) SURIA 1000 and SURIA for developers; (ii) demon-

stration, and (iii) showcase. Each of these incentives were

tied up with varying amounts of investment to incentivize

the installation of BIPV technology and to accelerate the

program (Muhammad-Sukki et al. 2012). As of May 2011,

approximately 1652 kWp of solar PV capacity has been

successfully installed and commissioned in four types of

buildings, namely, residential, commercial, industrial, and

school (Gadenne et al. 2011). This five-year project has

also managed to decrease the cost of PV significantly from

MYR31410 per kWp in December 2005 to MYR19120 per

kWp in March 2010, a reduction of approximately 40 % of

the cost (Mansor 2008). Further reduction to MYR15000

per kWp is expected (Muhammad-Sukki et al. 2012).

The RE Policy and Action Plan was cited in the tenth

Malaysia Plan (20112015) to achieve the RE target of

985 MW by 2015, as shown in Fig. 2. This target can be

achieved through the FiT program, which could contribute

5.5 % to Malaysias electricity generation mix (Chua et al.

2011). Counting from 2011, the FIT fixed rate for solar PV

is 1.251.75 RM/kWh, with annual degression of 6 % and

a displaced cost of 0.35 RM/kWh. These values are shown

in Table 4.

To achieve these targets, the efforts of the FiT program

should consider entitling RE-source electricity at a fixed

premium price (1.251.75 RM/kWh with annual degres-

sion of 6 %) for a specific duration (Ahmed et al. 2013).

This condition will provide a conducive and secure in-

vestment environment through financial loads and will

promote the function of research and development (R&D)

through research institutions and universities (Poh and

Kong 2002).

The government subsidizes approximately 60 % of

current generated electricity energy prices. Malaysia is not

adequately efficient to enhance solar energy use. The major

obstacles identified are as follows: (1) high subsidies for

fossil fuels in contrast to the low incentives for RE-based

projects (UNDP 2007); (2) high capital expenditure with

long payback period and low tariff, causing financial in-

stitutions and investors to shy away from RE projects (Ali

et al. 2008); and (3) long negotiations involved in RE

Power Purchase Agreement, which has stringent conditions

(Khor and Lalchand 2014). For example, no customer drive

incentive is made available, unlike in the United States,

where net metering is allowed for citizens who install the

device (Saidur et al. 2010). Subsidies by the government

are insufficient for PV manufacturing and the material cost

(Lau et al. 2009). For instance, 100 % subsidies in pro-

duction cost are provided by Canadian government,

whereas a 50 % tax credit on material costs is provided for

main residences in France (Solangi et al. 2011).

Methodology

This study is designed as an exploratory investigation be-

cause limited knowledge is available regarding the social

acceptance of solar energy in Malaysia. Additional knowl-

edge regarding this issue may effectively boost solar energy

usage. This purpose of this study is three-fold. First, this

work explores public attitude toward the utilization of solar

energy. Second, this study investigates public responses

regarding the difficulties in consuming solar energy. Third,

this research analyzes public perspectives on enhancing

solar energy development in Malaysia. This study employs

both primary and secondary data in the investigation. By

implementing a survey method, the responses from the

ground were considered as the primary data. Information

was collected by distributing the survey questionnaires to

residents of Kuala Lumpur and in surrounding universities,

colleges, schools, offices, shopping malls, factories, and

commercial business. However, in this context it may kindly

be noted that about 37.5 % respondents were from ruralFig. 1 Cumulative installed capacity of RE (Chua and Oh 2012)

Social acceptance of solar energy in Malaysia

123

areas but working in Kuala Lumpur. The survey was con-

ducted between December 2011 and January 2012. Level of

understanding of solar energy was not considered in the

distribution of questionnaires to the respondents. The lan-

guage used in the questionnaires was simple and under-

standable, with only a few technical terms because the

respondents might be from different backgrounds, with

varying levels of exposure to this field. However, respon-

dents with a basic understanding of RE were preferred.

In the sample design of the survey, two criteria were

considered for participation in the exercise. The first re-

quirement was that the respondents must be citizens of

Malaysia. The second requirement was that the participants

must be at least 18 years old. At the time of conducting the

survey some general questions were asked from the re-

spondents such as: Interest in environmental issues, Infor-

mation about global warming, Familiar with RE

technologies, which RE is best for Malaysia, Interest in

solar energy etc. Therefore, the respondents replied to the

above questions with relevant information were only se-

lected for the questionnaire survey. In terms of population

design, the respondents from Kuala Lumpur are from all

regions of the country and stayed in this city for various

reasons, such as education, employment, or business. The

Fig. 2 Renewable energytargets in the tenth Malaysia

Plan (Malaysia plan 2010)

Table 4 Proposed Malaysian FiT rates (starting from 2011) (Chua et al. 2011)

RE technologies/resources FiT duration

(years)

Range of FiT rates

(RM/kW h) minmaxaAnnual

degression (%)aDisplaced electricity

cost (RM/kWh)b

Biomass (palm oil, agro-based) 16 0.240.35 0.5 0.2214

Biogas (palm oil, agro-based, farming) 16 0.280.35 0.5 0.2214

Mini-hydro 21 0.230.24 0 0.2214

Solar PV 21 1.251.75 6 0.3504

Solid waste and sewage 21 0.300.46 1.8 0.2214

Wind 21 0.230.35 1.5 0.2214

Ocean, geothermal 21 0.280.46 1 0.2214

a Subject to final confirmation upon RE law enactmentb Subject to tariff increment

K. H. Solangi et al.

123

survey was conducted through convenience sampling of

participants from Kuala Lumpur. The respondents were

generally not a representative (sample) group for the whole

nation. In this research, some questions in the questionnaire

were compared with relevant literature.

As our new contribution in our study purposely aims to

explore the perspectives and acceptance of the participants

on solar energy without discriminating their religious and

ethnic background, the survey scope was limited to ur-

banized participants living in Kuala Lumpur.

Results and discussions

The development of the energy sector by the government

has been surveyed on the basis of this background. The

general characteristics of the respondents, public attitudes

toward the interest in solar energy utilization, public views

on the difficulties in consuming solar energy, and public

expectation on enhancing solar energy utilization in

Malaysia are analyzed and discussed in this section.

This survey was conducted between December 2011 and

January 2012 using the data collection method from the

convenience sampling of people in Kuala Lumpur. A total

of 600 questionnaires were distributed and 400 responses

were received. In this context, the respondents were se-

lected on the basis of their familiarity with the current

energy production, energy consumption, new financial

schemes, subsidy on fossil fuels, and new energy projects

introduced by the government in its tenth Malaysia plan.

Regardless of ethnicity, income level, education level,

residential areas, and gender, the respondents of this survey

were at least 18 years old. Survey was conducted by per-

sonal interaction with the respondents and relevant con-

sistency maintained. The collected data were analyzed

using SPSS 16.

General characteristics of the respondents

The general characteristics of the respondents are as fol-

lows: male respondents comprised 49 %, whereas 51 %

were female. In terms of religion, 85 % of the respondents

were Muslim, whereas the rest had other religions. In terms

of age, 35 % were between 18 and 30, 55 % were aged

between 31 and 45, and the rest were between 45 and

55 years old. Table 5 shows the demographics of the total

respondents.

Public attitudes toward their interest in utilization

of solar energy

The conducted survey aimed to explore the public attitudes

toward solar energy utilization. Table 6 shows the levels of

public interest in solar energy. The table reveals that almost

80 % of the respondents are overwhelmingly interested,

whereas only less than 5.8 % are not interested. Therefore,

a high potential for solar energy usage is observed, which

reflects the sufficiently high level of public interest in solar

energy issues.

According to the Malaysian government energy policy,

approximately 60 % of the current energy price is subsi-

dized by the government. With this background, the survey

was developed to examine public interest in buying solar

panels and in using solar-generated electricity for their

homes. Two questions were asked on this issue. First is

regarding the attitudes of the respondents toward the pos-

sibility of buying solar-generated electricity if it costs as

much as fossil fuel-generated electricity. Second is re-

garding the possibility of buying solar panels if 50 % of the

total cost is subsidized by the government.

Table 7 shows that almost 57 % of the respondents said

yes, indicating their interest in buying solar-generated

electricity if the cost is as much as the current price of

fossil fuel-generated electricity. Nearly 30 % of the re-

spondents were unsure, whereas the rest said no. These

responses imply the high possibility that the public will

purchase solar-generated electricity in Malaysia.

Table 5 Demographics of respondents (n = 400)

Characteristics of respondents Frequency Percentage

Gender

Male 196 49.00

Female 204 51.00

Education level

Finished high school or less 110 27.50

Finished diploma or college 160 40.00

Finished bachelor degree or graduated 130 32.50

Residential area

Urban 250 62.50

Rural 150 37.50

Occupation

Shopkeeper 160 40.00

Office staff 110 27.50

University students 75 18.75

Workers 55 13.75

Table 6 Level of interest in solar energy

Level of public interest in solar energy Frequency Percentage

Agree 318 79.50

Disagree 23 5.80

No opinion 59 14.80

Total 400 100.00

Social acceptance of solar energy in Malaysia

123

The result of the second question shows that (see

Table 7) 57 % respondents are agreed to buy solar panels if

government subsidizes 50 % of the total cost of panels.

82 % of the respondents are highly interested in using solar

generated electricity if cost is as much as fossil fuel-gen-

erated electricity. Less than 15 % are unsure, whereas the

rest are uninterested. Therefore, a high tendency to achieve

the solar energy target of the government is observed if the

expenses of the potential consumers or the general public

are subsidized to half of the total cost of solar panels.

Public responses on their difficulties in consuming solar

energy

This study explores the difficulties faced by the general

public, as well as the underlying reasons for these

difficulties, which hinder potential consumers from using

solar energy. In addition, this work investigates the social

acceptance of solar energy in Malaysia. The survey re-

vealed several hindrances that have influenced consumer

considerations in purchasing and installing a solar panel

system. Figure 3 shows that the initial cost is the major

obstacle faced by consumers who use solar energy appli-

ances at home. Four options were given for that question to

the respondents. This aspect is considered as the most

important by 53 % of the respondents. Moreover, 50 % of

the respondents claimed to lack correct information as a

basis to decide, choose, and install solar energy for the

home. The respondents were unwilling to install solar en-

ergy technology until more information on solar energy

system/appliances is available. Such information includes

how these appliances work, how the electricity bill is re-

duced, how low the cost is, and what the experiences of

other users are. Furthermore, 43 % claim that obtaining the

best possible price for solar energy is a major problem.

Other consumer barriers include the need for more infor-

mation, demand for additional or professional assistance,

lack of time, lack of knowledge and trust in the solar

system provider, concern over product performance, poor

brand image, and lack of information on environmental and

social performances of both product and manufacturer.

This result proves that Malaysia has a huge solar energy

market if the initial cost of installation is overcome, as well

as if the public receives correct information on the pur-

chase of solar energy appliances and on installation pro-

cess. Thus, accomplishing these suggestions will likely

help boost Malaysias solar energy usage to achieve the

Table 7 Interest in buying solar panels and solar-generated elec-tricity for the home (n = 400)

Level of public interest Yes No Unsure

Freq % Freq % Freq %

Possibility of buying

solar panels if 50 % of

the total cost is

subsidized by the

government

229 57.25 53 13.25 118 29.50

Possibility of using

solar-generated

electricity if the cost is

as much as fossil fuel-

generated electricity

328 82.00 13 3.25 59 14.75

0

50

100

150

200

250

Inial cost Correct info Obtaining best

possible price

Good ROI Tech Obsolate

Most Important

Important

Least important

No response

Frequencies

Fig. 3 Public responses ontheir difficulties in consuming

solar energy

K. H. Solangi et al.

123

65 MW target for solar-generated energy by 2015, as de-

clared in the tenth Malaysia Plan.

Public expectations on enhancing solar energy

development in Malaysia

Considering public opinion is important to meet the ob-

jectives of the solar energy policies implemented by the

government. This study intends to determine public ex-

pectations relative to the enhancement of solar energy

usage in Malaysia by considering public opinions and

public attitudes toward the implementation of new solar

energy policies. In addition, this study analyzes the views

of the public on the level of organizational role in solar

energy development.

Figure 4 shows public opinions on the ways to increase

solar energy usage. The result shows that almost 80 % of the

respondents believe that government incentive to build solar

power plants is the best way to enhance solar energy usage

nationwide. Moreover, 69 % of the respondents believe

that increasing taxes on enterprises that release GHGs into

the atmosphere is another good idea, whereas 62 % support

the increase in solar panel installation to meet energy needs.

These results imply that the majority of respondents perceive

that the government is the main body responsible for pro-

moting solar energy usage. Notably, almost 60 % of the re-

spondents believe that increasing taxes on solar-related

products is not a viable idea to help boost solar energy usage.

The result on public attitude toward the implementation

of new solar energy policies is shown in Fig. 5. To enhance

solar energy development in Malaysia, approximately

62 % of the respondents expect more solar power plants to

be installed nationwide, 55 % believe that the public

should obtain full access to information, 51 % recommend

increased funding for independent research, and 48 %

claim the importance of increasing solar panel installation.

This survey result implicitly indicates that the government

can boost solar energy usage through various subsidies and

increased taxes on existing businesses that use fossil en-

ergy. Furthermore, this result suggests that the government

should increase the provision for making full information

available to the public, funding of research related to solar

energy, and initiation of increased solar energy usage and

installation.

Finally, this study examines public views on the level of

organizational role in solar energy development to under-

stand comprehensively the public expectations on en-

hancing solar energy development in Malaysia. Figure 6

shows that 75 % of the respondents believe that govern-

mental organizations are the most important institutions in

promoting this issue, 74 % state that research institutions

are almost equally important, and approximately 60 %

believe that the academia is the top priority. Interestingly,

more than 50 % of the respondents believe that commu-

nication or mass media crucially influences public aware-

ness and enhances knowledge related to solar energy

development. Almost half of the respondents agree that

commercialization serves an important function in devel-

oping solar energy in Malaysia.

Therefore, the survey results clearly reveal the sugges-

tions on the best ways by which the government, solar

energy policy makers, R&D centers, and communication

and commercial sectors can boost the solar energy usage in

the near future. Thus, the present exercise has added new

information to the present knowledge level of the re-

searchers and policy makers.

Survey-based policies

1. Only a few open spaces (e.g., rooftops) have been used

for harnessing solar power (e.g., PV panel or solar

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

Increases taxes Finding trustworthy contractor

Increase solar panel

Installation

Increase taxes on fuels

Government incentives to build solar

power plants

Increase taxes on businesses that release

GHG's into the atmosphere

Support Do not support

No opinion No response

Frequencies

Fig. 4 Public opinions on waysto increase solar energy usage

Social acceptance of solar energy in Malaysia

123

water heater) despite the abundant solar energy po-

tential of Peninsular Malaysia. The non-participation

of individuals and institutions can be attributed to the

lack of incentives. This obstacle is the most serious

relative to the expansion of the Malaysian RE market.

In addition, this challenge is considered as a major

hurdle for the government to overcome if public par-

ticipation is to be encouraged.

2. The government should consider overcoming con-

sumer barriers. The respondents revealed that other

consumer barriers include the need for more informa-

tion; demand for additional/professional assistance;

lack of time, knowledge, and trust in the provider;

concern over product performance; poor brand image;

and lack of information on the environmental and

social performances of both products and manufactur-

ers. Awareness programs on the benefits of solar

energy can be implemented through such media as

magazines, television, and regional campaigns.

3. Effective financial support is essential. Such support

could include tax credits and better financing terms.

Other governments provide such support through

subsidy (investment subsidies, product subsidies, and

consumer subsidies) and pricing policies. Stimulation

of consumption encourages demand and expands the

market. Pricing policy could include price setting.

When vendors meet set prices, approval time is reduce,

which consequently speeds up contract signing and

project commencement. Prices can be reviewed as

solar energy technologies advance and as installed

capacity increases. With 82 % of survey respondents

indicating a willingness to buy solar panels if the

government subsidizes half the cost, subsidies have

high potential for converting consumers into RE users.

A metering arrangement that credits owners of solar

power systems fairly for the energy generated and

supplied to the grid could also encourage the use of

solar electricity. FiT scheme has the potential to

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

Support of solar power plants

Full information Funding of independent research

Increase installation of solar panels

Frequencies

Most important Important

Unimportan No response

Fig. 5 Public attitude towardthe implementation of new solar

energy projects

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

Governmental Academic Research Communicational (Mass Media)

Commercial

Frequencies

Top Priority

Some Priority

No Priority

No response

Fig. 6 Public views on thelevel of organizational role in

solar energy development

K. H. Solangi et al.

123

increase solar PV penetration and the Green Tech-

nology Financing Scheme is potentially a good source

of funds for companies while for home owners, a soft

loan facility with an interest rate of 5 % is a possible

source of funds for financing solar energy program.

4. Development of an R&D infrastructure could be

emphasized and encouraged through partnerships be-

tween the government and private businesses.

Conclusions

Balancing energy needs has become a crucial issue in the

Malaysian energy sector. RE has been announced as the fifth

fuel in the energy supply mix. Therefore, finding possible

ways to boost solar energy utilization among the general

public is important. This study examines the social acceptance

of solar energy in Malaysia. The country has a tropical climate

with abundant sunshine averaging 1643 kWh/m2 in annual

irradiance. These conditions favor solar energy development.

This study highlights the social acceptance of solar energy by

exploring public interest in solar energy, public responses on

the difficulties in consuming solar energy, and public expec-

tations on enhancing solar energy usage in Malaysia.

Several crucial findings and key conclusions are stated

below:

1. The majority of the respondents are highly interested

in solar energy in Malaysia.

2. Approximately 60 % of the respondents are willing to

choose solar energy if the cost related to solar energy

usage is only as much as the current price of fossil

fuel-generated electricity.

3. More than 80 % of the general public is willing to buy

solar panels if 50 % of the total cost is subsidized by

the government.

4. Among the respondents who consume solar energy, the

majority stated that the initial cost is the highest

hindrance. Some respondents stated that the lack of

correct information hinder them from choosing solar

energy.

5. The majority of the respondents believe that building

solar power plants with substantial government capital

would be the best way to develop solar energy. These

respondents also believe that obtaining full access to

information is important.

6. The majority of respondents claim that governmental

organizations should take the lead in boosting solar

energy usage. Other respondents have reported the

importance of research and academic institutions, mass

media, and commercial organizations.

7. Existing successful solar energy policies in developing

and developed countries show that governments are the

prime movers. Therefore, the Malaysian government

should take on a fundamental role in implementing

solar energy policies.

Acknowledgments The authors would like to acknowledge theUniversity of Malaya for funding the project. The research has been

carried out under the Project No. UM.K/636/1/HIR (MOHE)/ENG46

and UMRG Fund RP012D-13AET.

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