Malaysian Govt Makes A Second Offer On Suria 1000 Solar System
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, May 29, 2007
Source: Bernama.com
http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news_business.php?id=264733
The Government is once again offering Malaysians a chance to install the solar building integrated photovoltalc (BIPV) systems at their premises at a highly discounted price. It is making the offer under a programme called SURIA 1000, which will provide a maximum discount of 70 percent to the successful bidders for the rebates. The second call to apply for rebates under SURIA 1000 programme will be effective from June 1 to October 1, this year, a statement from Pusat Tenaga Malaysia (PTM) said today.
Recipients for the system, the cost of which is still very high in Malaysia, will be selected based on lowest financial contribution required from the government, it said. The solar system is a simple technology which generates electricity directly from the sun, with no emission of harmful gases to the environment.
The first call to apply for the rebates began on Dec 1, 2006, and the response was overwhelming, according to Malaysia BPIV National Project Leader, Ir Ahmad Hadri Haris. The recipients of SURIA 1000 rebates under the first call will be announced when the programme is officially launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on June 22, PTM said.
It said the solar photovoltalc (PV) system will be connected to the utility grid and the electricity generated will be net-metered on monthly basis. SURIA 1000 closely emulates the Japanese Sunshine programme and aims to create market development for solar BPIV in the country.
PTM explained that in Malaysia, the cost of solar BPIV system is still high and successful case studies of solar BPIV have shown that market development is essential for bringing the cost down.
The Japanese Sunshine programme carried out from 1994 to 2005 was attributed as the contributor to the huge PV growth in Japan, which today produces most of the world’s solar BIPV. Its residential solar BIPV system is growing at 50,000 systems per year.
PTM said the global growth in the installation of rooftop solar BIPV system is estimated at 40 percent a year, and higher in booming solar markets such as Germany and Japan.