KUALA LUMPUR, July 16 (Xinhua) -- The Malaysian government will implement the sixth large-scale solar (LSS6) program to accelerate the nation's energy transition and continuously expand renewable energy (RE) generation capacity, its Ministry of Energy Transition and Water Transformation said Thursday.
The ministry said in a statement that it is offering a total quota of 2,500 megawatts (MW) of solar capacity integrated with a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), comprising 1,250 MW of BESS, as well as an additional 150 MW of solar capacity specifically for Bumiputera companies in Peninsular Malaysia.
"The implementation of LSS6 builds on the success of previous LSS programs, which have strengthened the local solar industry and reduced electricity generation costs through a transparent and market-based bidding mechanism," the ministry said.
LSS6 is scheduled to commence operations in stages, with all projects targeted to achieve commercial operation by Dec. 31, 2029.
The program is expected to attract between 13 billion ringgit (3.19 billion U.S. dollars) and 15 billion ringgit (3.68 billion dollars) in private investment and create approximately 15,000 to 20,000 jobs during the development and construction phases.
In addition, it is projected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by around 2.6 million tons annually, supporting Malaysia's low-carbon energy transition and sustainable development goals. ■