Malaysia Debt Ventures Berhad (MDV)

AUGUST — As the world pivots towards cleaner, more sustainable energy systems, Malaysia is making strategic strides in the solar energy sector. Solar power is no longer a niche option — it is emerging as a cornerstone of Malaysia’s renewable energy (RE) ambitions, with government policies, market readiness, and technology convergence working in tandem to accelerate adoption.

For a financing institution like Malaysia Debt Ventures Berhad (MDV), this shift offers opportunities to support high-impact ventures across the solar value chain — from rooftop installations to utility-scale photovoltaic (PV) farms and AI-integrated energy management systems.

Malaysia’s solar energy outlook

Malaysia has set targets to increase its renewable energy capacity to 31 per cent by 2025 and 70 per cent by 2050, with solar energy expected to account for a substantial portion of this growth. The country’s geographical location near the equator offers it an advantage, as it receives consistent solar irradiance throughout the year, making it an ideal environment for photovoltaic (PV) investments

To support these national targets, several government initiatives have been introduced. One such initiative is the Large-Scale Solar (LSS) programme, which is managed by the Energy Commission and the Ministry of Energy Transition and Water Transformation (PETRA). This programme allows private developers to construct solar power plants with capacities ranging from 10 megawatts (MW) to 500 MW. The most recent phase, known as LSS Petra 5+, is scheduled for commissioning by 2027.