Electricity in Malaysia in 2022
Global Ranking:
#74
19.0% #129 Low-carbon electricity
613.76
watts #60 Generation / person
As of 2022, the majority of electricity in Malaysia is produced from fossil fuels, with almost 81% of the total share. Coal and gas are the primary contributors, nearly evenly split with coal accounting for 42% and gas 38% of the total energy generation. On the lighter side, there is a significant chunk of energy generation that falls under low-carbon, comprising about 19%. The primary source of this clean energy in Malaysia comes from hydropower accounting for about 17%, while solar contributes just over 1%.
Suggestions
In order to transition towards a more sustainable future, Malaysia should seek inspiration from other countries that have successfully adopted low-carbon sources for electricity generation. Observing the successful implementation, the striking commonality among the majority of these countries is the effective use of nuclear power. France, Slovakia, Ukraine and Switzerland have all achieved more than half of their electricity through nuclear energy. Considering the similarities in terms of geographical location, climate and economic development, Malaysia can learn from South Korea which generates close to 30% electricity from nuclear. At the same time, it can draw inspiration from Greece where solar energy has been successfully harnessed accounting for 19% of their clean energy generation.
History
Historically, Malaysia's journey with low-carbon electricity has been iterative and growth-oriented, primarily resting on hydropower. The sector saw a surge in the eighties, with an increase of 1.7 terawatt-hours (TWh) in 1984, followed by moderate growth till the mid-nineties. However, the late nineties to the early 2000s was marked by fluctuations with alternations between increments and reductions in hydro-based electricity generation. This decade highlighted the need for robust growth without sudden plummets. Toward the late 2000s and extending into the 2010s, there was a significant increase, peaking with a 6.8 TWh rise in hydroelectric power in 2017. More recently, Malaysia has started diversifying its low-carbon portfolio, with the entrance of solar power in 2019 contributing a promising 0.8 TWh to the national grid.
Electricity Imports and Exports
Balance of Trade
Data Sources
For the year 1985 the data sources are
Energy Institute
and
IEA (imports/exports).
For the year 1986 the data source is
Energy Institute.
For the years 1987 to 1989 the data sources are
Energy Institute
and
IEA (imports/exports).
For the years 1990 to 1992 the data sources are
Energy Institute
and
IEA (imports/exports).
For the years 1993 to 1994 the data source is
IEA.
For the years 1995 to 1996 the data sources are
Energy Institute
and
IEA (imports/exports).
For the year 1997 the data source is
IEA.
For the year 1998 the data sources are
Energy Institute
and
IEA (imports/exports).
For the years 1999 to 2001 the data source is
Energy Institute.
For the years 2002 to 2003 the data sources are
Energy Institute
and
IEA (imports/exports).
For the year 2004 the data source is
Ember.
For the years 2005 to 2010 the data sources are
Energy Institute
and
IEA (imports/exports).
For the years 2011 to 2013 the data source is
IEA.
For the years 2014 to 2016 the data source is
Ember.
For the year 2017 the data sources are
Energy Institute
and
IEA (imports/exports).
For the years 2018 to 2019 the data sources are
Energy Institute
and
IEA (imports/exports).
For the years 2020 to 2022 the data source is
Ember.