An outlook on hydropower in Malaysia: policies, conditions, and the potential of small hydropower in Malaysian rivers as a new norm in renewable energy / Mohd Haniff Hazmin and Faizal Mustapha

The demand for electricity in Malaysia is increasing rapidly due to network expansion and economic growth. Renewable energy (RE) presents an excellent alternative to solve the energy crisis in countries that largely rely on depleting fossil fuels to generate power. Acknowledging the need for an energy transition, the Malaysian government implemented many policies and regulations to facilitate the adoption of RE. Hydropower is one of Malaysia’s primary RE resources, used in almost every state to supplement the national power grid via large power stations and mini-stations. It is green and produces minimal CO2 emissions. However, large hydropower projects in Malaysia have negatively impacted cultivation lands, the ecosystem, and the displacement of indigenous communities. Therefore, this paper aims to discuss Malaysia’s existing policies regarding RE development projects, the benefits and potential sites of small-scale hydropower projects, as well as the way forward for their implementation.