KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 23 — Malaysia is now on a solid track to achieve 40 per cent renewable energy (RE) capacity by 2035 and 70 per cent by 2050 under the National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR).
Deputy Prime Minister cum Energy Transition and Water Transformation Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said the nation's RE capacity has so far reached 30 per cent, led by solar energy, which contributes over 5,000 megawatts.
“The next step is to decarbonise the electricity sector, including Malaysia’s bold commitment to reduce coal capacity by 50 per cent by 2035 and completely phase out coal-fired power plants by 2044.
“This goal clearly accelerates the decarbonisation process while maintaining the country’s energy security and affordability,” he said in a Facebook post today.
Fadillah added that although coal has long been a key energy source that drives the country’s growth, providing stable and affordable electricity, the world is changing, and Malaysia must evolve to remain competitive, resilient, and sustainable in the face of the new global energy reality.
Through the NETR's implementation, Malaysia aims to achieve net-zero carbon by 2050, and the plan outlines a comprehensive approach that unites government policies, industry strategies, and the country’s climate aspirations in a common direction.
He said the energy transition is not just about reducing carbon emissions but about building a people-centred energy system, ensuring affordable energy, ensuring national energy security, and generating high-quality job opportunities for Malaysians.
Earlier, the Deputy Prime Minister launched ‘Malaysia’s Green Energy Future — Energy Sector Decarbonisation Dialogue Series’, an important initiative towards shaping a clean, safe, and sustainable energy future.
The initiative was jointly led by the Energy Transition and Water Transformation Ministry (Petra) and the World Economic Forum (WEF), aiming to accelerate Malaysia’s journey towards net-zero carbon by 2050 through a series of technical workshops and high-level roundtables to be held in 2026.
Fadillah said the dialogue series is not just a discussion space but a platform for real solutions and actions to accelerate the transformation of the country’s energy sector.
The main thrust of the transition is Malaysia’s commitment to the concept of 'Just Energy Transition', which ensures that communities, workers, and industries are not left behind in the process of change.
“The biggest challenge we face is ensuring that this transition is implemented in an orderly, equitable and economically viable manner.
"Therefore, innovative solutions are urgently needed to maintain grid stability, mobilise sustainable financing, and expand the use of technologies such as hydrogen, energy storage, carbon capture, and regional energy trading,” he said.
The Energy Sector Decarbonisation Dialogue Series will run for six to eight months and bring together global and local experts in technology, policy, and finance to chart practical pathways to accelerate the decarbonisation of Malaysia’s energy sector.
