Malaysia has established its own national cross-border electricity sharing program, Energy Exchange Malaysia (Enegem), which will launch with a pilot program to export 100 megawatts of green electricity to Singapore. The initial auction will be open to bidding power developers with license to operate in both Malaysia and Singapore. The Ministry of Energy Transition and Water Transformation (Petra) hopes that this example will pave the way for “regional cooperation on cross-border energy trading between ASEAN countries.” Such grid maximization would create new opportunities for U.S. companies seeking renewable energy sourcing for their operations in the region.
Much of Malaysia’s renewable energy generation is slated to come from Sarawak State in Malaysian Borneo, which brands itself as the region’s premier “green energy powerhouse.” With vast hydropower as well as solar potential and ventures into green hydrogen, InvestSarawak is determined to continue to promote the state in efforts to “bring knowledge and innovation” to East Malaysia. Sarawak’s geography raises the case for enhanced grid infrastructure to transfer energy to Peninsular Malaysia and beyond. Regardless, Enegem, the groundbreaking for Indonesia’s Borneo-based capital of Nusantara, and the island's centrality amidst maritime Southeast Asia also speak to the strategic value of Sarawak as a renewable energy hub.
