| Led by: Forever Sabah |
| Sector: Energy |
“We are very supportive of the value proposition of SabahRE2. The project’s field research shows that renewable energy mini-grids are the most cost effective way to overcome the challenges of Sabah’s difficult terrain. We can meet the last mile needs for remote communities using their abundant local solar and micro-hydro resources”
- Datuk Ir. Abdul Nasser Abdul Wahid, outgoing CEO of Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd and incoming CEO for the Sabah Energy Unit (UTS)
This project is working to ensure access to affordable, reliable and sustainable energy for the state of Sabah in Malaysian Borneo, which accounts for over 70% of Malaysia’s unelectrified rural area. In its initial phase, it created a Roadmap for tackling the challenges of remote area electrification through sustainable energy. Working with District Officers and official data and through local networks, the project has mapped 400 rural communities without access to the state’s electrical grid, layering this with the first public maps of the distribution grid, rural road network and watersheds. It has conducted surveys and focus groups with half of these villages to understand local needs, aspirations, and capacities for electrical power generation among these diverse communities. It has also conducted feasibility studies for renewable energy (micro-hydro and solar) installation for 57 of the villages served by 35 mini-grids.
The project has also provided toolkits and training in renewable energy mini-grids and facilitated a multi-stakeholder process between government and civil society to co-create a three-phase Roadmap. These actions will help to address half of Malaysia’s unmet rural needs for electricity with renewable energy sources by 2030.
