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Energy plays a crucial role in human life as it is necessary for survival and enables us to perform daily activities. The passage of time has driven progress, with various tools, machines, and devices created to facilitate human affairs. Everything is very dependent on Energy. Unfortunately, the prevalent reliance on fossil fuels as the primary energy source has resulted in an environmental disparity attributed to greenhouse gas emissions. Besides, the depletion of fossil fuel reserves is a long-term concern for nations involved in fossil fuel production including Malaysia, which necessitates a delicate equilibrium between escalating energy demands and escalating pollution levels. This review paper aims to highlight the potential of renewable energy based on green hydrogen in Malaysia. The energy scenario in Malaysia has been reviewed by discussing energy demand, current population, energy policy synopsis, conventional energy sources, carbon emissions, and the direction of renewable energy in Malaysia. Besides, the conceptual framework for hydrogen as renewable energy was discussed covering the hydrogen economy, production technology, storage, and energy production using green hydrogen. Finally, potential applications for using hydrogen energy have been presented so that the future direction of using this alternative energy can be well planned in Malaysia. •An overview of hydrogen energy as Malaysian alternative energy is comprehensively discussed. •The hydrogen energy prospects are described in detail such as hydrogen economy, production, and consumption. •The progress of hydrogen energy implementation in Malaysia is studied towards embarking on this effort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malaysia, as a developing country and a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), is looking into inexhaustible and repeatable alternative energy sources such as solar, wind, mini-hydro and biomass. The estimated GDP at 2010 is $15,385 per capita and the economic and industrial growth of the country implies that energy demand is growing very fast. In addition, the growing prices of fossil fuels, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, make inevitable renewable energy solutions for the country. Geographically, Malaysia is located in a region of tropical and humid climate which provides easy access to a variety of renewable energy sources. The government of Malaysia has initiated renewable energy policies to encourage industries and individuals to employ renewable-energy-powered systems in power applications. This paper first gives a brief overview of the current status of renewable energy in Malaysia. Then it provides the energy policies, specifically the renewable energy policies in Malaysia, in Section 2 . The renewable energy programs are reviewed in Section 3. The building energy efficiency program with green aspect is provided in Section 4. Lastly, the conclusion and forecasts of this paper are given in Section 5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: To overcome the negative impacts on the environment and other problems associated with fossil fuels have forced many countries to inquire into and change to environmental friendly alternatives that are renewable to sustain the increasing energy demand. Solar energy is one of the best renewable energy sources with least negative impacts on the environment. Different countries have formulated solar energy policies to reducing dependence on fossil fuel and increasing domestic energy production by solar energy. This paper discusses a review about the different solar energy policies implemented on the different countries of the world. According to the 2010 BP Statistical Energy Survey, the world cumulative installed solar energy capacity was 22928.9MW in 2009, a change of 46.9% compared to 2008. Also this paper discussed the existing successful solar energy policies of few selected countries. Based on literatures, it has been found that FIT, RPS and incentives are the most beneficial energy policies implemented by many countries around the world. These policies provide significant motivation and interest for the development and use of renewable energy technologies. Also the status of solar energy policy for Malaysia is investigated and compared with that of the successful countries in the world. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The demand of increasing price in fossil fuel has prompted the global oil industry to look at the alternative sources of fuel from renewable energy source which is biodiesel. Biodiesel is considered as better option because of its environmental friendly characteristics while giving almost the same functional properties like fossil fuels. This paper will focus on the biodiesel produced in Malaysia. Palm oil is the main raw stock for biodiesel production in Malaysia as the country is one of the leading palm oil producers in the world. There are many advantages and disadvantages from the economical social and environmental aspects in the Malaysian biodiesel production in specific palm oil biodiesel. The aim of this paper is to analyze the past, current and future of palm oil biodiesel industry in Malaysia. This paper includes the technology aspect used in the palm oil biodiesel production and characteristics of pure palm oil biodiesel to meet the international market standard. Malaysia faces tough competition from other biodiesel producers like Indonesia and Brazil. The scope of this study covers the worldwide biodiesel development in brief in continuation with the challenges faced by Malaysia in becoming the top biodiesel exporter in the world with the advantages and disadvantage of using palm oil as the feedstock. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The limited availability of fossil energy carriers and environmental impact of energy consumption demand mid- and long-term strategies both for the rational use of energy and for increased renewable energy utilization. Despite the establishment of the National Energy Policy, there is still an obstacle in reaching those objectives and targets. In the 7th Malaysia Plan for instance, the government has highlighted that a third of the Government''s total allocation of RM469 million for rural electrification programmes under the has been allocated for the provision of solar powered installations for rural and remote communities. This paper outlines a detailed description of various existing solar technologies, the understanding of each technology and its associated challenges, which will provide a suitable basis to recognize advantages and drawbacks in its implementation in Malaysia. The paper finally justifies some of the barriers in promoting the full scale utilization for the solar energy in Malaysia. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Today, global energy consumers are addicted to fossil fuels such as natural gas, oil and coal. Although it has been anticipated that fossil fuels will be depleted soon, these fuels are still dominant as the primary source of energy in the world. Recently, many efforts have been done to substitute renewable alternative fuels to reduce dependency on fossil fuels. Biomass as one of the earliest energy sources appears to be the most promising renewable energy source due to its numerous resources and its environmentally sound characteristics. Since Malaysia is agriculture based tropical country, many crops such as palm, paddy rice and sugarcane are cultivated in this region. Malaysian palm oil industry generate huge amounts of palm solid residue (PSR) biomass such as empty fruit bunches (EFB), palm fiber, shell, trunks and fronds as byproducts which are capable to be taken into account in the energy mix of the country. In this paper, an overview of the PSR generation from Malaysian palm oil industries and its social and economic effects has been given. Indeed, performance of the direct combustion of PSR in terms of PSR composition, properties, heating value, emissions and its effects on the equipment or the components of the boilers have been reviewed. It has been found that the very high moisture content of PSR of palm industry makes their collection and transportation expensive, therefore energy conversion process could be inefficient and utilization of these materials inside the palm oil mills seems more beneficial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a critical review of the palm biodiesel landscape in Malaysia. The palm industry is a key source of revenue for the country, where in 2009 the industry was responsible for generating 8% of the gross national income per capita. The interest in palm-based biodiesel can be traced back to the early 1980s however it was only in 2006 that Malaysia officially formulated its first National Biofuel Policy as a strategic government intervention to drive development and implementation of palm biodiesel as substitute to regular fossil-based diesel. As at January 2013, the implementation of the biodiesel mandate (at 5% concentration) has been limited to the Klang Valley central region only. But there are plans for a much wider roll-out and at higher concentration blends in 2014. The policy in its current form assumes that all biofuels are sustainable and therefore fails to provide assurances that the fossil diesel will be replaced by a more sustainable energy source. Here it has been argued that a market-based policy approach would be better than a technology-forcing mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The objective of this paper is to examine whether energy consumption in Malaysia, disaggregated by sector and type, is stationary or contains a unit root. To realize our objective we apply the Lagrange multiplier (LM) family of unit root tests with up to two structural breaks. Depending on the decision rule for selecting between results in the no-break, one-break and two-break cases, we find that energy consumption is stationary for between 50 per cent and 70 per cent of the disaggregated energy series and between 25 per cent and 50 per cent of sectors. Implications for the Malaysian government's attempts to reduce fossil fuel consumption are discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Currently, around 90% of Malaysia's electricity generation depends on fossil fuels. This reliance, in a long run, is not a secure option. However, renewable energy sources can contribute to a sustainable electricity generation system; but diversifying fuel supply chain is a complex process. Therefore, the aim of this paper is two folds. Firstly, various renewable resources potential are reviewed, and secondly an assessment model is developed for prioritizing renewable options. Four major resources, hydropower, solar, wind, biomass (including biogas and municipal solid waste) are considered. Their electricity generation potential, along with any likely shortcoming is also discussed. Moreover, using a multi-perspective approach based on analytic hierarchy process (AHP), an assessment model is developed. AHP model employs four main criteria, technical, economical, social and environmental aspects, and twelve sub-criteria. From the review it was found that renewable resources seem to have a sufficient potential to develop a sustainable electricity system. Furthermore, AHP model prioritize those resources, revealing that solar is the most favorable resource followed by biomass. Hydropower and wind however, are ranked third and fourth, respectively. The model also shows that each resource is inclined towards a particular criterion; solar towards economical, biomass towards social, hydropower towards technical, and wind towards environmental aspect. Besides reporting AHP model for the first time in Malaysian context, the assessment performed in this study, can serve decision makers to formulate long-term energy policy aiming for sustainability. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The increasing energy demands along with the expected depletion of fossil fuels have promoted to search for alternative fuels that can be obtained from renewable energy resources. Biodiesel as a renewable energy resource has drawn the attention of many researchers and scientists because its immense potential to be part of a sustainable energy mix in near future. This report attempts to compile the findings on current global and Malaysian energy scenario, potential of biodiesel as a renewable energy source, biodiesel policies and standards, practicability of Jatropha curcas as a biodiesel source in Malaysia as well as impact of biodiesel from Jatropha curcas. Final part of this report also describes the development of biodiesel market in Malaysia. The paper found that Jatropha curcas is one of the cheapest biodiesel feedstock and it possesses the amicable fuel properties with higher oil contents compared to others. Being non edible oil seed feedstocks it will not affect food price and spur the food versus fuel dispute. Jatropha can be substituted significantly for oil imports. Jatropha biodiesel has potential to reduce GHG emission than diesel fuel and it can be used in diesel engine with similar performance of diesel fuel. Jatropha curcas has an immense contribution to develop rural livelihoods too. Finally biodiesel production from Jatropha is eco-friendly and offers many social and economical benefits for Malaysia and can play an increasingly significant role to fulfill the energy demand in Malaysia. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Today, energy crisis turn out to be a serious threat towards sustainability for developing countries since their energy demand is growing more rapidly than developed countries. On the other hand, fossil fuels cannot sustain anymore in the near future because of environmental impacts and depletion of the reserves. Malaysia is experiencing drastic growth in population and economy and requires exploring alternative energy sources to support its population and commercial energy demand. Biomass as the fourth largest energy resource in the world is abundant in the country. Malaysia is blessed with tropical and humid climate all year round which is a magnificent opportunity for fully exploiting agriculture and tropical forests potential. Since late 1990, the concept of waste-to-wealth had been promoted and became popular widely. This concept is based on unwanted wastes which are converted into valuable energy while reducing waste generated and increase the economy-efficiency mainly used for cooking, space heating and power generation. Currently, concerted efforts and various biomass energy programs are supporting by the government for development, demonstration and commercialization. This paper intent to present the current state and prospects of biomass utilization and strategies promoted for future developments in Malaysia. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Malaysia is heavily dependent on fossil fuel for electricity generation. With the rapidly diminishing of its fuel reserve and the increasingly negative effects of fossil fuels to the environment, the government has begun to utilise bio-fuel and solar radiation for electricity generation. However, the potential of harnessing other renewable sources, particular ocean energy, in Malaysia has not been fully realised. Therefore, studies were carried out to identify the potential of harnessing ocean energy for electricity generation. The Princeton Ocean Model was used to create a three-dimensional numerical ocean model for Malaysia which was calibrated against measurement by a means of adjoint data assimilation approach. A set of reliable tidal speed and tidal elevation data was therefore generated to determine the types of tides available in Malaysia, the potential areas of installing marine current turbines (MCTs), the total amount of electricity to be generated by MCT, the economical viability and the environmental benefits of using MCT in Malaysia. This paper presents the findings on the studies, encompassing the technical, economical and environmental aspects of installing MCT in Malaysia. The results are critical to policy makers and the potential investors on tidal energy in Malaysia for decision making. It may also help the neighboring countries to realize the possible potential of their ocean energy for electricity generation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Several biofuel candidates were proposed to displace fossil fuels in order to eliminate the vulnerability of energy sector. Biodiesel and bioethanol produced from terrestrial plants have attracted the attention of the world as potential substitute. However, due to food vs. fuel competition as well as land consumption of these biofuel, they have brought much controversy and debate on their sustainability. In this respect, cultivation of macroalgae such as seaweed at sea water which does not expend arable land and fertilizers provides a possible solution for this energy issue. Carbohydrates derived from seaweeds contain hexose sugars which are suitable materials for fermentation to produce ethanol. Therefore, it is possible to produce fuel ethanol from seaweeds. The potential and prospective of seaweeds to play the role as a sustainable energy provider are demonstrated in this paper. This study offers a conceivable picture of macroalgae-based third-generation bioethanol biorefinery to stimulate the initiation of the exploration in the related field. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The world has been relying on fossil fuels as its primary source of energy. This unsustainable energy source is not going to last long and thus, gradual shift towards green renewable energy should be practiced. In Malaysia, even though fossil fuel dominates the energy production, renewable energies such as hydropower and biomass are gaining popularity due to the implementation of energy policies and greater understanding on the importance of green energy. Malaysia has been well endowed with natural resources in areas such as agriculture and forestry. Thus, with the availability of feedstock, biomass energy is practical to be conducted and oil palm topped the ranking as biomass source here because of its high production. However, new sources should be sought after as to avoid the over dependency on a single source. Hence, other agriculture biomass should be considered such as banana plant biomass. This paper will discuss on its potential as a new biomass source in Malaysia. Banana plant is chosen as the subject due to its availability, high growth rates, carbon neutrality and the fact that it bears fruit only once a lifetime. Conversion of the biomass to energy can be done via combustion, supercritical water gasification and digestion to produce thermal energy and biogas. The theoretical potential power generation calculated reached maximum of 950MW meeting more than half of the renewable energy requirement in the Fifth Fuel Policy (Eighth Malaysia Plan 2001–2005). Thus, banana biomass is feasible as a source of renewable energy in Malaysia and also other similar tropical countries in the world. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Community-scale composting, which can be conducted by the local council or a waste management company, is an effective starting point to divert food waste from landfill, especially for developing countries. This paper successfully demonstrates the feasibility of a community-scale food waste composting system, using the University of Nottingham Malaysia as the case study. The method selected is open-air static pile, using food waste as the substrate and leaf-litter as the bulking agent. The composting model presented in this study is also applicable to other organic wastes. The two feedstocks are mixed at a food waste-to-leaves weight ratio of 4: 1 to result in an initial moisture level of 63% and carbon-to-nitrogen ratio of 27. The composting process can be completed in 7 months, yielding about 30 wt % (on dry basis) of compost from the total organic feedstock. The finished compost is shown to meet Malaysia's organic fertiliser standard, thus demonstrating the feasibility of this low-cost technology. Economic analysis showed that substituting chemical fertilisers with the organic compost produced in-house is a viable option, and that for Malaysia, the composting system would be able to self-sustain financially only when the landfilling cost is increased 2.3 times. The life-cycle assessment showed that using composting to replace landfill for food waste, as well as substituting chemical fertilisers with the organic compost produced, can greatly reduce the environmental impacts, especially on global warming, ecotoxicity, eutrophication and fossil fuel depletion. In order to promote the widespread application of composting for organic wastes, multi-actor partnerships are essential to link governments, organisations and households in working toward a circular economy. Image 1 • A community-scale organic waste composting system is presented. • It takes 7 months to produce compost from food waste, with leaves as bulking agent. • The compost yield is 30% and its quality meets the organic fertiliser standards. • Socio-cultural, economic, environmental and technical barriers were evaluated. • This system could be replicated and scaled up easily for widespread applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]