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Malaysia's energy intensity (GWh/GDP) shows an increasing trend since the 1990s, leading to the government's efforts to promote energy efficiency via policies such as the National Energy Efficiency Action Plan (NEEAP), which includes the Energy Performance Contracting (EPC) initiative. This paper reviews recent publications in industrial Combined Heat and Power (CHP) with a focus on international case studies relevant to Malaysian industries that use industrial steam and highlights trends within the research area. It also provides the basis for more case studies to be performed in the Malaysian industry to improve energy efficiency while also supporting further academic research in the area. Additionally, the paper documents the importance of data collection and analysis as well as demand forecasting, not only for a better understanding of industrial energy systems but also to increase profitability since system loads may vary throughout a typical year. A multi-criteria and comprehensive approach is recommended in future case studies to ensure energy efficiency, economic returns and environmental impact are considered to ensure long-term sustainability. A summary of barriers to CHP implementation in the industry is also included to provide a broad understanding of industrial CHP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper comprehensively examines passive and active energy retrofit strategies as a highly effective approach for reducing building energy consumption and mitigating CO2 emissions while enhancing comfort and sustainability. The paper further examines energy simulation software and assesses the integration of renewable energy systems in building to improve energy efficiency. The review used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) methodology, ensuring a rigorous and comprehensive analysis. In addition, the study utilized bibliometric analysis with VOSviewer to provide valuable insights into the research trends and influential publications in building energy retrofits. Bibliometric analysis reveals strong collaboration among 17 authors, emphasizing their significant contributions. Keywords like energy retrofitting and efficiency are prominent, indicating their importance in academic literature. Findings show passive strategies are more effective in reducing energy consumption, though a combined approach with active strategies can yield optimal results. Retrofitting presents challenges, such as substantial initial costs and regulatory barriers. User acceptance is crucial, considering potential disruptions. The review highlights the importance of energy simulation software, with tools like EnergyPlus, eQUEST, and IES VE identified for evaluating and identifying cost-effective retrofit measures in building performance. By providing comprehensive insights into the various strategies and tools available for retrofitting buildings to achieve energy efficiency and sustainability goals, this review serves as an authoritative resource for building owners, managers, and professionals in the building industry. It offers invaluable guidance for informed decision-making and facilitates implementing effective, energy-efficient, and sustainable building retrofitting practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy is one of the essential inputs for modernization and social development. Energy demand is increasing, and the primary energy source is fossil fuels, which negatively impact the environment. Energy saving and renewables are the potential solutions which could minimize environmental impact. This paper investigates the energy-saving and solar photovoltaic energy potential of an educational institution, Politeknik Sultan Azlan Shah (PSAS), Malaysia. The feasibility analysis was conducted by assuming that PSAS joined the Net Energy Metering (NEM 3.0) program, where PSAS, as a NEM consumer, has a tripartite supply agreement with renewable energy (SARE) with a distribution licensee known as Tenaga National Berhad (TNB). This paper focuses on zero capital expenditure (CAPEX) saving through a 20-year contract. This paper proposes a rooftop solar photovoltaic diagram using a NEM meter installed in the ring distribution system at PSAS. The estimated savings to be obtained by PSAS in the 20 years that the contract is in force are calculated based on the assumption that the installed solar system has a capacity of 688 kW. The maximum value of power generated by the system for a year is 990,720 kWh. The feasibility analysis found that the cumulative net savings estimate for PSAS based on the overall calculation for 21 years of solar use is RM 3,534,250. Meanwhile, the cumulative assessment of carbon emission reduction obtained in the same period is 14,559,760 kg CO2 or 14,559.76 tons of CO2, which would save 363,994 mature trees from being cut down. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efforts such as the Glasgow United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties 26, the Paris Agreement (Paris agreement, United Nations, Paris, 2015) and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals are supporting the drive to protect the planet from global warming by ensuring sustainable development. The oil and gas industry, as key contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, must transition to more sustainable energy solutions and play their part in reducing these emissions. Currently, oil and gas companies are implementing technical solutions to achieve net zero carbon emissions. The energy transition from fossil fuel reliance has also happened by exploiting alternative renewable energy sources to meet global energy demand such as wind, solar, biogas and bioderived feedstocks. This net zero energy transition will require a fair and just transition for all in society, and to implement this, it is crucial for those working in the oil and gas industry to understand the technologies needed, the importance of carbon policies and their roles. This research presents a modified Delphi study of employees in Malaysia's national oil and gas company to understand their perceptions towards a net-zero carbon future. The paper briefly reviews Malaysia's low-carbon policy plans, its current carbon dioxide accounting balance, and identifies potential technologies for decarbonisation to set the scene for the modified Delphi study. The results indicated that the national oil and gas company has both the capabilities and the financial resources to significantly contribute towards Malaysia transitioning to a carbon neutral nation. This can be achieved by implementing advanced technologies complementing with nature-based solutions to realise net zero carbon emissions. This study also portrays the confidence that the portfolio of solutions should be executed through a coordinated effort to maximise the outcome and minimise the financial impact in terms of economical sustainability. Implementation of activities towards this energy transition will require significant social commitment, and hence, gauging their perception towards this journey is key objective of this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The energy demand in Malaysia has shown a dramatic increase over the last few years: with natural gas and coal being the primary contributors. Nevertheless, due to declining in fossil fuel reserves coupled with negative environmental impacts, shifting to sustainable renewable energy for meeting the future energy demand is recommended. Since Malaysia is rich with natural resources, utilization of biomass energy (bioenergy/biofuel) as the alternative energy is promising to be further explored. Therefore, this review paper intents to discuss the current scenario of different types of biomass energy in Malaysia along with the up-to-date local biomass energy–related environmental policy (from 2016 onwards). In addition, challenges and barriers for large-scale implementation of the biomass energy in Malaysia are to be discussed. Overall, this review paper is interesting as it can assist in promoting the biomass utilization as energy source, and to ensure the future growth of biomass energy market in the country along with its effective implementation while alleviating poor disposal problem and to create job employment opportunities. Furthermore, a collective effort to expand potential biomass feedstocks, apart from oil palm, should be emphasized to encourage the renewable energy production diversification in the nation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the environmental Kuznets curve theory (EKC) and the double-dividend hypothesis of environmental tax, this paper aims to examine the relationship between environmental tax, economic growth, energy consumption, and carbon dioxide emissions in China, Finland, and Malaysia from 1985 to 2014 using panel autoregressive distribution lag (ARDL) models. This paper discovers an N-shaped relationship between the volume of carbon dioxide emissions and the value of the gross domestic product. Furthermore, this study confirms that the double-dividend effect of environmental tax exists in all three countries in the long run. Overall, this study argues that evidence from Finland and Malaysia on environmental taxes that help the country to save energy and reduce carbon dioxide emissions can provide a reference for China and other developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reduced electricity demand through the implementation of an energy efficiency policy is a central pillar of the Malaysian government's energy strategy. Energy efficiency first emerged as part of Malaysia's energy policy agenda in 1979 but only came into force during the 2000s. Initially, it was seen from global fears about the shortage of fossil fuels, then as a way of combating climate change. This paper offers a comprehensive review of Malaysia's energy policies with a focus on adopting policies to improve energy efficiency. Starting with Malaysia's preliminary policy in response to the OPEC-driven global oil crisis in 1973, the paper discusses how policymakers are considering energy efficiency from Malaysia's sustainable development perspective and what relevant government efforts have been made to improve it. The review evaluates the progress that has been made over the past 25 years to address energy efficiency in the economy and highlights the achievements and remaining difficulties. Findings show that the level of energy efficiency while having shown improvement during 1990–2015 was lower than expected. In terms of electricity intensity of GDP, Malaysia has a relatively large position among the ASEAN countries and the world's largest electricity consumers. Researchers, scientists, and practitioners will benefit from the extensive review material of this study, which will help them better understand energy efficiency and the sustainability strategy implemented in Malaysia to date. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy is one of the basic inputs and driving forces for economic and social development modernization. Sustainable energy supply is one of the major challenges in the modern world. Sustainable energy supply can be obtained through alternative energy sources, and efficient energy use is a high priority to optimize the environmental impact. This paper investigates the potential for energy savings involving five end-load equipment in academic institutions. The saving potential is obtained through energy efficiency analysis and feasibility analysis of the solar power generation systems. An energy audit is conducted on end-use consuming equipment (i.e., fans, lights, air conditioning, ICT equipment, etc.) in these five end-load sectors to find out the major energy-consuming equipment, energy consumption, and potential energy savings. The analysis of energy consumption per equipment helps determine the appropriate type of equipment to be upgraded and replaced for energy saving. The feasibility of rooftop solar power generation has been also analysed to integrate into the energy end load. The research findings confirm that laboratory equipment, lighting, and air conditioning are vital to energy consumption in academic buildings. The energy savings, bill savings, and carbon emissions reductions have been estimated based on integrating rooftop solar power generation. The feasibility analysis of onsite energy generation using a hybrid solar system found that the total energy-saving potential and bill savings within five years are 311,131 kWh and RM 113,563, respectively. This value refers to comprehensive energy-saving and bill for all academic buildings involved in this research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades, significant changes have occurred in the consumer lifestyle and energy consumption structure. In order to foster a more holistic understanding of how residential consumers use energy in their everyday life and how it affects energy efficiency, individual data about energy-related behaviour in six primary areas, namely, housing, mobility, diet, consumption, leisure activities, and information, were studied. Specifically, the objective of this study is to investigate energy efficiency behaviour based on residential consumers' lifestyles. An exploratory pilot study with a total of 50 respondents was carried out in month of July. Data were collected from residential consumers from six states in Peninsular Malaysia and were analysed using the Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modelling approach. The result showed that consumption, housing, and information are the dominant direct contributors to energy efficiency. By understanding these lifestyles, researchers and policymakers can better understand consumer energy consumption behaviour and design targeted interventions to encourage energy efficiency and conservation. The paper highlights the need for further research on consumer lifestyles and their contribution to energy efficiency. It also provides findings from this study that was used to refine the research tools for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blockchain technology is being looked at to solve numerous real-world problems that demand transparency by meeting sustainable goals. Do we ponder whether this technology is a boon or a bane for the environment? This paper analyses blockchain's dominant consensus method, Proof-of-Work (PoW), which consumes more energy than Malaysia and Sweden and further deteriorates the environment through carbon emissions. This study is the first systematic evaluation of PoW consensus-based blockchain applications' environmental consequences. We found 11 significant Theories, 6 Contexts, and 26 Methodologies (TCM) in 60 reviewed articles. We propose an Antecedents, Drivers, and Outcomes (ADO) model, which depicts that marginal profits drive high energy consumption and carbon emissions, with non-renewable energy proportionally responsible for carbon emissions. The article distinctively uses an integrated TCM-ADO framework for literature synthesis and the PESTLE framework for reporting future research areas. This is the first study to use the following four frameworks: PRISMA; TCM; ADO; and PESTLE for systematic literature review. Profit is identified as one of the most significant drivers of energy consumption and further carbon emissions. The article proposes 65 future research areas and makes theoretical contributions to the literature that may interest academicians, practitioners, and social stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy is the most important issue to focus on as it contributes to economic development and social growth. Buildings were identified to significantly impact energy usage, where 40% of global energy comes from buildings. Nowadays, many buildings in a tropical climate are equipped with air-conditioners as it is seen as the fastest way to cool down buildings. However, this action impacts the environment. One of the affected buildings that are equipped with air-conditioners is a mosque. However, minimal attention has been given to mosques even though this type of building has a significant total space as other commercial buildings. Furthermore, mosques have a unique pattern of occupancy and energy use. While the major contributor to buildings' energy consumption comes from the roof, scarce information is found regarding roof design and energy consumption for air-conditioned mosques in Malaysia. The study aims at exploring the roof types of mosques in the Klang Valley. The objectives are 1) to identify mosques with air-conditioners in the Klang Valley built between 1998 and 2018, 2) to characterize and classify the specific roof types designed for these identified mosques, and 3) to investigate building energy intensity for mosque buildings in the Klang Valley. This paper presents a taxonomy study to classify roof design for air-conditioned mosques in Klang Valley. The study showed that the flat roof demonstrated high energy consumption and cost. The use of HVLS fans and the association with air-conditioners probably increased the building energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several mathematical models have been developed in the past to consider reliability when designing energy systems. However, these models focus on the system reliability which only considers the operability of the system. Hence, a reliability indicator called supply reliability is introduced to explicitly assess an energy system's reliability meeting the desired energy demand. Besides, previous models can only allocate equipment with identical sizes and equipment reliability. This could overdesign systems and ignore the possibility of allocating a combination of different equipment sizes and reliability. This paper presents a combinatory matrix methodology for allocating equipment with different sizes and reliabilities to improve supply reliability of an energy system design. This combinatory matrix method is a novel feature that allows decision-makers to efficiently evaluate various configurations of equipment based on size and reliability. A case study consisting of a power distribution network is first presented and solved as a pedagogical example to illustrate the methodology and features of the proposed approach. Then, a large-scale power system case study in Malaysia combining existing conventional power equipment and a palm-based bioelectricity supply chain is solved. Based on the optimized results, the redundancy allocated increased the energy generated from the bioelectricity supply chain by 74.14% and cost by 82.96% to achieve the desired energy demand at high supply reliability. This allows decision-makers to determine the cost associated with improving supply reliability for an energy system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, the rising concentration of anthropogenic greenhouse gases emission in the atmosphere is extremely detrimental to the environment. The high concentration among all greenhouse gases is carbon dioxide emission. Therefore, this study explores the linkages between energy consumption, trade openness, globalization, urbanization, and carbon dioxide emission for Malaysia over the spans from 1978 to 2018. ARDL bound testing model was employed to investigate involvement in the elevation of carbon dioxide emissions in the economy. The study illustrates that a 1% growth in energy consumption, trade openness, and urbanization will deteriorate the environment by 0.18%, 0.03%, and 2.51% respectively. Further, variance decomposition analysis predicts that all the determinants in the study have significantly caused carbon dioxide emission in Malaysia. The paper presents scientific support for further studies and argues for the use of innovation shocks as a policy instrument for a prosperous future by formulating more successful environmental policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electricity generation from the sea has many advantages in comparison with other renewable energy resources. Power can be generated from new or existing barrages. Based on previous location research, a suitable system to produce tidal range energy from a potential site was developed in this paper. The main objective of this research is to calculate the energy output of the Kuching Barrage of Sarawak State of Malaysia. The daily flushing process of Kuching Barrage is conducted during the low tide period and therefore to put up the ebb generation process is appropriate. The calculated period of power generation is determined to about 6 hours. The annual energy output is calculated based on a theoretical method, with the average daily potential energy calculated to be 5.8MW and approximately 10.23GWh/year could be harnessed. This research can be beneficial for energy generation with the use of a double basin scheme for the construction of new barrages in East Malaysia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Daily human activities generate greenhouse gases. The total emission of greenhouse gases is called the carbon footprint and is expressed in carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) units. As a new educational institution, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) began to take part in an Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) programme that supports the reduction in carbon emissions. In this study, the total amount of CO2 produced from UTM during 4 years was measured under three categories: (1) the emissions from the fleet of university vehicles for public transportation, (2) the electricity and water emissions, and (3) the emissions produced by staff and student transportation, waste generation, paper, and maintenance by contractors. The special evaluation method is an alternative method to calculate greenhouse gases and measures all elements/sources of greenhouse gases under the same functional unit. This reference helps the assessor to avoid the double measurement of anthropogenic gases. The study results demonstrated that air transportation utilised by university students and employees and electricity usage contributed to 34.74%, 19.37%, and 18.19% of the carbon emissions, respectively. The total CO2 emissions from the three sources over 4 years were 48.442 MT. The data on the carbon footprint of the university can form the basis for monitoring, evaluation, and regulation of greenhouse gas emissions in Malaysia. Moreover, the university constructed and operates a smart house, a large solar parking lot with a capacity of 10 MW, uses solar and wind-powered lighting, and encourages the use of bicycles and electric scooters to achieve an annual reduction in the total CO2 emissions intensity. The results of this study suggested that a carbon reduction project could encourage university members and public society to an understanding of the environment and allowing UTM to become a centre of excellence for the operation of a green campus for urban areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper empirically examines the relationship between energy efficiency, CO2 emissions, foreign direct investment, exports, and real gross domestic product at both aggregate and disaggregate levels in Malaysia based on an autoregressive distributed lag approach. The annual data for the period of 1971–2013 are employed. The results indicate that energy efficiency Granger causes economic growth at the aggregate level, but not in each of the three main sectors (primary, secondary, and tertiary) of the economy. Another important finding of the study is that the export-led growth hypothesis is found to be valid in Malaysia at both the aggregate and disaggregate levels. The results of our study also confirm the fact that CO2 emissions do affect the overall economic performance and growth in all sectors, except for the primary sector. This finding implies that pollution from both secondary and tertiary sectors has led to economic growth in Malaysia. Moreover, it is also discovered that foreign direct investment does not have a significant impact on economic growth in Malaysia. The results of this study are essential for policymakers of Malaysia in designing appropriate policies in each sector that can lead to robust growth in the country. In addition to focusing on enhancing energy efficiency and promoting foreign direct investment, the policymakers should also start to look for alternative strategies to ensure long-term economic growth in the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study presents the bin weather data for four cities in the tropical region and its significance in the building energy analysis. The bin weather data for four cities in Malaysia, which are Bayan Lepas, Kuala Terengganu, Senai and Kuching, were generated. The bin weather data are in the range from 18 to 38 °C with 2 °C intervals and tabulated based on six 4-h shifts. Since there is a lack of updated bin weather data in Malaysia, the present paper provides valuable data for engineers and designers to conduct an energy analysis using the bin method in this region. This data may also serve as an important reference for all tropical regions with similar weather characteristics. Energy analysis is an important tool for estimating the energy usage of a building in order to minimize energy wastage and maximize energy efficiency. The significance of applying bin weather data in energy analysis is also investigated using a case simulation. When the mean outdoor temperature of occupied period is used in simulation, the results deviate less than 1.6% from the results with the bin weather data, but the deviation rises up to 16.68% with the use of the annual mean outdoor dry bulb temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malaysia is one of the leading producers and exporters of oil palm, and the industry contributes significantly to the growth of the national economy. Nonetheless, the consequential oil palm biomass (OPB) with a potential yield of ∼97 million tonnes annually presents both challenges and opportunities, demanding innovative waste management solutions. This paper explores the feasibility of converting OPB into valuable commodities by employing concentrated solar-driven pyrolysis. A detailed overview of the biomass produced from oil palm plantations and mills is provided, along with a discussion of the industry stakeholders and associated biomass management challenges. The pyrolysis of OPB is explored, emphasizing benefits, potential barriers, and techniques. The focus then shifts to Malaysia's solar potential, which ranges from 1470 to 1900 kWh/m2 annually. The potentials of solar pyrolysis are explored, encompassing discussions on solar concentrator types, reactors, and the distribution of solar and OPB resources throughout Malaysia. The paper then recommends Tawau in Sabah, as an ideal location for OPB solar pyrolysis, due to its solar availability (up to 1873 kWh/m2), potential OPB resources from 19 mills and 241 plantations, and supportive infrastructure. The paper proposes solar-driven pyrolysis as a sustainable solution for Malaysia's OPB management, offers insights for policy initiatives and technological innovations in optimizing OPB and solar energy utilization. • Analyzes oil palm biomass potential for solar pyrolysis in Malaysia. • Explores solar resources in Malaysia for solar-driven pyrolysis. • Examines solar concentrators and reactors for pyrolysis. • Identifies potential city, as the optimal location for solar pyrolysis. • Discusses commercialization challenges of solar-driven pyrolysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid global economic development over the past two decades has been accompanied by rising energy demand and CO 2 emission rates. Understanding the driving forces of CO 2 emissions is necessary for future energy planning and policy formulation. This paper examines the driving factors behind the increase in CO 2 emissions in Malaysia with special focus on the manufacturing, electricity and transportation sectors. The paper extends the Kaya identity by incorporating energy mix, investment efficiency, capital-labor substitution, population-to-employment, urbanization rates, and per capita CO 2 , along with the standard variables including economic activity, economic structure, and energy intensity. The paper also evaluates if any macroeconomic instability (economic crisis) in the country has led to reduction in emission rates. The study utilizes the latest country data, covering the period 2002–2016. The result shows that, while economic activity is always associated with CO 2 emissions, more efficient energy use would help restrain the rise in emission rates without hampering economic growth regardless of economic structure. Emission reduction targets in Malaysia should be reinforced with an appropriate economic restructuring that restrains the economic structure effect. Due to the extensive energy use in the transportation and electricity generation, future emission control should focus more on these sectors. • The paper identifies the factors affecting CO 2 emissions, considering the economic, technical, and social aspects. • The study investigates whether the economic downturn induces further emission control. • Results indicate economic activities and urbanization process are the main driving factors. • Energy efficiency, renewable energy use, and capital-labor substitution should be strengthened. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malaysia demonstrates its commitment to alleviating the negative climate and energy issues through various initiatives. One of the latest initiatives is the amendment of the net-energy metering (NEM) scheme that takes effect from 2019. This paper presents the distribution of energy to the residential house that has a grid-connected solar photovoltaic (PV) system installed. The study quantifies the percentage of energy consumed from the PV system and the grid as well as the percentage of PV generated energy that is exported to the grid. On average, 38% of generated energy was used for selfconsumption that contributed to 28% of the total consumption. Economic evaluation over a 25-year lifecycle of the PV system is also conducted shows that the simple payback period for NEM 2019 and NEM 2016 is 8 years and 20 years, respectively. The latest version of NEM shows a superior advantage compared to the previous one which may attract more investments in PV generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the determinants of carbon dioxide emission with special emphasis on tourism development in Malaysia. Within a multivariate framework, which includes real GDP, energy consumption, financial development, and urbanization, cointegration and causality tests were applied to determine the relationship in the variables. The results reveal long-run relationships between the series and a positive unidirectional long-run causality running from tourist arrivals and the other series to pollution. The study fails to establish any causal relationship between tourism and economic growth in the long-run. These findings suggest that tourist arrivals are active contributors to pollution, but arrivals do not translate into sufficient upsurge in GDP. It is recommended that policy-makers should entrench cleaner energy programmes in their tourism development policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a survey was conducted on a residential condominium to estimate energy use by different household appliances along the lighting energy estimation in public areas. It has been found that about 2.17 GWh of energy is used in the condominium annually by different types of household appliances and lightings in public areas. As there is significant potential to reduce the energy used, different energy savings measures have been applied and energy savings, bill savings, life cycle cost analysis have been estimated and presented in this paper. It has been found that a cumulative amount of 2.4 GWh of energy can be saved for about 10 years with the implementation of different energy savings strategies proposed for appliances and lighting in public areas. However, good maintenance practices and good energy management practices should be employed continuously to maintain high energy efficiency and high performance of the equipment used and the entire building. It has been found that some of the measures like reducing air conditioning load and reducing heat gain through window tinting are economically very viable as payback period is very short. More advantageously, some of the measures can be implemented without investing significant cost. Ultimately, a key driver in the success of energy efficiency is the education and attitude of the stakeholders in the building industry, and end users who are committed to practice energy saving measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global depletion of fossil fuels, growing awareness on the effects of carbon emissions and greenhouse gases and, the need for renewable energy, has increased the attention towards biocoke research and active engagement with various research groups and industrial players. Biocoke production and utilisation is crucial as it contributes to the efficient management of agricultural residue and municipal solid waste. The technologies involved in the biocoke production and the viability of Malaysia's agricultural waste as a feedstock was described in this paper. In addition, the paper provided background information about the biocoke characteristics and the feedstocks that dictate quality. Comparisons of commercial coal coke and biocoke production technologies that may be applicable to Malaysia were also addressed. Moreover, the paper demonstrated the challenges towards Malaysia's biocoke commercialisation despite its viability from biomass feedstocks characteristics, availability, and evidence of calorific value estimations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to fully assess the potential of a photovoltaic (PV) application on a building's façade, the amount of energy generated and the cost of the PV installation must be analysed during the design process to enable the designer, investor and end-user to make decisions regarding the implementation of renewable technologies. This paper focuses on the financial evaluation of a vertical PV façade system on a high-rise building in Malaysia, using the System Advisor Model developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory of Malaysia, based on five possible design scenarios that all use an amorphous silicon heterojunction module with a nominal efficiency of 15.6%. According to our financial analysis, the payback period for a vertical PV system would be about 12 years, while that of a horizontal system would be 6 years. On average, a PV system on a vertical façade would be able to save 8400-17 000 USD each month compared to a PV roof installation (about 5200 USD each month). This shows that PV installations on vertical façades of high-rise buildings could be implemented in Malaysian climate conditions. With a careful design approach, this could open up a new demographic in the Malaysian built environment and Renewable Energy industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing in oil consumption and ridiculous prices has caused the urgency for the main global oil industry players to search new alternative fuels which is biofuels. Biodiesel is better option to replace the crude oil due to its similar characteristics and sustainable. This paper will review the biodiesel produced and implementation from palm oil in Malaysia and current engine research that related to palm oil. Precedency given to the palm oil as it is main raw stock for biodiesel produced in Malaysia. Among scopes of this paper are to discuss current issues related to the palm biodiesel production and specific use in diesel engines. Another issue that arisen for Malaysia is to promote the palm oil as the alternative fuel that meets the stringent regulations and standards in Europe and North America. This paper also briefly covers the continuous global biodiesel consumption trend including the constraints that faced by Malaysia for leading the global biodiesel market with the benefits and drawbacks of palm oil biodiesel as an alternate fuel compared to the other common biodiesel sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to investigate long-run relationship between economic growth and disaggregated energy consumption in Malaysia. Toda-Yamamoto (T-Y), the modified Granger causality test, along with annual disaggregated energy and real GDP growth data from 1971 to 2014 was used in the investigation process. This paper presents several outcomes; firstly, this paper argues that the Malaysian economy is energy dependent and sensitive to energy supply shocks. Secondly, the usage of energy inputs in Malaysian economy is found to be consumed inefficiently meaning that usage of higher energy resources does not contribute the economic growth significantly, rather causes environmental pollution badly. Thirdly, the finding indicates that economic growth and environmental pollution through spreading carbon emissions are responsive to each other. In this circumstance, the Malaysian economy has to find a way to consume the energy inputs efficiently so that economic growth is improved, while negative externality in the environment is reduced. Therefore, the study presents significant policy implications in order to improve the energy efficiency and reduce environmental pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine to what extent religious work values such as Islamic work values (IWVs) could have an influence on sustainable work behaviours and sustainable energy consumptions among employees in the workplace.Design/methodology/approach Data were collected through survey questionnaires. The sample consisted of 264 Muslim employees who work in the private and public organisations in Malaysia. Structural equation modelling was conducted using a second-order model.Findings The results showed that religious values (i.e. IWVs) have a significant relationship with sustainable work behaviours and sustainable energy consumptions. The effect on sustainable work behaviours was stronger than its effect on sustainable energy consumptions.Practical implications This study suggests that the policy makers and pundits should pay attention to employees rather than focussing on just the CEO or the managers as the key players in the industries. This would help reduce the emissions of greenhouse gasses and other environmental degradations.Originality/value With regard to sustainability, past studies have mostly used general values rather than religious values in analysing work behaviours or energy consumptions. Furthermore, most previous studies have used behavioural intentions in their theory and concepts when explaining sustainable behaviours. This study extends the literature by conceptualising the value-attitude-behaviour theory which focusses on actual behaviours rather than on intentions in explaining the effect of religious work values on sustainable behaviours and energy consumptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smart grid (SG) has contributed much to enhance energy efficiency as well as the energy sector utilizing energy informatics (EI). There have been many smart tasks and services implemented to perform energy related operations. Energy-optimized solutions for smart buildings, demand response, and energy-use prediction are some examples that efficiently exploited SG conception. In this line, EI has been exploited to enhance the performance of such energy related operations. However, there are lots of challenges so as a result, performances can be then affected. Many obstacles need to be discovered and corresponding solutions proposed in order to solve the majority of them. As a result, this study attempts to explain a number of issues that are encountered throughout the implementation of SG and provide critical ways to overcome them. In this paper, a case study of Malaysia is provided and discussed in terms of implementation of SG and key strategies proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to increasing energy consumption, there has been a significant expansion in worldwide trade, leading to the emergence of severe environmental issues. This situation is further compounded by the non-negotiable requirement to simultaneously mitigate environmental degradation and achieve economic progress. To ensure a healthier future, it is imperative to identify and address the factors that contribute to environmental contamination. The purpose of this study is to examine how Malaysia's carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are affected by energy consumption, economic growth, and the economic complexity index (ECI). Time series data from 1997 to 2020 are used in this study, along with the autoregressive distributed lag model. The environmental Kuznets curve theory holds true in Malaysia, according to the study's findings, and energy use has a negative impact on CO2 emissions. There is also evidence suggesting that a higher ECI is linked with increased levels of CO2 emissions over a prolonged period. Malaysia's main export, electrical and electronic goods, generates substantial CO2 emissions during the manufacturing process. The outcomes of this research have important ramifications for environmental strategies concerning the mitigation of CO2 emissions. The electrical and electronics industries can implement energy-efficient technologies and practices in manufacturing processes. This would include upgrading to more efficient machinery, optimizing production schedules, and reducing idle times. It is also crucial to work with governments and industry bodies to advocate for policies that support sustainable manufacturing practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Malaysia, wetland rice is cultivated over two cropping seasons: the main season, from June to November, and the off-season, from January to June. The aim of this study was to investigate tillage operations in rice production in relation to actual field operations and under real field conditions for two rice cultivation seasons. The results showed that 80.7%, 17%, and 2.3% of the total time was spent on the actual operation, turning time, and reversing time, respectively. The results also showed that the mean effective field capacity, field efficiency, and fuel consumption were 1.2 ha/h, 80%, and 7.6 L/ha, respectively. The distribution of energy used in the first, second, and third tillage passes amounted to 37%, 33%, and 30% of the total energy, respectively. Fuel, machinery, and total GHG emissions were 62.4, 7.6, and 70 kg CO2eq/ha, respectively. Fuel represented the highest contributor of energy expenditure and GHG emissions. The distributions of GHG emissions in the first, second, and third tillage passes were 37%, 32%, and 31% of the total GHG emissions. The results reveal that carrying out minimum-tillage operations led to a reduction in environmental impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A medium-sized combine harvester has been recently deployed to harvest newly introduced high-value glutinous rice in Malaysia. Thus, efficient utilisation of combine harvesters during harvest is essential to minimise operating costs and grain loss. This study evaluated a medium-sized combine harvester's performance and energy consumption for harvesting glutinous rice. The experiment was carried out on a one-hectare paddy field with three sub-plots using a central composite design (CCD). A time-motion study was conducted during the harvesting operation to determine the combine harvester's performance parameters, which included field operating speed (FS), field efficiency (FE), theoretical field capacity (TFC), effective field capacity (EFC), grain throughput capacity (GTC), fuel consumption (FC) and field machine index (MI). The energy expended during the operation, which included machinery energy (ME), fuel energy (FCE), human energy (HE), and total energy (TE) input, were also computed. The average FS, FE, TFC, EFC, FC, and MI values were 2.42 km/h, 59.78%, 0.56 ha/h, 0.33 ha/h, 14.89 l/ha, and 0.30, respectively. The mean values of ME, FCE, HE, and TE were 305.35, 711.69, 3.62, and 1020.66 MJ/ha, respectively. The combine harvester achieved an average grain throughput capacity (GTC) of 1796.91 kg/h, demonstrating its effectiveness in handling glutinous rice harvesting. The average time distribution for the harvesting operation, such as effective harvesting time, turning/reversing time, and unloading time, was 1.85 h/ha, 0.38 h/ha, and 1.05 h/ha, respectively. Based on the results, it is concluded that the medium-sized combine harvester is technically and economically suitable for harvesting glutinous rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study addresses the effects of densification at varied pelletization temperatures on the novel Malaysian Khaya senegalensis wood-derived pellets biomass fuel characteristics. The lack of comprehensive understanding regarding the biomass fuel characteristics of this species prompted the research. By addressing this knowledge gap, this study explores the impact of temperature variations on key fuel properties, contributing to the optimization of sustainable biomass fuel production in manufacturing and materials processing. Khaya senegalensis wood, grown and harvested in Malaysia, was pelletized at different temperatures to analyze the calorific value, volatile matter content, ash content, fixed carbon, bulk density, and moisture contents of the pellets. The experimental data revealed a significant relationship between temperature and these fuel properties. Pelletizing at 75 °C produced the highest calorific value of 19.47 MJ/kg and the maximum fixed carbon content of 10.04%. A low ash level of 4.26% was achieved via pelletizing at 75 °C. According to the results, 75 °C produced the best thermophysical properties. These findings provide valuable understanding of how pelletization temperature influences fuel pellet thermophysical properties, a critical aspect in optimizing fuel pellet production, storage, advancing renewable energy resource utilization, and, finally, promoting a cleaner and more sustainable energy future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, the transportation sector alone consumes more than 40% of the total energy consumption in Malaysia. Developed countries around the world have implemented a fuel economy standard for motor-vehicles. This paper attempts to predict the amount of fuel savings and the subsequent economic and environmental impact in the transportation sector by implementing a minimum fuel economy standard for personal vehicles in Malaysia. The calculations are based on the growth of vehicle ownership data in Malaysia. The ownership of private vehicles in Malaysia has rapidly risen from 2,553,574 in 1995 to 6,941,996 in 2006. By implementing the program in 2010 about 15 Gl of fuel can be saved by the end of the year 2018. This correlates to about RM42 billion (1US$ = RM 3.5) in bill savings and 36 million tones of carbon dioxide reductions. This study finds that implementing fuel economy standard for motor-vehicles in Malaysia will provide significant amount of fuel and emission reductions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper assesses the potential mitigation of emissions by implementing minimum energy performance standard (MEPS) for residential TVs in Malaysia. The ownership of TVs in Malaysian household has increased rapidly over the past three decades. The number has increased from 186,036 units in 1970 to 2,741,640 units in 1991 and is predicted to be about 7,292,931 units in the year 2015. To reduce energy consumption in the residential sector, the Department of Electricity and Gas Supply is considering implementing MEPS for TVs in the coming year. In this study the potential reduction of emissions as a result of implementing MEPS is calculated. It has been estimated that the implementation of MEPS for residential TVs would reduce approximately 57,837,060 kg of CO2, 351,114 kg of SO2, 164,609 kg of NOx and 34,777 kg of CO emissions during the standard period of 10 years. These emissions reduction will eventually enable us to control environmental impacts such as global warming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs)/Electric vehicles (EVs) have recently been re-established in the transportation sector worldwide. These are enhancements over their ancestors in terms of both performance and electric driving range. Although the uptake of PHEV/EVs has been noteworthy in a short time frame amongst most governmental strategies, however, adoption is still a challenge. To date, public attitudes towards PHEV/EVs have been considered under very diverse conceptual frameworks. This paper reviews a growing body of peer- reviewed literatures assessing the factors affecting PHEV/EVs adoption. Malaysia is a major energy consuming country and, given the rapid growth in its economy, the energy consumption level is expected to continue growth. Hence, it is imperative that steps are taken to reduce harmful carbon emissions. Consequently, attempts are being initiated to popularise the use of PHEV/EVs as the main mode of transportation. However, it is important to take the three main features of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) model, namely the attitude towards the PHEV/EVs' adoption, Subjective Norm (SN), and Perceived Behavioural Control (PBC) into account. The consumers' concerns regarding the harmful effect of carbon emissions should be addressed. In this paper, the significance of encouraging the adoption of PHEVs/EVs is explained and some guidelines that might be followed in the upcoming researchers are mentioned. Furthermore, the implications for the design of effective measures to change the frail social and personal norms to choose PHEVs/EVs are also discussed. The collective outcome of 'hyperbolic discounting' has a direct effect between the consumers' environmental concern-based intention and the actual adoption of PHEVs/EVs. Hence, this paper is aimed to conceptualise a framework created by amending the environmental concerns towards PHEVs/EVs. This will allow more academic consideration, and it may direct future researchers towards the empirical findings on environmental concerns and hyperbolic discounting through the proposed conceptual framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Application of solar energy in Malaysia has been started in 1998. This country has a large potential of solar energy due to its location at equatorial region. The current energy consumption and demand in Malaysia is describes in this paper. The potential of solar energy in Malaysia is described together with the suitable photovoltaic construction. It also explains the plans conducted by Malaysia involving solar energy that covers investments and also projects involved such as Malaysia Building Integrated Photovoltaic (MBIPV). Simulation of grid-connected photovoltaic system in this study is performed using HOMER software. Finally, the potential of having a grid-connected PV system in a residential area is analyzed. The positive and negative findings in terms of cost and suitability of the system are explained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Present paper analyzes the interrelations between output, energy consumption, and carbon emissions in light of Malaysia’s development experience from a commodity-based economy to an industrial-based economy by means of a vector autoregression (VAR) framework. The results suggest substantial interactions among the three variables. Moreover, manufacturing output tends to exert persistent influences on carbon emissions, energy consumption, and non-manufacturing output. Meanwhile, the significant causal relations from non-manufacturing output to energy variables are found for first few years. These results are robust to the inclusion of additional variables – namely, trade openness, investment, and population – in the system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable development has many dimensions, such as clean energy, green growth, and sustainable industry. Green finance has a key role in realizing these targets. The core focus of the existing paper is to demystify the influences of green finance, green energy on environmental dynamics in Malaysia covering the timeframe from 1990 to 2018. To this end, we employ the QARDL technique to peruse the effect of green finance, renewable energy, and economic growth on CO 2 emissions and ecological footprint separately. By doing so, we crosscheck the empirical outcomes and inspect the consistency of the analysis. Firstly, empirical results show that the ecological footprint model yields similar results to the CO 2 emissions model in terms of statistically significant quantile ranges and the magnitude of the coefficients. According to the overall results, GDP increases environmental degradation while green finance and renewable energy have a mitigating role. Finally, we confirm a significant EKC hypothesis for Malaysia. Based on these findings, we recommend Malaysian policymakers focus on energy efficiency, realize financial reforms and promote green energy through the financial system to achieve the 2050 net-zero emission target. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As of 2022, roughly 79.8% of Malaysia's population resides in urban areas, increasing the population density of its cities. The hot and humid climate in Malaysia necessitates the constant use of air conditioning, especially in cities, resulting in high residential electric consumption and carbon emissions. The residential sector significantly contributes to global climate change, accounting for 27% of global energy consumption and 17% of carbon emissions. To address this concern, the local framework of the National Low Carbon Cities Masterplan (NLCCM) is advocating for a minimum 33% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030 in urban settings, aligning with the commitments made at the 15th Conference of Parties (COP 15). The aim of this study was to determine the energy consumption and carbon emission of residential areas in a tropical city, as well as explore potential energy and carbon savings. Utilizing the Intelligent Communities Lifecycle–Intelligent Community Design (iCL-iCD) energy simulation software, a digital twin of Bertam City, Penang, was developed. This digital model included 65.4% residential housing, which, in the specific scenario under study, accounted for 36% of the city's electrical energy consumption for cooling purposes only. An early simulation of the residential areas of the city estimated the baseline energy consumption and carbon emissions to be 607 GWh and 314,736 tCO2e, respectively. Several energy-efficient measures were applied to the residential area of Bertam City, revealing a potential saving of 37.3% in both energy and carbon emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reducing environmental impacts in transport motivates many studies to offer more sustainable freight services. However, most methodologies focus on impacts from fuel consumption, and approaches trying to integrate other transport components have not facilitated its application to actual and specific transport services. In this study, we present a harmonized approach to address the transport services with a holistic way to increase the knowledge about hotspots of the transport sector based on the life cycle assessment methodology. In this framework, vehicle manufacturing, fuel production, and infrastructure construction are the key transport components around the traffic process. Besides fuel usage, the operation and maintenance of vehicles and infrastructures are also included. We developed a tool to create the life cycle inventories for each transport component to be applied to specific transport services in any location with a comprehensive view and low uncertainty in the results. This approach was applied to road-freight services in Colombia, Malaysia, and Spain. The main results showed the nature and origin of the environmental impacts, which are highly influenced by the emissions control technologies, road characteristics, and traffic volume. The contribution of atmospheric pollutants per tonne-km can decrease by a quarter when Euro VI trucks on highways instead of conventional trucks on single-lane roads are used. However, these contributions are highly affected by fuel production due to the origin of biofuels. The proposed methodology provides relevant information to estimate transport impacts in the life cycle assessment of products with superior precision and identify strategies for systemically improving sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The most important question raised from issues of environmental degradation is how economic activities bring about changes that will result in pollution. In the pursuit of tourism economy, contrary to popular interest, the travel and tourism (T&T) industry may cause environmental damages through the emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) from energy consumption in areas such as transportation and delivery of amenities. Given this major concern, this paper attempts to investigate the linkage between tourism and CO2emissions in Malaysia between 1981 and 2011. In particular, this study fills the knowledge gap by taking a closer look at the impact of international tourist arrivals on CO2emissions by sector – electricity and heat generation and transport. Results from the bound test method suggest that there exists a long-run relationship among the variables under consideration when CO2emissions become the dependent variable. The original result is similarly robust to alternatives, which are CO2emissions from sectors of electricity and heat generation and transport. Furthermore, the vector error correction model causality analysis indicates a causal relationship between tourism and CO2emissions by transport and electricity and heat generation. Subsequently, several tourism-related policies are drawn from these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Energy consumption for developing countries is sharply increasing due to the higher economic growth due to industrialisation along with population growth and urbanisation. The increasing demand of energy leads to global energy crisis. Selecting the best energy technology and conservation requires both quantitative and qualitative evaluation criteria. The fuzzy set-based approach is one of the well-known theories to handle fuzziness, uncertainty in decision-making and vagueness of information. This paper proposes a new method of intuitionistic fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (IF-AHP) to deal with the uncertainty in decision-making. The new IF-AHP is applied to establish a preference in the sustainable energy planning decision-making problem. Three decision-makers attached with Malaysian government agencies were interviewed to provide linguistic judgement prior to analysing with the new IF-AHP. Nuclear energy has been decided as the best alternative in energy planning which provides the highest weight among all the seven alternatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the year 2000 in Malaysia, national government has identified appropriate implementation strategies for the development and utilisation of renewable energy sources. A target of obtaining 5% of the total energy supply from renewable sources was set, although it has not yet been reached. A lot of studies were carried out about potential technological, economic, social, or politics barriers to renewable energy development in Malaysia. Although important, there is a necessity for multi aspect investigation of these barriers. By applying a theoretical framework, this paper seeks to examine expert perceptions and understanding of the barriers to renewable energy development in Malaysia. This study shows that barriers to renewable energy cannot be explained only by one factor in separation. The results of this study indicate that, the intention to use renewable energy is influenced by the cost of renewable energy technology. From the analysis of the opinions of the respondents, it can be said that best way to overcome these barriers is that the government should play a powerful leadership. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY Energy consumption has risen in Malaysia because of developing strategies and increasing rate of population. Depletion of fossil fuel resources, fluctuation in the crude oil prices, and emersion of new environmental problems due to greenhouse gasses effects of fossil fuel combustion have convinced governments to invest in development of power generation based on renewable and sustainable energy (RSE) resources. Recently, power generation from RSE resources has been taken into account in the energy mix of every country to supply the annual electricity demand. In this paper, the scenario of the energy mix of Malaysia and the role of RSE resources in power generation are studied. Major RSE sources, namely biomass and biogas, hydro-electricity, solar energy, and wind energy, are discussed, focusing more toward the electrical energy demand for electrification. It is found that power generation based on biomass and biogas utilization, solar power generation, and hydropower has enough spaces for more development in Malaysia. Moreover, minihydropower and wind power generation could be effective for rural regions of Malaysia. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The shortage of non-renewable power supplies and critical environmental issues such as climate change, urban sprawl, ozone layer depletion and excessive carbon emission are the main driving forces that urged many countries and non-profit organisations fully committed to seeking more sustainable energy sources and energy planning. Various Process Integration techniques have been developed, extended and utilized in the energy planning sector. Based on the literature review, the use of time-sliced based models in energy integration is still limited. This paper aims to develop time-sliced models that can be applied into an energy integration model that promises higher energy efficiency in power generation energy planning. To accomplish this, a two-stage framework involving (i) targeting and (ii) scheduling is proposed. The targeting step is to determine the minimum amount of renewable energy sources needed to meet the carbon emission limit whereas the scheduling step is to discover the optimal scheduling of introduced renewable energy sources to mitigate the total electricity bill. It is proposed that with the aid of adequate planning, the economic benefit of utilising renewable energy can be realized. A case study in Malaysia that incorporates an actual billing system is used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the model in reducing both carbon emission and energy cost simultaneously. With the use of the proposed framework and developed model, 46.9 % of electricity bill can be reduced while emission is reduced by 40 % compared to the initial emission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advancements in space technology have enabled the acquisition of reliable marine data, facilitating research on the potential of ocean renewable energy as an alternative source that can reduce dependency on fossil fuels, subsequently mitigating climate change. However, the ocean renewable energy development in Malaysia has not received adequate attention from local authorities and communities due to low resources in this area. Insufficient in-situ data, both in spatial and temporal dimensions, poses challenges in investigating the characteristics of ocean parameters, hindering a thorough study of the potential for ocean renewable energy development. Hence, this paper aims to identify potential ocean renewable energy development locations using the altimetry data and spatial-temporal clustering using the K-means technique. Theoretically, Malaysian seas are suitable for harnessing wind and waves with energy density ranges of up to 104.69 kW/m2 and 4.21 kW/m, respectively. This study enhances the understanding of Malaysian potential for ocean renewable energy, providing valuable information to stakeholders and the government to increase their interest in ocean renewable energy as a sustainable source for electricity generation in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to investigate organisational factors of blockchain adoption for carbon trading and energy efficiency. This study develops a new theoretical model based on technology, organisation and environment (TOE), and Diffusion of Innovation (DOI) theories to fill the literature gaps. The underpinning theories are utilised to capture the motivation of manufacturing industry firms to adopt blockchain technology while supporting carbon trading activities. Using survey data, we examine the perception of early adopters of blockchain technology and their relationships to energy efficiency. The results show that attributes such as the contract system, firm size, and compatibility significantly affect energy efficiency. Paradoxically, top management support, competitive pressure, regulatory support, relative advantage, and complexity were not, as prior literature suggests, crucial drivers. Adopting blockchain technology can help a firm improve business transparency, manage energy consumption, and provide a strong business case for firms in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Solar is one of the many sources of renewable energy, and Concentrating Solar Tower (CST) is one of the most potential technologies in extracting solar energy. Thermal efficiency of CST is high and suitable to be implemented in a tropical climate country such as Malaysia which is located between at 10 to 70 North latitude and 1000 to 1200 east longitude. Further, Malaysia's direct normal irradiation (DNI) in tropical climate is almost constant throughout a year with the irradiation around 1500 to 2000 kWh/m2. Therefore the aim of this paper is to mathematically calculate the CST field layout in Malaysia in term of thermal efficiency based on cosine efficiency, atmosphere efficiency and mirror efficiency. The preliminary result from this paper shows Malaysia is a suitable location to develop CST with average of atmospheric transmittance efficiency and cosine efficiency of 94% and 63% respectively and the overall optical field efficiency is 52%. In addition, the atmospheric transmittance and cosine efficiency has high value but the efficiency gradually decreases whenever the distance increases. Nevertheless further investigation in term of solar irradiation and raining pattern in Malaysia is needed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]