Is Malaysia Ready for Sustainable Energy? Exploring the Attitudes toward Solar Energy and Energy Behaviors in Malaysia

Ai Ni Teoh, Yun Ii Go and Tze Chuen Yap
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Ai Ni Teoh: School of Social and Health Sciences, James Cook University, Singapore 387380, Singapore
Yun Ii Go: School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Heriot-Watt University Malaysia, Putrajaya 62200, Malaysia
Tze Chuen Yap: School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Heriot-Watt University Malaysia, Putrajaya 62200, Malaysia

World, 2020, vol. 1, issue 2, 1-14

Abstract: To meet the larger demand for electricity supply, Malaysia needs to achieve two main psychosocial conditions, among others—having the awareness of renewable energy and demonstrating energy-conserving behavior. To examine whether Malaysia has met these two conditions, we recruited 225 participants ( n = 109 women, n = 113 men, n = 3 did not indicate) to complete a series of questionnaires. The results showed that the public was aware of the option of solar energy but was not ready to install solar photovoltaic panels after being told the cost incurred. Furthermore, the public did not show satisfying energy-conserving behaviors. To boost the installation of solar power, increasing the public’s energy knowledge and implementing policies to reduce the installation cost might be helpful. These findings highlighted Malaysia’s low readiness for solar power and shed some light on what needs to be done to be better prepared for solar power.

Keywords: attitude toward renewable energy; energy-conserving behaviors; renewable energy; solar photovoltaic panel; solar power (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: G15 G17 G18 L21 L22 L25 L26 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 R51 R52 R58 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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