Commercial solar in Malaysia typically pays back in 3 to 5 years (often faster for industrial sites) because businesses use most of their power in daytime. Under Solar ATAP, non-domestic systems can be up to 100% of maximum demand (capped at 1 MW) with export credits for 10 years. Infinergi designs, installs and finances systems from 10 kWp to 5 MWp+, including zero CAPEX PPAs.
Why commercial solar makes sense in Malaysia
Malaysian businesses use most of their electricity during the day, exactly when rooftop solar generates. Every kWh your panels produce and you use on site is a kWh you don't buy from TNB. Since July 2025 your bill also includes a monthly Automatic Fuel Adjustment (AFA), which can add a surcharge when fuel prices rise. Solar gives you a fixed-cost source of power for 25 years or more.
Solar schemes for businesses
| Option | How it works | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Solar ATAP | Replaced NEM. Non-domestic systems up to 100% of maximum demand (capped at 1 MW). Surplus exports are credited against your bill for a 10-year term. | Most commercial and industrial rooftops |
| Self-consumption | All solar is used on site with no export credit. Sized to your daytime base load. | Sites with high, steady daytime load |
| PPA / solar lease | An investor owns the system; you pay for the power or a fixed lease below your bill savings. | Businesses that want zero CAPEX |
| Outright purchase | You own the system and keep 100% of savings; tax incentives may apply. | Companies seeking maximum lifetime return |
How we size your system
Most solar companies size from roof area. We size from your actual load profile, using TNB billing data and, where useful, minute-by-minute IoT monitoring. That means:
- Higher self-consumption, so more of each kWh offsets your full tariff
- No oversizing that wastes export capacity
- A system that fits alongside efficiency measures and battery storage
| Segment | Typical system size | Typical payback | Typical bill offset |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial (offices, retail, hotels, hospitals, schools) | 10 kWp to 1 MWp | 3 to 5 years | 30 to 60% |
| Industrial (factories, warehouses) | 50 kWp to 5 MWp+ | 2 to 4 years | 40 to 80% |
Indicative ranges from Infinergi projects. Results depend on roof, load profile, tariff and programme rules.
Worked example: how payback is calculated
An illustrative 200 kWp rooftop system for a business with steady daytime load. These are assumptions to show the method, not a quote.
| Assumption | Value used |
|---|---|
| Annual yield | 1,250 kWh per kWp per year (Peninsular Malaysia, unshaded roof) |
| Annual generation | 200 kWp × 1,250 = 250,000 kWh |
| Value of each solar kWh | RM 0.40: the energy-related charges avoided, not the full average bill rate |
| First-year saving | 250,000 × RM 0.40 = RM 100,000 |
| Installed cost | RM 2,200 per kWp = RM 440,000 |
| Simple payback | RM 440,000 ÷ RM 100,000 = 4.4 years |
Sensitivity: payback changes with installed cost and with how much each solar kWh is worth on your tariff.
| Installed cost | RM 0.35/kWh | RM 0.40/kWh | RM 0.45/kWh |
|---|---|---|---|
| RM 1,900/kWp (RM 380k) | 4.3 yrs | 3.8 yrs | 3.4 yrs |
| RM 2,200/kWp (RM 440k) | 5.0 yrs | 4.4 yrs | 3.9 yrs |
| RM 2,500/kWp (RM 500k) | 5.7 yrs | 5.0 yrs | 4.4 yrs |
Not included: panel degradation (about 0.5% a year), inverter replacement, O&M costs, financing costs, and tax benefits such as GITA, which can shorten payback for qualifying companies. Your proposal models these for your actual roof, load profile and tariff.
Tax incentives: GITA
Under the Green Investment Tax Allowance (GITA Asset), qualifying Malaysian companies can claim an allowance of 60% of eligible solar capital expenditure, offset against up to 70% of statutory income. The equipment must be verified by MGTC and listed on MyHIJAU, and installed by a SEDA-registered contractor. The incentive now runs until 31 December 2030. Confirm your project's eligibility and the current terms with MGTC and your tax adviser.
From quote to live system
- Free site assessment: roof inspection, shading analysis, load profiling and tariff review.
- System design sized to your consumption, with panel and inverter selection.
- Approvals: we handle SEDA, Solar ATAP and TNB applications.
- Installation by a CIDB-certified crew, usually in 1 to 5 days.
- Commissioning and monitoring: live generation data from day one, plus ESG reporting.
Example: 180.7 kWp warehouse, Johor
An industrial warehouse with a large flat roof received a 180.7 kWp system designed around its production-hour load. Estimated savings are around RM 32,000 a month with an estimated 3.5-year payback. See more case studies.
Sources & further reading
- SEDA Malaysia: Solar ATAP and RE programmes
- MGTC: Green Investment Tax Incentives (GITA/GITE)
- Tenaga Nasional Berhad: tariffs
This guide is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules and incentives change; confirm details with the relevant authority or your advisers.