Do you know how it feels to have your soul briefly leave your body when your TNB bill arrives? We’ve all been there, yes. The worst part is that, with all that free sunlight beating on it every day, your roof is sitting there doing nothing while you’re busy berating the solar system malaysia.
Let’s dissect this in a Malaysian manner. Solar panels are no longer a fancy toy for the wealthy. After too many skyscrapers, prices have plummeted more severely than a karaoke performer. For a good home setup that would reduce your bills by 50% or more, we’re talking about RM20k to RM30k. Just for allowing your roof to eventually pay for itself, that would be equivalent to receiving a permanent 13th month’s wage.
The magic happens in the NEM 3.0 scheme. Use those credits at night and feed additional power back into the grid while you’re at work. It’s similar to pre-paid electricity, but the sun adds money to your account for free. Brilliant, huh?
If your roof cooperates, installation takes no more than two to three days, which is faster than the nasi lemak breakfast rush. The actual game of waiting? obtaining approval from TNB for everything. Bring your patience and your solar aspirations because it can take six to eight weeks.
“Won’t the weather screw everything up?” Pfft. Drama queens are not what these panels are. Like your makcik selling kuih by the side of the road, they will work rain or shine. Overcast day? They will continue to create, albeit less. The monsoon season? In fact, they get free cleaning from the rain. Compared to keeping a bonsai alive, maintenance is simpler: a quick look and perhaps a hose off if they appear unclean.
A nice truth that no one tells you is this: Those panels serve as your home’s enormous sun bonnet. Because the panels are absorbing the heat rather than your roof tiles, your upstairs may actually stay cooler. During the hottest parts of the day, your air conditioner may even get a break.
There are battery systems, but really? Avoid it unless you live in an area where blackouts occur more frequently than a Mat Rempit meeting. Those storage units still cost more than a month’s worth of teh tarik, and the grid serves as your “battery” with NEM.
With no up-front costs and immediate savings, solar leasing seems alluring. But it’s similar to renting versus purchasing a home. You’ll lose out greatly in the long run, even though it’s easier now. Owning your system is the best option if you can manage the money.
There is no dishonesty in the math. The majority of systems pay for themselves in five to seven years because electricity bills are only increasing (hint: not decreasing). Then? For next fifteen to twenty years, it’s pure profit. It’s like discovering cash in your old jeans every month.
Are you still undecided? Obtain three quotations. Examine the installers’ performance history. For your particular use, do the math. Some Malaysian households have switched from “maybe one day” to “why the hell not now” solar. The numbers may surprise you.
In summary, that sun has been freely roasting us for all these years. For once, it might as well pay off. Your pocketbook will appreciate it, and you could even begin to appreciate the warmth for once.
