Energy Transition Now A Reality, No Longer A Future Agenda - TNB

By Maizatul Jamny Muhammad Rosli

KUALA LUMPUR, May 23 (Bernama) -- The nation’s energy transition is no longer a future agenda, but a transformation that is already taking place and will be experienced collectively by all Malaysians, says Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) Retail chief officer Datuk Kamal Arifin A. Rahman.

He said technological developments, including artificial intelligence (AI) and digitalisation, were becoming increasingly integrated into daily life, making energy transition a present-day necessity.

“Energy transition is no longer an option. It is already happening, and we will all go through it together. With its potential to improve the people’s quality of life, energy transition can create new opportunities and build a cleaner and more resilient Malaysia.

“Energy issues today are also becoming increasingly close to daily life, from electricity bills and supply stability to the cost of living. That is why energy transition is no longer merely a future agenda, but something that is already happening now,” he told Bernama in a recent interview.

In this regard, Kamal Arifin said the Energy Transition Conference 2026 (ETCon26), which will be held from June 3 to 5 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC), would gather about 2,000 participants and 80 speakers to discuss the future of inclusive energy and practical solutions for the people.

Themed “Energy & AI: The Synergy for Energy Transition”, he said the premier conference initiated by TNB would focus on three main pillars, namely Energy for AI, AI for Energy and Energy Transition for People.

According to Kamal Arifin, ETCon26 would continue the momentum following the launch of the National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR) during ETCon2023 by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

He said through the “Energy Transition for People” pillar, TNB wanted the public to understand that energy transition was not merely about technology, but a transformation that directly benefited daily life.

“AI is not just future technology, but it is already helping to make the electricity supply system smarter, more stable and more efficient. More importantly, we want the people to understand that the benefits of this technology will ultimately return to them, whether through better bill management, more stable supply or new economic opportunities,” he said.

Meanwhile, commenting on public concerns regarding electricity costs and supply stability, Kamal Arifin said TNB managed the balance between sustainability, affordability and supply security through the concept of the “Energy Trilemma”.

He said TNB was gradually expanding the use of renewable energy such as solar and hydro, so that more Malaysians and businesses could gain access to green energy.

At the same time, he said the Solar Accelerated Transition Action Programme (Solar ATAP), introduced earlier this year, also provided customers with rooftop solar solutions to support more sustainable energy use.

“We continue to strengthen the grid system and electricity supply infrastructure so that the people and industries can continue to enjoy a stable electricity supply 24 hours a day,” he said.

He added that green energy development was being implemented progressively to ensure electricity costs remained reasonable and affordable for the people.

Elaborating further, Kamal Arifin said the NETR was not merely an energy policy, but an economic development plan that opened opportunities for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), the local workforce and the younger generation.

He said renewable energy development, grid modernisation and smart energy technologies were creating a new economic ecosystem, including high-value job opportunities as well as the need for upskilling and reskilling.

He said among the initiatives currently being accelerated by TNB were Solar ATAP, Large Scale Solar (LSS), the Community Renewable Energy Aggregation Mechanism (CREAM), the Corporate Renewable Energy Supply Scheme (CRESS), electric vehicle (EV) ecosystem development and Smart Grid.

According to him, human capital development also remained a priority to produce more talent in technology, data, AI and green engineering.

“As such, TNB continues to support human capital development to build the skills of Malaysian youths, including those from the B40 group, so they can participate in and lead the future green economy,” he said.

Meanwhile, Kamal Arifin said members of the public were no longer merely electricity consumers, but could become more active energy managers through the use of smart meters and the myTNB application.

“In fact, more than 85 per cent, or over 7.5 million TNB customers, are now using myTNB to manage and monitor their accounts,” he said.

He said technologies such as Smart Meters, the Energy Budget feature in the myTNB application and the Time-of-Use (ToU) scheme enabled users to monitor electricity consumption and manage usage more strategically for savings.

ETCon26 will be held from June 3 to 5 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC), with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim scheduled to officiate the conference on the second day.

Members of the public can obtain more information and register via the official ETCon26 website at www.the-etconference.com using the promotional code ETCON26BERNAMA to enjoy special offers.

-- BERNAMA