Socio-economic evaluation and incentive strategies for emerging solar technologies in Malaysia: bridging the gap to commercialization

Co-generation of electricity and heat using solar photovoltaic/thermal (PVT) collectors offers a high level of solar energy utilization and has increasingly attracted attention in both academic frameworks and industry portfolios. This work assesses critical socio-economic impacts and preferences of solar PVT energy harvesting from rooftops considering three criteria: public knowledge, awareness and acceptance, and personal interests. This assessment used questionnaires and conducted interviews with industry experts. The results showed that the products’ cost and efficiency are the primary driving factors for respondents' intent to purchase and install PVT systems, with weight percentages of 28.8% and 18.7%, respectively. In Malaysia, solar technology users are able to earn approximately RM 300–700/month benefiting from existing Feed-in Tariff schemes; however, 57% of respondents are willing to spend less than RM 10,000 for the initial setups. Approximately 60% of respondents reported that weather and temperature are significant pain points affecting the performance of solar technologies.