On the Potential of Solar Energy for Chemical and Metal Manufacturing Plants in Malaysia

Abstract

The manufacturing sector constitutes a cornerstone of Malaysia's economic landscape, significantly contributing to the nation's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This pivotal role, however, is accompanied by substantial energy requirements, placing the manufacturing sector among the highest energy consumers across various industries in the country. This study primarily focuses on assessing the solar energy potential within the manufacturing sector. The objectives encompass two key facets: firstly, simulating the attainable energy yield from a photovoltaic (PV) system integrated into manufacturing industry facilities, and secondly, evaluating whether the PV system's generated electricity aligns with the energy requirements of selected manufacturing sectors, namely chemical and metal manufacturing plants. Sixteen companies have been selected from the chemical and metallurgical sectors for this study. The design process for the solar photovoltaic systems within these facilities necessitates determining the factory's location and rooftop area. Additionally, assessing the total savings is imperative to gauge the viability of the solar energy generated by these manufacturing plants. Among the 16 companies analyzed, intriguingly, 5 companies have demonstrated the capacity to fully transition to solar energy to cater to their energy needs. Notably, one of these companies can harness solar power to meet an impressive 179.91% of their energy demand by optimizing available space for solar power generation. This transition could potentially translate into substantial savings exceeding RM1 million in electricity costs.