The Johor government plans to increase its solar energy generation capacity to 5 GW by 2030-31, as the Malaysian state’s growing data center sector continues to demand increasing amounts of electricity. The Johor state government had approved 65 data center projects, with 21 already operational, and expected to consume nearly 1.1 GW of electricity, while projects under construction or in the planning stage will require another 4 to 5 GW.
To ensure these new facilities do not affect public electricity supply, the Johor State Data Center Development Coordination Committee (JPPPDNJ) has been established to oversee proposed developments. The committee is chaired by Johor Housing and Local Government Committee chairman Datuk Mohd Jafni Md Shukor, with Lee ing Han, as deputy chairman.
All proposed data centre developments are required to obtain approval from the Committee prior to applying to the local authorities for planning permission. The committee also evaluates the power usage effectiveness (PUE) to ensure that electricity is used efficiently and in compliance with the prescribed regulations.
Lee Ting Han, state Investment, Trade, Consumer Affairs and Human Resources Committee chairman, described the initiative as part of efforts to maintain sufficient electricity supply for industrial and domestic consumers.
“Overall, these projects are expected to raise Johor’s solar generation capacity by about an additional 5 GW by 2030 or 2031 for channeling to data centres and large-scale industries,” Lee Ting Han told reporters on October 25, before the closing ceremony of the JTDC Mega Job Fair at the Tunku Mahkota Ismail Youth Centre in Iskandar Puteri, as per a report by The Edge Malaysia.
Lee also commented on the use of solar power, saying, “These are long-term plans because developing new electricity generation capacity takes a long time. Efforts to increase electricity generation through solar projects, off-grid solutions and new tenders issued by the Energy Commission are being actively pursued by both the Johor government and the federal government. We are confident that this careful planning will ensure an adequate electricity supply to support the growth of the data centre industry and other industrial developments in Johor.”
The Energy Commission, under the Ministry of Energy Transition and Water Transformation, has called for tenders to add 8 GW of capacity across Peninsular Malaysia, with a significant portion expected to be allocated to Johor.
Solar projects with a combined capacity of 4 GW are planned for Kota Tinggi and Mersing, with implementation expected to begin in stages from mid 2029, a separate 1 GW solar project is planned for Segamat.