Summary:
- Solar ATAP 2026: Malaysia’s new cost-neutral rooftop solar programme issued by the Energy Commission under official guidelines (GP/ST/No. 60/2025), launching 1 January 2026.
- Highlights: Fixed up to 10-year contract, single bi-directional meter, use-your-own-power first, surplus energy earns monthly energy-only credits (no cash, resets if unused), and easy online application.
- Who Can Join: TNB-registered homes (≤5kW/15kW) and businesses (≤100% max demand, capped at 1MW) with no sub-metering, not participating in existing FiT or NEM programmes unless terminated first.
- Requirements: All approvals, grid checks, and metering must comply with the latest national standards. Capacity or owner changes do not extend the contract term and require a new ATAP contract for the remaining period.
Solar ATAP: A Straightforward Guide to Malaysia’s New Rooftop Solar Scheme
Starting 1 January 2026, in line with the official Suruhanjaya Tenaga (Energy Commission) ruling, the Solar Accelerated Transition Action Programme (Solar ATAP) is a supported consumer solar programme under current national guidelines in Malaysia.
This guide explains eligibility, application, and contracts so you can decide if Solar ATAP delivers cost-neutral, clean energy for your property — no subsidies and no complicated payouts.
What Is Solar ATAP?
Solar ATAP is the new, unified solar scheme developed by the Energy Commission and implemented by SEDA Malaysia to streamline and enhance previous programmes. It enables homes, SMEs, and institutions to install rooftop solar with self-consumption as priority, monthly energy-only bill credits for surplus, and a transparent application process.
It is cost-neutral and designed so that all solar users only offset their own bill at the applicable energy rate, with credits resetting each month, giving applicants value in line with what they export — no more or less.
Programme Goals and Start Date
Officially launched 1 January 2026 (GP/ST/No. 60/2025), Solar ATAP has 4 goals:
- Give Malaysian consumers (homes, SMEs, and public) a stable, cost-neutral way to self-generate solar power
- Let users export surplus energy and receive energy-only credits with each monthly bill
- Clearly set out technical and procedural requirements for safe, systematic nationwide rollout
- Empower broader clean energy adoption without distorting the grid or introducing extra subsidies.
How Does it Differ from NEM, FiT, and SELCO
| FiT | NEM 3.0 | SELCO | ATAP 2026 |
| All export at FiT | Net-meter offset | Exports blocked | Exports allowed up to cap |
| Cash payout | 24-month credit | N/A | Credits must be used monthly, no rollover |
| ≤ 21 yrs | 10-year fixed contract | No set term | 10-year fixed contract |
| Dual meters | 2 meters | 1 meter | Single bi-directional meter |
| Subsidy funded | Cash rebate of up to RM4000 through SolaRiS. | None | Cost-neutral, no new subsidies |
ATAP stands out for monthly resets (credits forfeited if unused), a single bi-directional meter, and a strict non-extendable contract period of up to 10 years.
Who Can Apply?
Eligibility is strict:
- You must be a single TNB-registered consumer (no sub-metering/multi-tenant setups)
- Homes:
- Single-phase: Up to 5kW.
- Three-phase: Up to 15kW (above this, Connection Confirmation Check (CCC) may be required).
- Businesses/Public: Up to 100% maximum demand, subject to a 1MW cap. MD is based on the last 12 months or declared for new accounts.
- Multi-tenant premises (apartments/flats/condos) are excluded.
You can only join if you’re not participating in another solar export programme (FiT, NEM, SELCO) or you terminate your existing contract before joining Solar ATAP.
Who Is Excluded From this Programme?
Facilities with sub-meters or power generation exporting electricity other than under ATAP are not eligible.
How Billing and Export Credits Work
The scheme is built on true self-consumption: you use all your solar power first. Anything left is credited monthly (no carry forward) at the applicable energy rate for your segment:
- Domestic: Energy charge component of the tariff.
- Non-domestic: Average SMP for the 7am–7pm period).
Credits only offset the energy portion on a single TNB account. If there’s surplus after offset, you forfeit it. No cash is paid out, and credits do not apply to taxes or surcharges.
Offset Hierarchy: Self-Consumption, Then Monthly Credit
1. Self-consume: All solar power offsets your real-time TNB grid draw, reducing monthly costs.
2. Export Surplus: Any non-consumed energy is exported to the grid, accounted as monthly energy credits based on the applicable rate.
3. Bill Offset: Credits apply automatically to your energy use; you cannot carry them forward, cash them out, or use them for AFA/KWTBB or other non-energy charges.
Curious how ATAP performs in practice?
See successful real-world installs sized to Malaysian sun and demand in our Residential Portfolio and Commercial Project portfolios—proving how joining Solar ATAP makes economic sense for most sites.
Credit Rates for Domestic and Non-Domestic Users
Domestic: Surplus is credited at the applicable energy charge (energy-only portion) of the TNB tariff.
Non-domestic: Surplus credited at the monthly Average SMP, reflecting wholesale market price for 7am-7pm period.
No credits can apply to surcharges, fuel adjustments, or be paid as cash; energy-only offset applies.
Technical Checks Before Approval
Technical assessments apply based on system size and customer type, not uniformly to all applications.
CCC, CAS and PSS Studies Explained
- Connection Confirmation Check (CCC): Required for certain domestic and low-voltage systems above defined capacity thresholds; verifies standards compliance and grid suitability.
- Connection Assessment Study (CAS): Required mainly for non-domestic systems above 72kW, evaluating grid, transformer, and cable impact.
- Power System Study (PSS): Required for very large or high-voltage installations, modelling grid stability and fault impacts.
Metering Requirements
All ATAP sites must use a bi-directional (import/export) meter — installed or upgraded by TNB as required (PV or battery meters for owner monitoring remain optional and owner-managed).
Costs for meter, installation, and any grid upgrades are the applicant’s responsibility.
The Application Process
- Check TNB registration, ensure you’re not multi-tenant, and confirm your maximum demand or home phase
- Appoint a SEDA-registered PV provider
- Provide identity/company details, power demand record, TNB bill, design diagrams (SLD), stamped by qualified person; also prepare technical study approval if >5/15kW home or >72kW business
- Submit all online via eATAP within 3 months, pay RM7.50/kW (amendment fees apply for updates or capacity increases)
- Outcome in under 2 months
- Upon approval, commission the system and have the bi-directional meter installed within 18 months, or approval lapses and fees are forfeited.
Contract, Licensing and Commissioning Requirements
You must sign your Solar ATAP contract with TNB before your stated commencement date or your approval will be revoked and you lose your fees.
- Obtain all necessary Suruhanjaya Tenaga licences and ensure technical study approval is current
- The contract period is up to 10 years and does not extend with capacity increases
- Ownership change or relocation requires a new ATAP contract for the remaining contract period.
System capacity upgrades do not push out contract expiry. Switching from NEM or FiT requires termination of the existing scheme first. All ownership changes must be registered with TNB and SEDA.
Ready to Get Started? Next Steps for Homeowners and Businesses
Northern Solar’s team can guide you through eligibility, system design, and paperwork for Solar ATAP 2026. Book a free consultation today and discover your roof’s true solar potential under Malaysia’s official solar ATAP framework.
