In late 2024, The Edge Malaysia reported the government had extended the existing rooftop solar programme (NEM 3.0) through to end-June 2025, providing a bridge while the eventual Solar ATAP successor was finalised by PETRA and the Energy Commission. From an installer standpoint, the extension is the reason we could keep accepting residential customers through Q1 and Q2 2025 without a forced pause.
- NEM 3.0 extended through end-June 2025
- Bridged the gap before Solar ATAP was finalised
- Allowed residential and commercial applicants to continue using NEM rules
- Followed by interim capacity additions through mid-2025 (e.g. +100 MW)
- Solar ATAP eventually launched 1 January 2026
Why the extension was needed
NEM 3.0's original quota was on track to be exhausted in late 2024 / early 2025, ahead of Solar ATAP being ready for launch. Rather than letting the programme close cold (which would have stranded mid-application customers and idled installers), the government extended NEM through June 2025 as a bridge. The extension was paired with the NEM Rakyat +100 MW quota expansion announced in May 2025.
The sequencing of 2024–2026 solar policy moves
Looking back: late-2024 NEM 3.0 extension → May 2025 NEM Rakyat +100 MW → mid-2025 interim mechanism +100 MW → late-2025 Solar ATAP design finalisation → 19 December 2025 PETRA confirmation → 1 January 2026 Solar ATAP launch. The progression was deliberate and avoided any hard gap in the programme calendar. For customers and installers alike, it meant we never had to tell a prospective customer "sorry, no programme available right now".
What this means today
The 2024–2025 extensions are historical context, but useful to know if you're researching the policy track record: Malaysia's solar policy has been incrementally improved across multiple administrations rather than abruptly redesigned. For new applicants in 2026, the relevant programme is Solar ATAP — see our complete guide for current rules.
Source
This summary is based on reporting from The Edge Malaysia. Read the full original report at the source link for the publisher's complete coverage.