Preliminary Study of Stakeholders' Perspectives on Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Energy Trading Implementation in Malaysia

Abstract

Peer-to-peer (P2P) energy trading is a new platform-based approach of operating power systems that enables consumers or prosumers to generate their own electricity for personal consumption utilizing renewable energy (RE) technologies such as rooftop solar panels, and then store any excess energy in an energy storage device or prosumers can supply it to other consumers in need. In Malaysia, P2P energy trading implementation is still in its early stages of development, with a pilot trial conducted in 2019, but it is an opportunity to capitalize on considering the potential that P2P energy trading offers. Thus, a preliminary study was carried out in order to gather primary data and address the research question, which focuses on how to overcome the issues or challenges faced by regulators, industry players, and consumers, especially with regard to the implementation of P2P energy trading in Malaysia. This study is important in order to gain perspectives and insights from experts in the field by leveraging the implicit and tacit knowledge of relevant regulators and industry experts that may not have been documented in previous papers. Therefore, as a part of the data collection process, a focus group discussion (FGD) was carried out in this study. As a result, this study was able to identify the key issues or challenges faced in terms of implementing the P2P energy trading pilot project, as well as six key driving factors and five potential recommendations as preliminary findings that may assist in addressing the identified issues or challenges.