Your Roof is a Leaky Piggy Bank

If you had a hole in your pocket dropping RM10 every day, you’d sew it up immediately, right? Yet, most Malaysian homeowners don’t realize their roof is that “pocket with a hole.”

In economics, this is called “Opportunity Cost”—the potential gain you miss out on when choosing one alternative over another. For homeowners, not installing solar isn’t “saving the installation fee”; it’s “choosing to lose money.”

Calculation 1: How Much Are You Throwing Away Monthly?

Let’s do a conservative calculation based on an average Malaysian household with a monthly bill of RM500.

• With Solar: A properly sized system can typically save you 70% – 80% of your bill. Let’s conservatively say RM350.

• Without Solar: This means every single month, you are paying TNB RM350 for energy you could have generated for free.

• Yearly Loss: RM350 x 12 months = RM4,200.

RM4,200 is enough for a luxury family vacation or a high-end smartphone. Instead, you chose to donate it to the utility company.

Calculation 2: The Double Blow of Time & Inflation

It gets worse. We must factor in time and inflation.

If you plan to live in your house for another 10 years:

• Base Loss: RM4,200 x 10 years = RM42,000.

• The Inflation Factor (ICPT & SST): Electricity tariffs don’t stay flat. Assuming a conservative 3% annual hike, your actual cash outflow over the next 10 years due to “not installing solar” will easily exceed RM50,000.

What is RM50,000? That is the price of a brand-new Perodua Myvi. The Verdict: By ignoring the sun on your roof, you have effectively “evaporated” a car from your garage over the last decade.

Installation Cost VS. Future Loss

Many hesitate because the upfront cost seems high (e.g., RM20k – RM25k). But look at the comparison:

• Option A (Install): Pay RM25k once, and lock in free power for the next 20+ years.

• Option B (Do Nothing): “Save” the RM25k now, but bleed RM50k over the next 10 years, and RM100k+ over 20 years.

The cost of inaction is far more expensive than the cost of action.

Conclusion: Stop the Bleeding

A solar system is not an “expense”; it is a “stop-loss tool.” Stop letting your roof evaporate your wealth. Every sunrise is the start of a new billing cycle. Do you want that sunlight to power your aircon, or to power up your TNB bill?