GoRental Eyes Malaysia Expansion After Goimpact Shows Energy Resilience In Thailand
From Muhammad Fawwaz Thaqif Nor Afandi
CHIANG MAI, April 3 (Bernama) -- Singapore-based clean energy solutions provider GoRental Global is positioning Malaysia as a key market for its regional expansion as it scales up its GoImpact initiative to deliver decentralised energy solutions to underserved communities.
The company has established a presence in Malaysia. It plans to launch its Malaysia Experience Store in Johor in June 2026, alongside collaborations with local foundations and non-profit organisations to deploy modular solar and battery systems in off-grid areas of the country.
Speaking to Bernama, GoRental founder and managing director Colin Peh said the expansion reflects the company’s broader goal of extending proven energy solutions to communities lacking reliable electricity access.
“We see this initiative as a starting point. The goal is to build something that can be repeated, improved and scaled over time, so that the impact is not limited to a single project,” he said.
He added that the company is already exploring initiatives in Malaysia, including collaborations with Orang Asli communities, the indigenous peoples of Peninsular Malaysia, to deliver accessible clean energy solutions.
The move comes amid growing urgency around energy resilience, as Southeast Asia faces rising electricity demand and exposure to fuel price volatility, with decentralised microgrid systems emerging as practical and scalable solutions.
As part of this effort, GoRental recently rolled out its GoImpact platform in Huay Nam Rin village in Chiang Mai, Thailand, demonstrating how decentralised microgrid systems can be deployed effectively in rural, off-grid settings.
Located about 45 kilometres from downtown Chiang Mai, the remote hillside settlement is now powered by a decentralised microgrid system, marking a shift from reliance on diesel and kerosene.
The deployment, comprising 31 portable battery units and 60 solar panels, delivers about 40 kilowatts of distributed renewable energy capacity, enabling villagers to meet essential needs such as lighting and mobile charging while reducing dependence on costly and carbon-intensive fuels.
Peh said the initiative reflects a deeper purpose beyond technology deployment.
“Reliable electricity changes more than a room after dark. It affects how families live, how children study, and whether a community feels it still has a future. If we already have technology that works, then the question becomes where else it should go.
"It should not stop at events or commercial sites. It should reach communities that have been waiting for something as basic as dependable power," he said.
Drawing from his on-ground observations, Peh said access to reliable electricity allows households to power lights, fans and basic appliances, improving living conditions and enabling children to study at night.
The Thailand deployment serves as a model that can be replicated and scaled across Southeast Asia, including Malaysia, as part of the company’s strategy to expand its energy resilience solutions beyond commercial applications into community-based projects.
He added that similar initiatives are being explored in Cambodia and Indonesia, with expansion into Cambodia planned for the third quarter of 2026, followed by Indonesia in the fourth quarter.
-- BERNAMA