ONE of the key necessities for the socio-economic devel­opment of the people is access to electricity. To meet the electricity demand, the country primarily relies on its natural resources, such as hydropower and natural gas. To support the provision of electricity, the government is actively promoting and implementing initiatives to harness renewable energy sources for sustainable power generation.

In some regions, renewable energy utilization can be success­fully achieved by harnessing solar energy to generate electricity, particularly in areas with low rainfall. While the government is implementing electricity supply projects, private sector entrepre­neurs are also developing small-, medium-, and large-scale solar en­ergy systems, which can help meet local electricity demands in various ways. However, re­garding the supply of electrici­ty, the public is currently facing difficulties due to acts of sabo­tage by terrorists, insufficient operational capacity of some power plants, and shortages in the supply of natural gas.

To ease the challenges currently faced in improving people’s livelihoods and fos­tering economic development, citizens are using individual, small, and medium-scale gen­erators and solar systems to electrify their homes as well as industries. At present, the Ministry of Energy is supplying an alternative type of fuel for generators at affordable rates in some areas, with plans to expand sales more broadly.

The solar system is a re­newable energy source that utilizes natural resources and provides continuous energy. However, it is evident that the initial setup and construction require significant investment. Therefore, individuals and en­tities looking to benefit from solar electricity are hopeful for government support and assistance to facilitate its adoption.

Currently, due to various reasons, there are deficiencies and gaps in the State’s main power supply systems, making it chal­lenging to meet the electricity needs of the people. To address the difficulties faced by the public, the state has formed national-level committees and is continuously striving to implement solutions. In some neighbouring countries, extensive solar power systems and wind power systems, which are renewable energy sources, have been established to supplement the main power grid and fulfil the electricity demands of the people.

The development of MSME businesses to further enhance the socioeconomic well-being of the people and the country’s economic growth can be successfully achieved by leveraging Myanmar’s abundant renewable energy resources. This will require the State to provide support in collaboration with private sector stakeholders to ensure broad and sustainable growth.