The Smart Eco-PV Boat project, involving Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), the Malaysian fisheries agency and technical institutes, fitted solar systems to four fishing boats in Penyabong, Johor, in February 2026. Supported by the IEEE Tech4Good programme, it expands a first trial carried out in Mersing in 2024.
During a monitoring visit on 22 October, the team found the panels and other components in good condition and all four systems still working well.
The fishermen learned to operate, maintain and clean the panels and to keep fishing gear from shading them. The boats’ water pumps now run mostly on solar power, reducing reliance on conventional sources.
