M'sia to take the lead in renewable energy push
Published on: Friday, May 29, 2015
Kota Kinabalu: Malaysia will take lead in the renewable energy and energy security push in Asia when Asean energy ministers compare notes at a Kuala Lumpur meet this October. Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Maximus Ongkili on Wednesday said several Asean nations have requested that Malaysia take the leadership role due to progress the country has made in both areas. Renewable energy and energy security would be among the new agendas discussed at the Asean Energy Ministers Meeting from Oct 5 to 9.
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"Many nations have asked Malaysia to lead. They are saying we are advanced in terms of these areas than some Asean nations," he told reporters during the welcoming dinner of the Senior Energy Officials Meeting on Energy, here. The five-day meeting attended by the senior officials here is expected to set up the agendas for their respective ministers on the first phase of the Asean Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation (2016-2025). They are expected to meet again in August. Ongkili said the ministers' meeting will also discuss the Laos-Singapore power transmission line project, involving multilateral cooperation between Laos, Thailand, Malaysian and Singapore.
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"The paperwork will be further discussed at the meet. We would like to see a breakthrough in discussions on the power lines in the next meeting," he said and revealed the flagship project will be the model of power trading between Asean nations in future. Ongkili, however, warned senior officials that there is a need for the nations to stabilise their existing power grids before exporting energy to other countries.
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"We have to start to put a strong and proper power grid within the country before we even start to think about export or importing power from other Asian countries," he said.He also said governments also need to rationalise power tariff and cost power generation and standardised the power trading in the region. However, Ongkili said a breakthrough on the project would enhance the economic activities and thus, contribute investments for the entire region. Earlier, the ministry's Secretary-General Datuk Loo Took Gee said a memorandum on the transmission line is expected to be signed at the ministers' meet. The capacity to be exported from Laos to Singapore will be around 100MW initially and would be scaled up later. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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