Published on: Monday, December 14, 2009 |
Kota Kinabalu: The solutions for power woes in the East Coast of Sabah are readily available without resorting to dirty energy such as coal, according to an expert on renewable energy, Adrian Lasimbang.
"I am not talking about future technology but what is being used right now by TSH in Kunak at their bio-integrated complex where they produce a whopping 14MegaWatt of electricity using empty fruit bunches, a natural waste product of cultivating palm oil," he said.
Since 2005, TSH Resources Berhad was the first in the world to use empty fruit bunches (EFB) as well as palm oil mill effluents (POME), which are produced as a residue left over after the extraction of oil palm.
"If TSH can do this, why can't other palm oil mills? Sabah has 1.4 million hectares of oil palm and hundreds of oil palm mills and most of these are on the East Coast," pointed out Adrian, who heads Pacos Trust Resource Management Programme, which includes Renewable Energy.
"The technology is so simple with the use of a small-scale turbine and the EFB which is a waste product as the fuel is in line with the Malaysian Green Technology Policy which was launched by the Prime Minister in July," said Adrian.
According to him, the palm oil industry has taken much resource from this State, now they have the opportunity which will benefit themselves and at the same time give back by installing this simple technology which is also renewable.
"The bottom line is Sabah has alternatives to having a coal-fired power plant and the technology is available now, what we seem to have is a lack of will from certain parties who say that there is no alternative but this is not true, we have alternatives. Imagine what a great model for the world Sabah will be with this!"
"According to media reports, we need 300MWs for the East Coast.
If TSH's mill can produce 14MWs, of which they sell 10MWs back to the SESB and keep 4MWs for themselves, why can't another 10 mills do the same thing? Then we will have a 300MW energy available without building a dirty coal-fired power plant and destroying Sabah's nature?" said Adrian.
"No matter what certain parties keep saying having a coal-fired plant will affect the environment, there cannot continue denying this because the people of Sabah are smart and value the natural beauty of this State and we want to preserve this for our children and grandchildren."
