KUCHING: The Sarawak government is set to establish a strategic partnership with the Swedish government in managing the state’s waste-to-energy (WtE) system.
WtE is the process of generating energy in the form of electricity and/or heat from the primary treatment of waste, or the processing of waste into a fuel source.
Sarawak premier Abang Johari Openg said the state is keen on emulating Sweden’s WtE system as it has been proven to be more successful than those of other European countries.
“I am interested in Sweden’s capability in the WtE industry, and since Sarawak has almost similar resources, we can emulate its solid waste management method,” he said in a statement.
During his visit to Sweden’s Energy Agency in Stockholm yesterday, Abang Johari said it was time for Sarawak to strengthen its solid management system through WtE to ensure the well-being of its people in the future.
He also expressed his interest in Sweden’s cross-border power grid, which allows the country to export electricity to neighbouring countries such as Denmark, Norway, Finland, Germany, Lithuania and Poland.
He said Sarawak could emulate this and export electricity to Kalimantan, Indonesia.
Accompanied by his deputy Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, the Sarawak premier is on a week-long working visit to several European countries, where he will also meet with Shell’s top management at the oil and gas giant’s headquarters in London.
During his visit to Sweden, Abang Johari paid a courtesy call on the Swedish trade and development minister, Johan Forssell. He will visit Norway today to inspect the carbon capture and storage (CCS) and hydrogen facilities in Bergen.
