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| Tan Sri Adenan launches the construction of the first grid-connected renewable energy biomass power plant in Mukah Sarawak. |
MUKAH (Thursday, 19 November, 2015) - Sarawak has the potential to generate 300 megawatts of
electricity from oil palm residues, says Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem.
He said to-date 14 power generation licences were issued to companies that produced electricity using biomass, including for self-generation.
"Upon completion, they will have the capacity to produce 135 megawatts of power. Based on the statistics on palm wastes, there is an opportunity to produce an impressive 300 megawatts of electricity," he said.
Adenan said this when launching the Mukah Biomass Power Plant, the state's first renewable energy biomass power plant here Thursday.
Developed under a smart partnership between main
developer Olive Energy Sdn Bhd (Olive Energy) together with Sarawak Energy Bhd
(SEB) and Rinwood Pelita Plantation, the Mukah Biomass Power Plant is targeted to be commissioned in September 2017 and
would be able to generate 12.1 megawatts of electricity.
Olive Energy Director, James Lau, said 10 megawatts of
the electricity produced would be sold to Sarawak Energy Bhd at 21 sen per
kilowatt while the remaining would for its own use.
Last year, Sarawak produced about 3.5 million tonnes of
crude palm oil and processed about 17 million tonnes of fresh fruit bunches,
where 40 per cent, or about seven million tonnes, were turned into biomass palm
residues.
However, Adenan said, less than five per cent of the wastes produced were recycled by various mills in the state.
He said the advantage of having biomass power plant was not limited to generation of green energy but to create jobs for graduates and skilled workers.
"It is also good for the palm oil industry as it would help to make it more sustainable and help raise Sarawak's credential in the international arena," he said.
"Apart from preserving the air quality by helping to reduce carbon emissions, the project will help to raise our credential in the international arena.
However, Adenan said, less than five per cent of the wastes produced were recycled by various mills in the state.
He said the advantage of having biomass power plant was not limited to generation of green energy but to create jobs for graduates and skilled workers.
"It is also good for the palm oil industry as it would help to make it more sustainable and help raise Sarawak's credential in the international arena," he said.
"Apart from preserving the air quality by helping to reduce carbon emissions, the project will help to raise our credential in the international arena.
"The initiative will help to create a platform for
the Malaysia Palm Oil Industry to counter lobbyists who have painted such a
bleak and produced unbalanced report on our industry.
"Sarawak is
neither blind nor deaf to the importance of developing renewable and
sustainable energy," he said during the launching ceremony of the project
here today.
Present were State Second Resource Planning and
Environment Minister Datuk Awang Tengah Ali Hasan and Olive Energy chief
executive officer Sylvester Wong. Adenan also called upon more firms to emulate
the initiatives taken by Olive Energy in helping the state government to
produce clean sustainable energy while preserving the environment
simultaneously.
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