MARKET DEVELOPMENT
Company Utilises Biowaste from Palm Mills to Generate Energy
Company Utilises Biowaste from Palm Mills to Generate Energy
11/03/2014 (The Star) - A company’s move to fully tap the waste from its palm mills in Sabah has earned it a pat on the back from the Energy, Green Technology and Water Ministry.
The move by public-listed TSH Bhd to generate 14MW of electricity from biomass at its integrated facility in east coast Tawau district is an example for other palm oil mill operators in Sabah, said Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili.
A total of 200MW of power could be produced if 20 of the around 130 palm oil mills in Sabah could tap their waste as well, he said.
“All this renewable energy can be injected into Sabah’s green energy pool,” he said after visiting TSH’s integrated complex on Friday.
The complex is powered by renewable green energy from a 14MW biomass co-generation plant commissioned in 2005.
The plant supplies 10MW of power via its connection to Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd’s state-wide grid.
The co-generation plant generates electricity and industrial steam from solid by-products of the mill.
A biogas power plant tapping waste water generated from palm oil mill effluents has also been recently commissioned at the integrated complex.
A mill converting oil palm solid by products into pulp and paper has also been set up at the TSH integrated complex.
TSH’s renewable energy projects were registered as Clean Development Mechanism projects under the United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change (UNFCCC), Dr Maximus was told during the visit.
He noted that currently, renewable energy made up 0.85% of the country’s energy mix; and the Government hoped to reduce dependence on depleting fossil fuels by encouraging the development of renewable energy.
“Our target is to increase the contribution of renewable energy to 5.5% of our energy mix in the near future. As such, efforts such as those by TSH are commendable to fully utilise biowaste to generate energy using green technology,” he said.
The move by public-listed TSH Bhd to generate 14MW of electricity from biomass at its integrated facility in east coast Tawau district is an example for other palm oil mill operators in Sabah, said Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili.
A total of 200MW of power could be produced if 20 of the around 130 palm oil mills in Sabah could tap their waste as well, he said.
“All this renewable energy can be injected into Sabah’s green energy pool,” he said after visiting TSH’s integrated complex on Friday.
The complex is powered by renewable green energy from a 14MW biomass co-generation plant commissioned in 2005.
The plant supplies 10MW of power via its connection to Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd’s state-wide grid.
The co-generation plant generates electricity and industrial steam from solid by-products of the mill.
A biogas power plant tapping waste water generated from palm oil mill effluents has also been recently commissioned at the integrated complex.
A mill converting oil palm solid by products into pulp and paper has also been set up at the TSH integrated complex.
TSH’s renewable energy projects were registered as Clean Development Mechanism projects under the United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change (UNFCCC), Dr Maximus was told during the visit.
He noted that currently, renewable energy made up 0.85% of the country’s energy mix; and the Government hoped to reduce dependence on depleting fossil fuels by encouraging the development of renewable energy.
“Our target is to increase the contribution of renewable energy to 5.5% of our energy mix in the near future. As such, efforts such as those by TSH are commendable to fully utilise biowaste to generate energy using green technology,” he said.