KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 19 (Bernama) -- Four power purchase agreements (PPAs)to supply power using renewable energy sources would be signed before theend of the year to produce a total of 23 megawatts (MW) of electricity.

Energy, Communications and Multimedia Deputy Minister Datuk Tan Chai Hosaid the national utility, Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) would sign two of thePPAs by next month and another by next year.

The first two to be signed involves TNB SPL Sdn Bhd, a TNB subsidiarywhich will produce 2.0 MW of electricity from landfill gas and the secondinvolves Bumi Bio Power Sdn Bhd, to generate 7.0 MW from biomass.

Speaking to newsmen after officiating the Power-Gen Asia Conference 2001here today, he said that the other two PPAs involve the generation of 9.0MW of electricty using biomass and another 5.0 MW by burning palm oil.

He declined to disclose the price TNB is paying for the renewable energyPPAs but TNB chairman, Datuk Dr Jamaludin Jarjis had two months ago saidthe corporatised utility firm would buy them at 13-17 sen per kilowatthour (kWh).

Under Malaysia's renewable energy programme -- a part of the national fueldiversification policy -- electricity is to be generated from renewablesources such as biomass (agricultural waste like oil palm planting waste),palm oil, wind and solar.

-- BERNAMA