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KeTTHA To Continue Expanding Use Of Renewable Energy In Sabah
KeTTHA To Continue Expanding Use Of Renewable Energy In Sabah
09/02/2015 (Bernama) - The Energy, Green Technology and Water Ministry (KeTTHA) will continue to take proactive measures to increase the generation of energy from renewable sources of energy in Sabah.
Its minister, Datuk Seri Maximus Ongkili said the expansion of the Feed-in Tariff (FiT) mechanism to Sabah last year was among the measures taken to attract more investors to the renewable energy industry.
It is estimated that total investment in renewable energy industry up to first half of 2017 could amount to RM7 billion and create 19,254 employment opportunities.
"The potential of renewable energy in Sabah is not only focused on solar PV as Sabah is rich in biomass from oil palm plantation," he said when opening Cahaya Metro solar PV power plant in Bongawan here, today.
Ongkili said the ministry and the Sustainable Energy Development Authority Malaysia (SEDA Malaysia) would focus on developing biomass energy generation industry especially oil palm factory wastes.
Sabah is the largest producer of crude palm oil with an estimated plantation acreage of at least 1,475,105 hectares.
"Therefore, Sabah has the largest potential to generate electricity from biomass especially on the eastern side," he added.
As at Jan 31, KeTTHA via SEDA Malaysia had approved 315 applications under FiT quota with a total capacity of 170.84 MW for Sabah."
Of the total, 112.7MW were from biomass sources, 35.6MW (small scale hydro); 11.4MW (biogas); 8.2MW (non-individual solar PV); 2.5MW (individual solar PV and 0.4MW (community solar PV).
Ongkili said there were constraints eventhough FiT could assist in generating eletricity from renewable energy sources.
They include the high cost of extending the national grid as some plantations and factories were located in the interior.
KeTTHA will conduct a more detailed study to overcome contraints to raise the generation of electricity from biomass sources, he added.
Its minister, Datuk Seri Maximus Ongkili said the expansion of the Feed-in Tariff (FiT) mechanism to Sabah last year was among the measures taken to attract more investors to the renewable energy industry.
It is estimated that total investment in renewable energy industry up to first half of 2017 could amount to RM7 billion and create 19,254 employment opportunities.
"The potential of renewable energy in Sabah is not only focused on solar PV as Sabah is rich in biomass from oil palm plantation," he said when opening Cahaya Metro solar PV power plant in Bongawan here, today.
Ongkili said the ministry and the Sustainable Energy Development Authority Malaysia (SEDA Malaysia) would focus on developing biomass energy generation industry especially oil palm factory wastes.
Sabah is the largest producer of crude palm oil with an estimated plantation acreage of at least 1,475,105 hectares.
"Therefore, Sabah has the largest potential to generate electricity from biomass especially on the eastern side," he added.
As at Jan 31, KeTTHA via SEDA Malaysia had approved 315 applications under FiT quota with a total capacity of 170.84 MW for Sabah."
Of the total, 112.7MW were from biomass sources, 35.6MW (small scale hydro); 11.4MW (biogas); 8.2MW (non-individual solar PV); 2.5MW (individual solar PV and 0.4MW (community solar PV).
Ongkili said there were constraints eventhough FiT could assist in generating eletricity from renewable energy sources.
They include the high cost of extending the national grid as some plantations and factories were located in the interior.
KeTTHA will conduct a more detailed study to overcome contraints to raise the generation of electricity from biomass sources, he added.