ID :
175335
Thu, 04/14/2011 - 06:44
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/175335
The shortlink copeid
SUSTAIN ELECTRICITY VITAL FOR SARAWAK TO BECOME DEVELOPED STATE BY 2030
Samantha Tan
KUCHING (Sarawak, Malaysia), April 14 (Bernama) -- The state government needs to ensure a sustained electricity supply especially in the rural areas to ensure the East Malaysia state of Sarawak moves smoothly towards becoming a developed state by 2030.
Sarawak is estimated to have about 70,000 households currently without on-grid electricity supply and this had prompted the federal government to come in and help the state to provide the people in the rural areas with electricity, water and roads.
To show its sincerity to develop the rural areas, the federal government allocated RM5.7 billion to Sarawak until 2012 under the National Key Result Areas (NKRA) for projects to provide water and electricity for Sarawakians.
However, comprehensive planning is needed to undertake major transformation in the rural areas. Electricity is not just about giving lights to the people but also providing them with Internet connection to improve educational opportunities, community communication and access to on-line resources.
The federal and state governments need to ensure that the plan is achievable to ensure that the younger generation is equipped with skills to accommodate the rapid development in Sarawak, especially the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE).
To achieve the goal, strong collaboration is needed between the federal government, state government as well as the private sector. The challenges faced by the state government prompted Green Electric Sdn Bhd (GE), a home-grown green solar power system integrator, to come into the picture.
Its director, Kirby Lee said most of the schools located in the remote areas of Sarawak are still not covered by the national electricity grid and this will hamper the aspiration of the Sarawak's state government to progress towards becoming a developed state by 2030.
Although the federal government is making progress in improving the three basic needs in the rural areas of Sarawak namely water, electricity and roads, but development, however, is not at great speed.
It is understood that the Ministry of Education (MOE) had provided a budget for the installation and operation of diesel fuel generators (diesel gensets) for rural schools to operate effectively.
Lee said the diesel gensets solution is simple and easy to implement, but certainly not easy to support given the high running cost of supplying the diesel fuel and maintenance of the diesel gensets.
MOE had explored electricity supply alternatives to reduce the overall running cost, including replacing the diesel gensets with regenerative energy generation.
However, the implementation of regenerative energy generation such as the solar and micro-hydro power systems would involve huge initial investments and would certainly take considerable time to implement.
To find a solution that could save fuel while ensuring 24-hour electricity supply to rural schools, the Public Works Department's research and development division and University Malaysia Sarawak are working in collaboration with the GE and ETI Tech (M) Sdn Bhd (ETI), a home grown company that specialises in lithium rechargeable battery solutions, to invent the GenSet Hybrid System.
Lee explained that this unique system is an entirely Malaysian innovation, from research and development to manufacturing to system integration, which will contribute in accelerating development in the rural areas.
"With estimated savings of more than RM350,000 per school annually, if installed subsequently in all the 440 rural schools in Sarawak currently running on diesel generators, the federal government can possibly save more than RM150 million yearly," he said. (US$1=RM3.03)
Lee said the first pilot project was in November 2010 with successful implementation of the GenSet Hybrid System at the Sekolah Kebangsaan Lepong Gaat in Kapit, Sarawak.
"Based on the Kapit school pilot project, up to 60 per cent reduction in operational cost can be achieved, while extending availability of electricity supply from 14.5 hours to 24 hours.
"In the process, the school cuts down its burning of diesel fuel with up to 60 per cent reduction of carbon emission, helping Malaysia to meet its commitment of 40 per cent reduction in carbon dioxide emission by 2020," he said.
Lee said GE's aspiration is to bring electricity to rural areas in Sarawak and Sabah in the shortest timeframe possible so that rural folks could benefit from the modern lifestyle currently enjoyed by people living in the urban areas.
"With our own Malaysian made products and solutions, we certainly are cost competitive and able to do more for the government than if the products were to be imported," he said.
KUCHING (Sarawak, Malaysia), April 14 (Bernama) -- The state government needs to ensure a sustained electricity supply especially in the rural areas to ensure the East Malaysia state of Sarawak moves smoothly towards becoming a developed state by 2030.
Sarawak is estimated to have about 70,000 households currently without on-grid electricity supply and this had prompted the federal government to come in and help the state to provide the people in the rural areas with electricity, water and roads.
To show its sincerity to develop the rural areas, the federal government allocated RM5.7 billion to Sarawak until 2012 under the National Key Result Areas (NKRA) for projects to provide water and electricity for Sarawakians.
However, comprehensive planning is needed to undertake major transformation in the rural areas. Electricity is not just about giving lights to the people but also providing them with Internet connection to improve educational opportunities, community communication and access to on-line resources.
The federal and state governments need to ensure that the plan is achievable to ensure that the younger generation is equipped with skills to accommodate the rapid development in Sarawak, especially the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE).
To achieve the goal, strong collaboration is needed between the federal government, state government as well as the private sector. The challenges faced by the state government prompted Green Electric Sdn Bhd (GE), a home-grown green solar power system integrator, to come into the picture.
Its director, Kirby Lee said most of the schools located in the remote areas of Sarawak are still not covered by the national electricity grid and this will hamper the aspiration of the Sarawak's state government to progress towards becoming a developed state by 2030.
Although the federal government is making progress in improving the three basic needs in the rural areas of Sarawak namely water, electricity and roads, but development, however, is not at great speed.
It is understood that the Ministry of Education (MOE) had provided a budget for the installation and operation of diesel fuel generators (diesel gensets) for rural schools to operate effectively.
Lee said the diesel gensets solution is simple and easy to implement, but certainly not easy to support given the high running cost of supplying the diesel fuel and maintenance of the diesel gensets.
MOE had explored electricity supply alternatives to reduce the overall running cost, including replacing the diesel gensets with regenerative energy generation.
However, the implementation of regenerative energy generation such as the solar and micro-hydro power systems would involve huge initial investments and would certainly take considerable time to implement.
To find a solution that could save fuel while ensuring 24-hour electricity supply to rural schools, the Public Works Department's research and development division and University Malaysia Sarawak are working in collaboration with the GE and ETI Tech (M) Sdn Bhd (ETI), a home grown company that specialises in lithium rechargeable battery solutions, to invent the GenSet Hybrid System.
Lee explained that this unique system is an entirely Malaysian innovation, from research and development to manufacturing to system integration, which will contribute in accelerating development in the rural areas.
"With estimated savings of more than RM350,000 per school annually, if installed subsequently in all the 440 rural schools in Sarawak currently running on diesel generators, the federal government can possibly save more than RM150 million yearly," he said. (US$1=RM3.03)
Lee said the first pilot project was in November 2010 with successful implementation of the GenSet Hybrid System at the Sekolah Kebangsaan Lepong Gaat in Kapit, Sarawak.
"Based on the Kapit school pilot project, up to 60 per cent reduction in operational cost can be achieved, while extending availability of electricity supply from 14.5 hours to 24 hours.
"In the process, the school cuts down its burning of diesel fuel with up to 60 per cent reduction of carbon emission, helping Malaysia to meet its commitment of 40 per cent reduction in carbon dioxide emission by 2020," he said.
Lee said GE's aspiration is to bring electricity to rural areas in Sarawak and Sabah in the shortest timeframe possible so that rural folks could benefit from the modern lifestyle currently enjoyed by people living in the urban areas.
"With our own Malaysian made products and solutions, we certainly are cost competitive and able to do more for the government than if the products were to be imported," he said.
