UKM Wins Fourth Asean Energy Award

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 4 (Bernama) -- Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) won its fourth Asean Energy Award for its success in inventing a water heating system using solar power. UKM's Solar Power Research Institute (SERI) director, Prof Dr Kamaruzzaman Sopian and Prof Dr Syed Zulkifli Syed Zakaria received the award from the United States Department of Energy, deputy secretary, Daniel B Poneman at the 31st conference of Asean Energy Ministers in Bali on Sept 25. Kamaruzzaman in a statement here Thursday said the biggest water solar heating system in the country was installed at the UKM Medical centre by SERI and a company Zamatel Sdn Bhd through a RM2 million (US$625,582) fund under the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation's techno fund scheme. "A team from SERI, PPUKM and Zamatel had designed and installed the system. The invention has been registered for copyright under the name i-PANAZ," he said. According to Kamaruzzaman the system has a lifespan of 15 years and the capital to set up the system could be recouped in just 2.9 years. Kamaruzzaman said the use of the solar energy system for all 200 hospitals and large hotels in the country could save greenhouse gas production of up to 42 million kilogrammes of carbon dioxide and 3,300 kilogrammes of nitrogen oxide. "A significant reduction of greenhouse gas production can help Malaysia achieve its aspiration to reduce until 40 percent of carbon output by 2020," he said. Meanwhile, Kamaruzzaman said UKM was the first university to have won the award four times since 2001. The Asean Energy Award was an award to recognise the best effort in the use of renewable energy such as hydro, wind, waste products, geothermal energy and solar and best effort in providing efficient energy in the region. UKM had won the award for the first time for energy storing system for UKM's air-conditioning system, second time for Solar Hydrogen Eco House and the third time for portable fuel energy system. -- BERNAMA