March-April , 2022 | @ green

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MyRER has mentioned and proposed the development of hybrid hydro / solar PV systems at existing reservoirs

They are critical to the global future of humanity and other life forms in the various ecosystems on this planet , our " Mother Earth ". And they are of immense importance , especially to the Youth of the World . They have been mobilised and motivated by the Greta Thunberg-led " Fridays for Future " movement , especially after the apparent disappointment over the success ( or lack of it ) of COP26 in Glasgow in 2021 .

And yes , Malaysia has also been in the thick of it through its participation at COP26 in Glasgow and formulation of carbon reduction policies such as the MyRER ( Malaysia Renewable Energy Roadmap ) and the LCMB ( Low Carbon Mobility Blueprint ).

( Declaration – I was a member of a competing consortium of consultants for SEDA ' s RETR – RE Transition Roadmap { now termed MyRER })

Comprehensive set of policies

MyRER , which was launched recently , has compiled a comprehensive set of policies , strategies and statistics on a global and regional basis as a foundation for the study to assess and determine what can be applied in Malaysia to meet its RE targets as desired by the government .

It has also estimated the tremendous potential RE generating capacity available for Malaysia from various alternative RE options , as summarised in Chart 1 .

With the " fantabulous " potential for carbonfree RE resources for electricity generation , as the currently approved and the additional RE projects expected to be approved and successfully implemented according to the desired ambitious timelines , particularly for the 2025 target .

It seems incomprehensible to note the inclusion of " 30 MW of Geothermal capacity " in 2035 , presumably the Tawau Green Energy project , abandoned even before the MyRER was released .

Another oddity from the MyRER is the projected load profile for P . Malaysia in 2025 as shown in the Figure 6-20 . This is substantially different from the typical P . Malaysia load profile as shown in the picture on the right-hand side , i . e . the ST ' s chart showing the option of the EToU scheme offered previously .

To the best of my knowledge , such a load profile has been consistent for Peninsular Malaysia for several decades . So it is hard to see how the profile can change so drastically over the next few years , as shown by MyRER .

To my somewhat sceptical mind , this " smells " of trying to justify the later associated proposal for a BESS ( Battery Energy Storage System ) mechanism to utilise the so-called surplus RE energy from VREs such as solar PV systems . utility-scale systems . Suitable energy storage systems

Energy storage systems , especially utilityscale BESS , must depend on recharging by RE generated electricity to be suitable energy storage options . Recharging BESS from fossil-fuelled power generation cannot be considered appropriate under MyRER . Does it make sense to promote BESS in the absence of surplus VRE generated electricity ?

MyRER has mentioned and proposed the development of hybrid hydro / solar PV systems at existing reservoirs for water supply and HEP ( Hydro Electric Power ) station reservoirs .

This option can significantly increase the quantum of the VRE connected to the grid

BY G . LALCHAND

Chart 1

shown in Chart 1 , Malaysia should have no problems achieving the declared targets of 31 per cent RE by 2025 and indeed the 40 per cent RE capacity target for 2035 .

This tremendous potential must be considered in conjunction with the target limit of 30 per cent of solar PV capacity to maintain power system stability , which thus limits the exploitable solar PV capacity to only about 7,280 MWp by 2035 .

However , suppose the possible indicated options to manage the surplus VRE ( Variable RE ) such as solar PV can be implemented and managed effectively to prevent any risks to stable grid system operation . In that case ,

The caveat here is the ability to implement

Significant increase of VRE

Storing surplus energy generated from VRE resources for later use is an attractive option . But neither the MyRER nor other projections ( e . g . from ST reports ) demonstrate or indicate the possible generation of such surplus RE generated energy even up to the end year of MyRER , 2035 .

The use of BESS in some form has been practised in Malaysia for decades since mid 20th century , particularly for UPS ( uninterruptable power supply ) for essential systems such as computerised systems for banking , supply security and the like . Still , they are generally for lower capacity systems , not as the HEPs have the necessary grid connections in place , thus reducing the cost of such RE projects . It has a double benefit impact by having large scale PV systems without sterilising any arable land and simultaneously increasing the capacity factor of energy generation from such hybrid systems .

However , the prospective capacities shown are not realistic if the intention is to utilise the existing transmission connections , which have load carrying capacities suitable for the present HEPs ' power generating capacities .

The second policy mentioned , LCMB , is another significant issue for carbon emission reduction for Malaysia , but that has to be left for another day . — @ Green