SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER . 2023 | @ green
COVER STORY
09 long time . The supply reliability has been compromised by an inadequate balance between the generation capacity and growing demand , particularly for the East Coast region .
A comprehensive option , addressing two issues , i . e ., supply security in Sabah ( especially in its ECR ) and increasing biomass / biogas RE generation from the numerous palm oil plantations in that region , could be to accelerate the installation of solar PV and biomass / biogas power plants to feed the grid , with appropriate and adequate incentives to enhance the ECR generation capacity .
BIOMASS DEMAND CREATION
As mentioned above , developing biomass / biogas RE power plants can form a quickfix mechanism for this flagship project .
Coincidentally , @ Green covered this issue in the July-August 2023 edition , addressing the dismal development of such projects as reported in the SEDA Annual Report and reproduced below .
FUTURE MOBILITY
This flagship project is based on the LCMB ( Low Carbon Mobility Blueprint 2021 - 2030 ) launched in 2021 . Coincidentally , again , this topic was addressed in the January-February 2023 issue of @ Green , which addressed the apparently “ less than optimal ” promotion of BEVs ( Battery Electric Vehicles ).
A relevant extract of the issue is reproduced below , which should warrant a review of the Future Mobility component for a more optimal strategy for emission reduction aspirations from the transportation sector for Malaysia .
UTILITY-SCALE ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM AND CARBON CAPTURE AND STORAGE
These flagship projects are perhaps too premature for Malaysia for some reasons , as detailed below :
• Energy storage systems cover various options , such as pumped hydroenergy systems ( PHES ), battery energy storage systems ( BESS ), and even the use of GH2 and ammonia as energy storage options . In all these options , the electricity to charge the storage systems should ideally be generated from excess carbon-free RE sources such as solar PV or biomass / biogas power plants .
• It would be a “ travesty of justice ” if the energy to charge the BESS or to produce GH2 or ammonia is generated from fossil fuels . Currently , Malaysia does not create such “ excess carbon-free RE ” and is not likely to do so for the foreseeable future , i . e ., up to after 2040 . The recent government decision to relax the ban on selling Malaysian-generated RE to neighbouring countries makes this even more problematic .
• CCS has seen tremendous initiatives
and R & D ( research and development ) in many countries since the last century . Still , few operating systems exist as commercially viable systems due to the high capex for such projects . Hence , Malaysia may do well to leave this proposed flagship project for the longer-term aspirations . The NETR , in Part 2 , has commendably and very realistically recognised some of the concerns stated above as per the extract below :
This recognition bodes well for Malaysia ’ s successful execution of its ambitious Energy Transition strategies to achieve the desired NZE 2050 goal . - @ Green