September-October , 2021 |
07 |
@ green Xtra |
Brought to you by |
FOCUS
The 944MW Murum Hydroelectric Plant .
Operating for more than 30 years , the 108MW Batang Ai continues to create value and sustainability .
to support biodiversity conservation and build resilient hydropower resources through the protection of catchment areas and water resources .
The Baleh Watershed Connectivity Project is a continuation of the Heart of Borneo ( HoB ) scientific expedition in 2015 , following which 66,721 ha of the surveyed area was officially gazetted as Baleh National Park within the Baleh HEP Catchment Area .
This effort is aligned with the international best practices of the HSAP and the UNSDGs , particularly SDG # 15 , which entails conserving biodiversity through the prevention of endangered species extinction and SDG # 17 , which calls for multi-stakeholder partnerships that mobilise shared-knowledge , expertise , technology and financial resources .
The collaboration effort also assisted the development of a longterm monitoring plan for wildlife conservation within the proposed Baleh HEP reservoir as part of the preparation for Wildlife Monitoring and Rescue ( WiMOR ) of Baleh HEP .
Indeed with the inclusion of large hydropower in the nation ’ s renewable energy ( RE ) definition , Sarawak is a primary contributor towards Malaysia ’ s targets to the Paris Agreement by helping the country meet its Nationally Determined Contributions ( NDCs ) to reduce carbon emissions .
With this , the Federal government can strengthen Malaysia ’ s COP21 commitment by revising the national RE capacity mix target from 20 % to 31 % by 2025 .
Sarawak contributes 3,452MW of RE from its large hydropower plants of Malaysia ’ s total large hydro generation capacity of 5,684MW . These are from the Batang Ai HEP ( 108MW ), Bakun HEP ( 2400MW )
James Ung at the World Energy Council Congress in Abu Dhabi in 2019 .
and Murum HEP ( 944MW ) all operated by Sarawak Energy .
“ The shift to clean and renewable energy is accelerating . It is a global shift that Sarawak Energy supports and is doing its part to contribute .
“ Financiers , investors , and businesses are more inclined to forge collaboration with organisations that are socially responsible as this also reflects and affects their reputation ,” said Ung .
In June 2020 , Sarawak Energy joined 249 companies worldwide to become Malaysia ’ s first corporation to sign the “ Business Ambition for 1.5 ° Celsius ” with the United Nations Global Compact .
It also joined the ‘ We Mean Business ’ coalition where corporations set a science-based emission reduction target across relevant scopes , in line with the Paris Agreement to pursue efforts to limit the global temperature increase to
1.5 ° C above pre-industrial levels by 2030 .
“ We also secured an RM100 million sustainability-linked loan in the form of a revolving credit facility from CIMB Bank .
“ It made Sarawak Energy the first East Malaysian company and the first utility company in Malaysia to secure a loan linked to measurable sustainability performance targets .”
This loan is based upon sustainability performance targets ( SPTs ) to improve the environmental and social performance of Sarawak Energy from 2020 to 2023 financial years .
“ And it serves as a reminder for us to keep our grid emission intensity in alignment with the Paris Agreement , and our pledge to ‘ Business Ambition for 1.5 ° Celsius ’ mentioned earlier ,” Ung explained .
Due to hydropower development , Sarawak has reduced its carbon emission intensity from its power system by 68 per cent from 2011 to 2019 .
“ As the world progresses towards building a more sustainable energy future , we aim for Sarawak Energy to be a leader in RE at the national and regional levels through our role as a renewable hydropower developer and sustainability champion .”
Being Malaysia ’ s largest RE contributor and recognised amongst established global hydropower players , Sarawak Energy understands the importance of staying humble and improving how they undertake their projects and manage their power plants responsibly , learning from previous experiences .
“ Our journey in pursuing renewable hydropower has been evolutionary , and we have gained so much experience-wise . We look forward to Sarawak Energy ’ s continued growth for Sarawak and beyond .” — @ greenXtra