By Karen Bong
KUCHING, Nov 5: Chong Chieng Jen has urged the state government to consider introducing a mechanism and regulatory framework, whereby households are allowed to sell back excess electricity generated from solar energy back to the grid.
Syarikat Sesco Bhd, the utility arm of Sarawak Energy, in turn, can sell back the electricity to consumers, said the Kota Sentosa assemblyman.
“There are many benefits to it with one, reducing electricity bills for consumers as demonstrated by the success in Germany, where in some cities, 30 per cent of electricity (are) generated from the households.
“Secondly, it will help relief the pressure on electricity companies to keep finding source of power, either through dam or coal, to generate more electricity for the state,” he told reporters clarifying his stands when debating the Natural Resources and Environment (Amendment) Bill, 2019, at the DUN sitting, here, today.
The Democratic Action Party (DAP) lawmaker said as technology advanced, the photovoltaic (PV) systems and solar panels were more affordable now as the cost of production has reduced, thus a lot of households can afford the initial installation cost.
“When electricity is generated, there could be excess and if there is a framework that allows the sell back of excess electricity to Sesco, more people will start installing the equipment and this is also the way to encourage household to generate electricity,” he said.
He added that coal fire plant, which emitted a lot of carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases, was one of the main pollutants of the environment even though it was a source of clean energy.
“In the cost of building dam, the natural environment and trees are destroyed, which are the lungs of our environment to clean the carbon dioxide to oxygen.”
Chong criticised the inconsistency of the state government’s policy on protecting the environment.
“We should shift to solar power from traditional coal fire powerplant and hydro dam to produce energy. This should be the way forward and the state government should look into this,” he urged.
He said that the country has the model, as the system is already implemented in the Peninsular Malaysia. He also asked the state to consider the success of the system implemented in many western countries.
“Basically, I have no objection to the Bill. I support the Bill. In fact, it is important that we have clean air. Everybody breathe the same air whether you are BN (Barisan Nasional) or PH (Pakatan Harapan), rich or poor when you go outside, you breathe the same air,” he said. — DayakDaily
