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By Shikin Louis
SIBU, Sept 17: Sarawak is looking into producing biomass pellets as a new source of renewable energy.
Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg disclosed that during a work visit overseas, he learnt that a factory in Norway turns dust from timber waste into wood pellets while the largest wood pellet station in London, England produces about 2,500 megawatts (MW) of energy.
“Meaning, what we do here is that we replant our degraded forest areas with new fast-growing species and that will become feedstock to produce pellets for us to produce power; as an additional source for our grid.
“If not (or) if there is an excess of production, we can sell the wood pellets as an export item.
“In other word, we are no longer just cutting wood and selling it. However, we plant the trees, we take the waste and turn it into energy. Now that is a new area of business,” he said during Sarawak Central Chiang Hsia Huang Clan Association’s 63rd anniversary celebration which was livestreamed by Sarawak Public Communications Unit (Ukas) on Facebook earlier tonight.
Abang Johari also mentioned that this would create an environmental cycle whereby Sarawak would replant its degraded forests to produce oxygen while the biomass pellet production would serve as an additional source of energy.
Amongst those present were Deputy Minister of Public Health, Housing and Local Government Michael Tiang Ming Tee; Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Kuching, Xing Weiping; Bawang Assan assemblyman-cum-Sarawak Central Chiang Hsia Huang Clan Association permanent advisor Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh; and the association’s chairman Wong Ing Huong.
For the record, Green Pellet (Sarawak) Sdn Bhd is a subsidiary of Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation (STIDC), that produces eco-friendly wood pellets from wood waste and logs from planted forests to produce high-quality pellets for industrial fuel.
On Dec 23, 2022, the company inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Japan’s Kanematsu Corporation to pursue negotiations on both short- and long-term contracts to supply wood pellets to the Japanese market. – DayakDaily
