KUCHING, Oct 25: Sarawak is moving in the right direction in terms of renewable and clean energy development as the transition to greater hydropower use and being an oil and gas producer has helped cushioned the impact of the global economic crisis in the State.
Speaking at the Singapore Energy Summit at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore today, Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg noted that the rise in crude oil prices from USD70.89 in 2021 to USD110 in 2022 per barrel has put additional pressure on economies which are dependent on fossil fuels for growth.
“Although for us in Sarawak, our status as an oil and gas producer provides a buffer,” he shared in his speech at the summit in conjunction with Singapore International Energy Week today.
Apart from crude oil prices, Abang Johari also noted that the global economic recovery has been dampened by the recession following the Covid-19 pandemic, and the ongoing geopolitical tension between Russia and Ukraine which have only served to intensify supply chain disruptions as well as hamper the energy sector’s revival.
“In 2020, Asean’s GDP (gross domestic product) and Total Primary Energy Supply declined by 7.1 per cent and 5.3 per cent respectively.
“Sarawak experienced a similar decline during 2020, with our GDP contracting by 6.8 per cent and energy demand dipping,” he said.
In contrast, Abang Johari pointed out, renewables demonstrated resiliency and growth during the pandemic and continue to play a key role in driving green and sustainable recovery.
Based on a report on the impact on energy sector development in the Southeast Asia region, he said renewable energy’s share in Asean’s Total Primary Energy Supply rose by 0.7 per cent in 2020.
Based on last year’s Asean Power Updates Report, he added that 82 per cent of new capacity in Asean was renewable in 2020.
“We (Sarawak) were largely shielded from all of this as a result of the predominance of hydropower in our generation mix, with indigenous thermal resources providing added stability and security,” he emphasised.
To further accelerate Sarawak’s Green Energy Agenda including with its ambitious goal to establish green hydrogen, Abang Johari said he was proud to announce that Sarawak is the first in the region to generate power from wind.
“We are witnessing progressive growth in the wind industry, beginning with technical innovation that includes advancement and sophistication of instruments and materials to transform wind to electricity,” he added.
With Asean’s population close to 700 million and growing prosperity, Abang Johari stressed that Asean is a burgeoning economic force on the world stage.
Based on the Asean Centre of Energy’s 6th Asean Energy Outlook report, he said the region has a combined GDP of USD7.12 trillion in 2017, which is projected to nearly triple by 2040.
“Accommodating such growth while balancing the trilemma of affordable, reliable and sustainable energy supply is a challenge given the disparity in resources and where we are in the development curve.
“We have observed that countries within Asean are reexamining and driving their own energy transitions as part of the global climate action in addressing energy trilemma,” he said.
To truly succeed, Abang Johari pointed out, Asean countries must work together collaboratively across all stakeholder groups so as to achieve a resilient and sustainable energy future for Asean.
Moving forward, he emphasised, Sarawak is enthusiastic to work with like-minded organisations who are similarly committed to a resilient and sustainable energy future for Asean and the world at large.
Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, Deputy Minister of Energy and Environmental Sustainability Dr Hazland Abang Hipni, Sarawak State Secretary Dato Sri Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki and Sarawak Energy Group chief executive officer (CEO) Datu Sharbini Suhaili were also present. — DayakDaily
