By Nur Ashikin Louis
KUCHING, May 30: Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg is confident that Sarawak Energy Berhad will be the main powerhouse when it comes to generating electricity among Asean countries.
He noted that Sarawak is currently focusing on developing four energy projects to generate power namely hydrogen, gas, solar and a hybrid of solar and wind.
On hybrid energy, he said it would be based on Sarawak Shell Berhad’s first solar and wind powered Timi platform.
He believed that wind and solar hybrid energy can be skilled up, provided that an advanced blade that turns the turbine is produced.
“There is a possibility that if you have this composite blade, you don’t need strong wind to turn the blade. And research is being undertaken on this one.
“I understand that in the next 10 years, this thing would happen. Meaning Sarawak will have four sources of energy, namely hydro, gas, solar and a hybrid of solar and wind.
“That’s why I am very confident that Sarawak Energy will be the main player when it comes to generating power in this part of the region. I’m very confident on that one because of the resources (that we have), secondly the technology, and thirdly, we can adapt to the technology,” he said when officiating at the Sarawak Energy Vendor Awards (SEVA) 2023 held at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) here earlier tonight.
Abang Johari who is also Minister of Energy and Environmental Sustainability, further pointed out compared to Sarawak, it is even harder for other places to adapt to technology and therefore, they would need more vendors.
“This is what happens to Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas). When Petronas operates overseas, the vendor also follows Petronas because there is this compatibility between the main company and the vendors.
“So that is why when we strategise our development, as far as energy is concerned, it is good to have this programme (SEVA) because you have that culture (on the participation of) private sector.
“Meaning once you have that, you can integrate the cost. If you’re still new, it will be hard to come up with the right input in terms of calculating your cost but if you are together, then you know how to strategise your approach,” he added. — DayakDaily
