KUCHING: Sarawak Energy’s emerging regional leadership in renewable energy development saw the corporation represented at the annual Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW) 2020.
Sarawak Energy Group chief executive officer Datuk Sharbini Suhaili was part of a high-level panel discussion representing the energy sector at the Second Global Ministerial Conference on System Integration of Renewables.
James Ung, chief executive officer for SEB Power, the group’s generation arm, was a panellist in the “Regional Interconnectivity in The Low Carbon Energy Transition” session at SIEW.
Sharbini’s session titled “Accelerating Investment in Renewable Electricity Technology and Infrastructure” comprised ministerial delegates and corporate leaders addressing measures undertaken by governments and the private sector to enhance renewable electricity uptake and integration against the backdrop of a global economy affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Minister of State, Ministry of Energy and Climate Affairs in Hungary, Dr Peter Kaderjak, moderated the session.
Sharbini spoke of Sarawak and Sarawak Energy’s related efforts while highlighting the lessons learnt from Sarawak’s renewable energy development journey.
He highlighted Sarawak Energy’s role as implementer in delivering the Sarawak government’s vision of achieving developed status by 2030 through hydro-industrialisation at the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy.
He emphasised the importance of multi-sector collaboration in creating a sustainable energy future. “The year 2020 and the current crisis provides a new set of challenges as well as opportunities.”
He said Sarawak was ahead of the curve as it had a strategy, blue-print, identified players and potential markets.
“Most importantly, Sarawak also has the understanding of what needs to be done in the development of renewable energy to progress the green agenda in Sarawak and the region.”
Earlier this year, Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg formed the Sarawak Economic Action Council to develop strategies, policies and roadmaps to accelerate Sarawak economic growth in the face of the current challenges.
The council has 14 sectors with Sharbini leading the Renewable Energy sector. Other speakers at the session included Dr Tan See Leng, Singapore’s Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office and Second Minister for Trade and Industry; Alfonso G. Cusi, Philippines Secretary of Energy; Michal Kurtyka, Poland’s Minister for Climate and Environment; Joao Pedro Matos Fernandes, Portugal’s Minister for Environment and Climate Action; and Timo Tatar, Estonia’s Ministry of Economic Affairs and Infrastructure Deputy Secretary General. Asean was represented by Datuk Lim Jock Hoi, Asean secretary-general.
In his session, Ung shared with the audience Sarawak Energy’s Borneo Grid aspiration and interconnection initiatives which he emphasised should be a part of the solution to share electricity generated from renewable resources.
“Sarawak Energy commenced export to West Kalimantan in 2016, marking the first major milestone on the journey towards materialising the vision of a cross-border connectivity within Borneo or the Borneo Grid.
“Sarawak’s shift to hydropower from hydrocarbons about a decade ago has significantly reduced our carbon emission intensity by about 76.5 per cent.
“Through our existing and planned interconnections, we can share our renewable energy resources with our neighbours and further contribute to the reduction of carbon emissions in the region as well as improve reliability of the network and bilaterally optimised operation costs.”
SIEW 2020 with its theme, “Creating Our Low Carbon Energy Future Together” was held from Oct 26-30.
It is a high-level discourse on global renewable energy solutions convening political, business, academic and energy industry thought leaders to advance solutions and actions across the energy spectrum of oil and gas, clean and renewable energy, and energy infrastructure financing.
The conference was organised as a hybrid event due to the current Covid-19 pandemic, with participants being able to attend physically or virtually.
