KUCHING: Sarawak is exploring new technology to diversify its renewable resources of energy.
Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said the state government will continue to explore various renewable energy resources including hydro, solar, hybrid solar and gas turbine.
Citing the success of the solar hybrid system implemented by Shell at its TIMI platform, which combines both wind and solar energy, he said the state is also looking at integrated wind and solar as energy sources.
“I’ve requested our scientists to think of developing lightweight wind blades that can effectively harness wind energy for turbine rotation.
“This has been done and we are exploring new possibilities in wind technology. If that is the case, then we can have our own offshore wind turbines to supply power on land and to be distributed by Sarawak Energy,” he said when speaking at the SEB Hari Raya Open house at a hotel here yesterday (May 16).
Noting the abundant supply of gas, he said it is also possible for the state to generate power for turbine rotation by utilising gas.
“Eventually, we can have power from all four sources of energy: hydro, solar, solar hybrid and gas turbine,” he said.
By exploring further all these resources, Abang Johari said it will guarantee a stable power supply and could potentially share its excess power with neighbouring regions.
“That’s where SEB’s objective of being the dominant power supplier in Borneo can be achieved provided we command the technology,” he added.
Also present were Deputy Premier Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian; Minister of Food Industry, Commodity and Region Development Datuk Seri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom; Transport Minister Datuk Seri Lee Kim Shin; Minister of Utility and Telecommunication Datuk Julaihi Narawi and his deputies Datuk Liwan Lagang and Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Junaidi; Deputy Minister of Energy and Environmental Sustainability Dr Hazland Hipni; SEB chairman Datuk Amar Abdul Hamed Sepawi and SEB group chief executive officer Datuk Sharbini Suhaili.
