SHAH ALAM: Selangor state-linked firm Worldwide Holdings Bhd plans to invest RM1 billion to set up a waste-to-energy (WTE) facility in its existing sanitary landfill in Jeram, Selangor, according to its group CEO Datin Paduka Norazlina Zakaria.
The plant, which is set to be the largest and most modern WTE facility in Malaysia, will be fully funded by the group, in which the state government has provided an allocation of RM40 million for land acquisition.
“Some 20% (of the total investments) will be coming from our equity and the balance (80%) from the financial institutions,” Norazlina told a press conference in conjunction with the group’s signing ceremony today.
The group today signed a joint development agreement with Western Power Clean Energy Sdn Bhd – a joint venture company of China Western Power Engineering and Construction Co Ltd (CWPEC) and China Western Power International (CWPI) for the first phase of the WTE project.
CWPEC and CWPI, which have over 30 years of expertise in the new energy and environmental protection industry, will provide facilitation to Worldwide Holdings in terms of the project development as well as operations and maintenance of the facility.
The phase one of the project would involve an estimated investment of RM500 million, and an additional RM500 million for the second phase.
Norazlina noted that the WTE plant addresses all aspects of environmental issues through a modern and high-tech treatment facilities in strict compliance with the EU standards.
“The technology we are adopting has proven track record using similar waste characteristics in Malaysia. The solid waste is used as feedstock to heat up the furnace and create steam which propels the turbine to generate electricity,” she added.
With waste capacity of 1,000 tonnes per day, Norazlina said the first phase of the facility will produce between 20-25 MW (megawatt) of green energy, which is enough to power 25,000 households within the vicinity of the plant.
She said the first phase of the plant will be ready for commercial operation by 2022, while completion of the second phase is targeted by 2024.
At the same time, Norazlina said the group also plans to open a similar facility, possibly in its Tanjung 12 sanitary landfill in Kuala Langat, Selangor, with a development cost of around RM500 million.
The facilities are expected to reduce land use for landfill while supporting the government’s aspiration of increasing renewable energy generation to 20% by year 2025.
At present, Worldwide Holdings manages 5,000 tonnes of domestic waste per day at its six sanitary landfills in Selangor.
