ALOR STAR: Mentri Besar Kedah Incorporated (MBI Kedah) has launched the state’s Green Energy and Renewable Energy Master Plan.
Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mukhriz Tun Mahathir (pix) said the plan also provides guidelines for potential investors in Kedah’s renewable energy industry.
“The plan, formulated in cooperation with Cypark Resource Bhd, outlines four core thrusts, with a focus on solar energy, biogas, biomass and hydroelectric power.
“The master plan is in line with the state government’s wish to ensure Kedah’s development does not affect its environmental sustainability,” he said when launching the plan at Sik yesterday.
Mukhriz said with its proximity to the equator, the country can collect three kilowatts per hour of electric power per square metre.
“Energy from biomass and biogas can be produced from wastes collected by local authorities and also agricultural wastes such as rice husks and coconut residue, “ he said.
Besides contributing to the national grid, it could also supplement farmers’ incomes, he said, noting that with its vast agricultural areas, Kedah produces a lot of agricultural wastes especially from oil palm plantations and rice fields.
He said agricultural wastes can be processed to produce renewable energy using the available technology, citing rice husks’ high organic carbon content of between 30 and 50 per cent.
For green energy, he said the state will focus on balanced development and reducing electricity consumption and carbon emissions while improving the air quality.
Under the plan, the state aims to produce 2,000 Megawatts of renewable energy by 2030, with an investment target of RM6 billion over the next 10 years. — Bernama
