SPECIAL REPORT
INGENIEUR
Impact of Disruptive Technologies on Malaysia ’ s Future Energy Scenario ( Part 1 )
By Ir . Dr Amir Basha Ismail
1 . INTRODUCTION
Backdrop Any modern sovereign nation irrespective of social-political governance ideology must secure for its people three basic needs — water , food and energy . These are the triple national “ internal security ” issues that any Government of the day must address and secure as its core doctrine for national security . Lest these are not met , there will be social instability that can lead to civil war among the populace . For homeland security / internal public order and defence against external aggression , the Government needs only to address and secure only one issue , and that is the police / military security strategy in terms of assets and infrastructure deployment .
Energy underpins almost every aspect of our way of life . Energy is synonymous to national development . It enables us to cool and light our homes ; to produce and transport food ; and to travel to work , around the country , and the world . Our businesses and jobs rely on the use of energy and energy is essential for the critical services we rely on — from hospitals to traffic lights and cash machines . It is difficult to overestimate the extent to which our quality of life is dependent on adequate energy supplies .
The major types of energy that we use for generating electricity are : fossil fuels , renewable energy and nuclear energy . Fossil fuels ( gas or coal ) are also used directly for heating / cooling and industry , and oil-based fuels for transport . As we move towards 2050 , the ways in which we use energy will be transformed ; we will become less dependent on some forms of energy as new and innovative low-carbon technologies and energy efficiency measures are taken up . However , we could become more dependent on others . For example , demand for electricity will increase if electric vehicles are widely deployed . This means that over the next few decades there will be significant change in the energy sector , but an adequate primary energy supply will continue to be critical for electricity demand-generation balance .
Energy security may seem abstract and vague to some . Without oil there is virtually no mobility , and without electricity — and energy to generate that electricity — there would be no Internet age . But the dependence on energy systems , and their growing complexity and reach , all underline the need to understand the risks and requirements of energy security in the 21 st century . Energy security is not just about countering the wide variety of threats ; it is also about relations among nations , how they interact with each other , and how energy impacts their overall national security .
The foundational touchstone of energy security is diversification of supply . Sir Winston Churchill , the war-time British Defence Minister who later became Prime Minister , had on record debated
46 VOL 86 APRIL-JUNE 2021