INGENIEUR
Sustainable Energy –
The Future is Here
By Ir. Akmal Rahimi Abu Samah
Sustainable Energy Development Authority (SEDA)
C
limate change has become one of the most
discussed issues in the world that needs
everyone’s attention and action. In Malaysia,
Sustainable Energy Development Authority (SEDA)
together with the Ministry of Energy, Green
Technology & Water has taken the responsibility
of transiting our country’s energy landscape from
one that is heavily dependent upon fossil fuel to
one using renewable energy.
Scientists have largely agreed that climate
change is caused primarily by carbon emissions
due to human activities. Climate change needs to
be addressed in two ways:
● ●
Climate change mitigation – the
Government should incorporate policies to
facilitate energy transition to decarbonise
especially the energy and transportation
sectors. These two sectors constitute
approximately 80% of the country’s total
carbon em issions. Decarbonising of
the energy sector will require deliberate
policies to phase out the use of fossil fuel
(e.g. coal, gas and oil), increasing the use
of renewable energy (e.g. solar, hydro and
bioenergy) and enhancing energy demand
management.
● ●
Climate change adaptation – this will
require adaptation across all critical sectors
(e.g. agriculture, power & water utilities and
infrastructure).
In Malaysia, we have nearly 84% of coal and
gas in our electricity capacity mix and this fossil
fuel generation will continue to be added to the
system. Continuous development of conventional
thermal plants will only exacerbate the climate
crisis and if the fuel needs to be imported, then
true national energy security is questionable.
We also need to ask ourselves: can renewable
energy replace conventional thermal energy? The
6 6
VOL
VOL 75
55 JULY-SEPTEMBER
JUNE 2013 2018
answer is yes. A more pressing question is how
much time do we have before the global average
temperature increase tips over the 2°C threshold.
Some scientists estimate that as few as 10 years
will be needed to achieve global carbon neutrality.
Therefore, the time to transit to renewable energy
is now.
Renewable Energy Programmes in
Malaysia
Malaysia is to reduce its carbon footprint
especially in terms of energy. This reduction in
carbon emissions is gaining importance with the
ratification by the Malaysian Government on the
Paris Climate Agreement at the end of 2016.
Malaysia’s Nationally Determined Contribution
(NDC) is to reduce our Greenhouse Gas (GHG)
emissions intensity of GDP by 45% by 2030
relative to the emissions intensity of GDP in 2005.