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Electricity/Power Grid

Power Development Master Plan 8 focuses on renewable energy

28 September 2019

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Vietnam

Nguyễn Mạnh Cường, an official from the Institute of Energy’s Department of Electrical System Development under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, spoke with Vietnam News Agency about the implementation of the national power development master plan in 2021-2030 (or Power Development Master Plan 8).

Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc has assigned the Ministry of Industry and Trade to formulate the master plan for energy and power development in the 2021-2030 period. Could you tell us about the implementation of the draft scheme on the master plan?

The Government has approved the scheme for power development master plan 8, which was submitted by the ministry. The ministry is still awaiting the official decision signed by the Government.

The deadline for completing the power development master plan 8 is June 2020. Thus, the ministry has actively implemented this issue.

The construction of power development master plan 8 is complex. The ministry must calculate the power load forecasting, as well as collect the socio-economic data and economic growth forecasts from the Ministry of Planning and Investment.

Based on that, the ministry will calculate the power source, including wind power, coal power, and renewable energy and its development to suit the national economy.

Are there any differences between power development master plan 8 and master plans of previous years?

The power development master plan will be different from previous versions. Master plans 6 and 7, including the amended one, still rely heavily on traditional power sources such as hydropower, thermal power, and gas turbines. The master plan 8 will be the electricity plan of the renewable energy era.

Solar and wind power are largely determined by the weather. At the same time, we must ensure that there is no interruption in supplying electricity. As a result, the power development master plan 8 will be different.

Normally, there are 1,780 hours of sunlight a year, so we are building a mechanism to use technology to make it more effective.

How will the power development master plan 8 attract investment in the construction of power sources and power grids?

In master plan 8, we will include the assumption that future investment costs of different types of energy will reduce. Based on that, we will calculate the amount of investment.

Regarding investment attraction, the power grid will apply the Electricity Law while the transmission grid will belong to the transmission company.

A mechanism is needed to attract investment.

We will calculate the total capacity of the country’s power production from all resources. Businesses will base investment decisions on that.

We will have a chapter of the master plan to introduce policies on capital, bidding, and transmission grids for power projects.

Hopefully, the first draft will be introduced in June 2020.

Currently, hydro-electric sources have been overexploited and coal and gas thermal power have faced difficulties in the supply of fossil fuels. In your opinion, what is the electricity supply in master plan 8? Is nuclear power included?

In terms of electricity supply, we can import electricity from Laos and the South of China. These are significant sources of supply for Việt Nam.

In terms of renewable energy, the industrial development policy is quite important. We need to develop the industry using less electricity but generating more gross domestic product (GDP).

Currently, we are focusing on heavy industry such as steel and cement. Most of the solar power plants do not have the capacity to power large industries.

The percentage of renewable energy in the total electricity structure that the ministry is studying is 10, 20, 50 and even 80 in the future. The specific ratio is still being calculated by the Energy Institute.

The ratio will be announced in the first draft of the master plan in June 2020. Opinions from experts will be collected.

In terms of nuclear power, this is a stable source with large capacity and affordable cost. However, there are still many concerns about safety and pollution. We will consider this kind of source.

The power development master plan will promote the development of renewable energy as it protects the environment and has become cheaper in investment costs. — VNS

Read more at http://vietnamnews.vn/economy/536105/power-development-master-plan-8-focuses-on-renewable-energy.html#4DOwbEc38VJAZtpk.99

Others

Ministry seeks for 30% reduction in manufacturing waste

27 September 2019

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Indonesia

Jakarta (ANTARA) – The Indonesian government is scheduled to issue a Ministerial Decree that requires manufacturers of goods to reduce production waste to a minimum 30 percent in a 10-year period, a Ministry of Environment’s Director has said.

“In 10 years’ time, they are required to reduce their product waste or packaging. There is a minimum of 30 percent reduction in our draft,” Director of Waste Management from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Novrizal Tahar said in Jakarta, Friday. This regulation will compel producers to reduce waste, as at the moment, such reduction measures are optional for each company, Tahar said.

The ministerial regulation has been discussed and is likely to be completed in the near future, although he was yet to confirm whether it would be issued this year, he further said.

Ways to reduce waste can be implemented by changing product shape design to easing the recycling process and such a step could build a take-back system, he added.

“There are three categories that will be regulated. These are large manufacturers; food and beverage producers, as well as hotels and restaurants, and retail, shopping centers and markets,” he stated.

The roadmap for the reduction of production waste is derived from the Presidential Law number 81 of 2012 concerning Waste Management.

The annual weight of landfills in Indonesia has reached 65.2 million tons in 2016, according to the Central Statistics Agency (BPS)’s data, gathered from the KHLK and the Ministry of Industry.

Renewables

Burmese refugees to benefit from solar project

27 September 2019

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Thailand

Energy management and supply company Kinect Energy Group has announced funding for a renewable energy project designed to transform the lives of hundreds of Burmese refugees living on a landfill site in Thailand.

The refugee community centre known as the Green Island, based in Mae Sot, Thailand, is situated in the centre of a landfill site where approximately 500 refugee families are settled. The Green Island offers underprivileged communities access to education and sporting facilities however, unstable and inadequate access to electricity has forced the local community to rely on natural light, restricting access to the Island.

Partnering with PlayOnside, Kinect Energy Group has agreed to fund the installation of solar panels to provide around-the clock power to the Green Island project. The panels are set to be installed in the fourth quarter of 2019 and will provide refugees with access to a sustainable electricity supply that is 100 per cent renewable, meaning grid energy in the area will not be impacted.

Sustainable electricity to the Green Island will provide children with unlimited access to education opportunities within the community centre, freshly prepared food and a safe environment to socialize and make friends through the football tournaments organised by PlayOnside.

Power will also be supplied to streetlights surrounding the Green Island, increasing safety and visibility at night. The solar panels will be installed by Htoot Htoot, who has been helping communities along the Thai/ Burmese border gain access to renewable energy and sustainable water filtration for seven years.

In remote locations such as Mae Sot, the harsh terrain and lack of a road network makes solar power the most appropriate and effective method of providing energy. Kinect Energy has been supporting and funding renewable energy projects in remote, off-grid areas for several years, through its renewable energy sourcing platform Track my Electricity. The platform enables businesses to reduce their organisational footprint by sourcing 100% renewable energy, and supports vulnerable communities in combating energy poverty in developing countries.

The Green Island was created by not-for-profit organization PlayOnside in February 2019, unite Mae Sot’s ethnically, culturally and socially diverse communities through participation in football festivals and integration tournaments. Children are given an opportunity to play and form friendships regardless of their background.

Anette Gussias, head of sustainability EMEA at Kinect Energy, commented: “As a global business, we are committed to playing our part in eliminating energy poverty and helping to improve the lives of those living in developing countries or fleeing areas of conflict, which is why we were keen to support PlayOnside and its Green Island project.

“Having access to electricity is something that we often take for granted, but for these communities it is life-changing and allows them to create brighter futures for their children and subsequent generations. Solar energy is the most effective and dependable method for off-grid areas such as in Mae Sot, enabling communities to benefit from a safer and a more modern way of living.”

Renewables

Air pollutants can reduce generation of solar energy

27 September 2019

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Malaysia

HAZE occurs when dust and smoke particles accumulate in the air. When weather conditions block the dispersal of smoke and pollutants, they concentrate and form a low-hanging shroud that impairs visibility and may become a respiratory health threat.

Since 1991, haze has been an acute problem in Southeast Asia because Indonesian forests are burned to clear land and the smoke is blown by the wind to neighbouring countries.

Energy losses caused by air pollution on solar panels are widespread and the situation in each area is different.

This is according to our recent study published in the Journal of Plos One titled “Evaluation of the 2013 Southeast Asian Haze on Solar Generation Performance”.

This study aims to define the effect of the 2013 Southeast Asia haze pollution on solar generation from June 1 to June 30, 2013.

Two types of photovoltaic (PV, a method of generating electric power) solar arrays, namely two units of a 1kWp (kilowatt peak) Tracking Flat Photovoltaic (TFP) and two units of a 1kWp Fixed Flat Photovoltaic arrays (FFP), were used.

A solar array is a collection of multiple solar panels that generate electricity as a system. The performance of solar arrays was evaluated by using environmental data (irradiation, temperature, dust thickness and air pollutant index), power output and energy yield. A practical approach is proposed to compare the power output and energy yield from both arrays. Data analysis was conducted on 2,190 samples at 30-minute intervals from June 1, 2013, when both arrays were washed, until June 30, 2013.

The operations of the TFP and FFP arrays installed at Universiti Putra Malaysia before, during and after the haze were monitored to determine the behaviour of both systems.

The results indicated that the effect on PV generation was strongly dependent on the haze pollution and it showed that power generation was reduced because of pollution during haze conditions to about 30 per cent.

This result was obtained after analysing more than one dataset per month and after different environmental elements were applied to the same PV plates. Also, due to pollution during the 30-day period, the average generation of FFP arrays was around 58watt less than the TFP arrays.

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR DR HASHIM HIZAM; MOHAMMAD REZA MAGHAMI

Department of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University Putra Malaysia

Others

Singapore welcomes Malaysia’s efforts on transboundary haze legislation

27 September 2019

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Malaysia ,
Singapore

SINGAPORE (Sept 27): Singapore is pleased that Malaysia is considering of having a legislation akin to the republic’s Transboundary Haze Pollution Act (THPA) which was passed in 2014.

“I am pleased that Malaysia is considering similar legislation,” said Singapore’s Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, Masagos Zulkifli in his Facebook posting on Thursday evening.

It was reported on Sept 24 that Malaysia will be preparing a cabinet paper on the need to create a Transboundary Pollution Act in three months.

Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Minister Yeo Bee Yin said the cabinet paper among others would contain the direction and policy of the act.

“The act if approved will include haze and other pollution so that the government can take action against Malaysian companies or citizens who commit such offences in other countries but resulted in pollution to our country,” Yeo reportedly said.

Meanwhile, in the same posting, Masagos also noted that Singapore is supportive of the Indonesian government’s continuing efforts to suppress the forest and land fires.

“I am also glad that the Indonesian Ministry of the Environment and Forestry is stepping up efforts to pursue action against companies that are culpable for the fires, and subjecting them to the full extent of the law, and pursuing the necessary evidence to do so.

“This is the spirit and intent of Singapore’s THPA … The THPA is not meant to undermine the sovereignty of any country and is in line with international law,” he said.

Masagos added that the THPA complements national efforts, such as those by Indonesia, to hold the responsible parties accountable.

Others

TNB plans smart meters all across Peninsular Malaysia by 2026

27 September 2019

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Malaysia

Almost every household in Peninsula Malaysia will be able to track their power usage and patterns through the Advance Metering Infrastructure (AMI), or simply known as the smart meter.

This will be made possible with Tenaga Nasional Bhd’s (TNB) plans to instal 9.1 million smart meters by 2026 to facilitate full AMI benefits for its customers, as mandated by the Energy Commission.

Energy Commission Industry Operations Director, Ir Roslee Esman said under the Regulatory Period 2 (RP2) from 2018 to 2020, a total of 1.5 million smart meters are scheduled to be installed at consumer premises in Melaka and selected areas in Klang Valley.

Currently, he said almost 300,000 smart meters have been successfully installed in Melaka under the RP2 Phase 1 in 2018, while another 1.2 million will be installed by 2020 in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya/Cyberjaya under Phase 2.

“We fully support this move, and RM1.2 billion will be spent for this in a three-year period (from 2018 to 2020), under the RP2.

“Some 9.1 million households in the Peninsular are expected to instal the smart meter by 2026 (RP4),” he said at a press conference after a TNB media briefing on smart meters installation here, today.

Asked whether the cost of the meters could change by 2026, Roslee was positive that prices would be reduced based on technology development.

“RM1.2 billion (cost for RP2) is based on current technology. The price from RP2 till RP4 would be reduced accordingly,” he said.

In another development, TNB Project Director (AMI-Klang Valley) Distribution Network Division, Ir Mohamed Ghous Ahmad said TNB has set up 200 poles for data transmission since April this year around the Klang Valley.

“We have not installed the smart meters yet as we are still putting up poles to obtain the network system. We are going to mount another 740 poles as soon as possible so that we can start installing the meters,” he added.

Commenting on claims that smart meters pose health risks, an expert from the Wireless Communication Center at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Chua Tien Han dismissed the perception as smart meter technology emits very low radiation levels.

He said smart meter uses radio-frequency waves, just like smartphones and microwaves, and radiation exposure is minuscule in comparison.

“Not to worry, smart meters are safe. That is the perception of the people, they seem to think that new technology comes with high radiation. They don’t,” he said.

Also present at the media briefing today were deputy secretary-general (energy) Ministry of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change (MESTECC) Noor Afifah Abdul Razak and TNB chief corporate officer Roslan Abdul Rahman.

In her opening remarks, Afifah said the installation of smart meters would also help boost the country’s economy as it opens up investment opportunities for companies to participate in the initiative, at the same time creating some 5,000 job opportunities.

She said smart meters have also been adopted in several developed countries including the United States, United Kingdom, Singapore and Japan. – Bernama

Others

Sapura Energy wins jobs worth RM774m

27 September 2019

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Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 27): Sapura Energy Bhd has secured three new contracts and two contract extensions worth a combined value of approximately RM774 million in Malaysia, Brunei and Thailand for engineering and construction, and drilling works.

In a filing today, Sapura Energy said that in Malaysia, Sapura Fabrication Sdn Bhd has been awarded a contract from Petronas Carigali Sdn Bhd for procurement, construction and commissioning works of BNJT-K BN-84 well tie-in for Bardegg-2 and Baronia enhanced oil recovery development project.

The works are expected to be completed by 3QFY20, the group said.

Meanwhile, Sapura Drilling Asia Sdn Bhd was awarded a contract amendment and extension by Petronas Carigali for the provision of a semi-submersible tender-assist drilling rig, Sapura Berani.

It said the contract involved the drilling of five additional wells at Erb West, offshore Sabah and Dulang facilities, offshore Peninsular Malaysia, and is expected to be completed by 2QFY21.

In Brunei, Sapura Fabrication secured an engineering, procurement, construction and installation contract by Brunei Shell Petroleum Company Sdn Bhd for the Salman Project in the country.

Sapura Energy said the contract was divided into two parts, spanning three years starting from FY20 and ending in FY23.

Also in Brunei, Sapura Drilling Sdn Bhd has been given a contract extension from Brunei Shell Petroleum Company for the provision of a semi-submersible tender-assist drilling rig, Sapura Pelaut, and drilling services.

Sapura Energy said the extension was for one-year period from 1QFY21.

Meanwhile in Thailand, Sapura Drilling Asia Ltd was awarded a contract by PTT Exploration and Production Public Company Ltd for the provision of its tender assist drilling rig, Sapura T-17, services for one year starting from 1QFY21 plus options for extension, at the Bongkot field, offshore Gulf of Thailand.

Sapura Energy said with the contracts, its cumulative contract wins year-to-date total RM3.1 billion.

At the midday break, Sapura Energy shares were 1.75% or 0.5 sen higher at 29 sen for a market capitalisation of RM4.63 billion.

Energy Cooperation

PT Anggun Makmur Energy and CIC enter ‘clean coal’ offtake agreement

27 September 2019

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Indonesia ,
Vietnam

PT Anggun Makmur Energy (PT AME) is to supply steam coal to power plants in Vietnam as part of an offtake agreement agreed with Commodities Intelligence Centre (CIC) on behalf of its trading platform registered users.

The total contract value is $8.5 million, with the first coal shipment produced by “clean coal technologies” commencing in October 2019.

This agreement will reduce cross-border transaction costs and achieve greater trading synergies in the region, strengthening Singapore’s role as an international trading hub, according to CIC. It also has the potential to influence expansion into other markets in Asia, such as China and the Philippines.

Coal dominates world power generation and is an important and crucial commodity for Asia Pacific, according to CIC. The International Energy Agency, in 2018, estimated Asia produced 70% of the world’s coal, with coal demand projected to grow 5% year-on-year to support the growth of Southeast Asia.

CIC said: “Despite its strong demand, low-cost coal runs counter to the global trend that is looking to cut carbon emissions. As coal continues to be the dominant fuel for power generation in Southeast Asia and Asia-Pacific, the development of clean coal technology and innovative solutions can reduce the environmental pollution that coal brings to the world.”

PT AME is an Indonesia-based coal miner that, through its mining practices, is enabling independent power plants (IPPs) to comply with global CO2 emission standards. Its mines generate less coal ash than others in the industry, according to CIC.

“Their (PT AME’s) technology is able to revive the region’s economically dead mines or old mines with good coal, producing lower volumes of waste material when extracting one-unit tonne of coal,” CIC said. “The overall cost of coal mining is also reduced by up to 80%, providing cost savings to the operation and maintenance of IPPs.”

Peter Yu, Chief Executive Officer of CIC, said: “This partnership with PT AME marks a significant milestone achieved by CIC that will facilitate intra-ASEAN trade and strengthens Singapore’s role as an international trading hub in the digital realm.”

Pak Djoko, President Director of PT AME (pictured left), quoting a 2017 report from Danish Energy Agency, said Vietnam’s import share of total primary energy supply is set to increase to 37.5% in 2025 and 58.5% in 2035 with high demand on imported fuel, especially coal.

He added: “We believe that PT AME will be able to use best practices garnered from our experience in the Asia-Pacific region in supplying the necessary energy source, to meet the demands of Vietnam. Moreover, CIC’s eTrade Platform extensive network and market knowledge will allow us to enter the Vietnam market with confidence and help bring our sustainable and environmental-friendly mining practices to the country.”

CIC is a Singapore-based platform backed by Enterprise Singapore, and is a joint venture between ZALL Smart Commerce Group, a business-to-business (B2B) platform in China; Singapore Exchange; and Global eTrade Services, a subsidiary of eGovernment products and services provider CrimsonLogic. CIC aims to create an interoperable global B2B physical commodities trading platform with global connectivity.

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