News Clipping Archive - Page 1194 of 1320

Energy Economy ,
Energy Efficiency

Metronic eyes RM4b smart city jobs in 3 years

19 March 2019

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Malaysia

METRONIC Global Bhd targets to achieve a US$1 billion (RM4.08 billion) market share of smart city projects across Malaysia, Europe, the US, Middle East and South-East Asia in the next three years.

Metronic CEO and ED Brian Hoo Wai Keong said the US$1 billion target is plausible as it is less than 1% of global investments in smart city technologies, which are expected to rise to US$135 billion by 2021, as stated by International Data Corp’s Worldwide Semi- Annual Smart Cities Spending Guide.

He added that the target is also in line with current rapid progress in telecommunications connectivity and hyperurbanisation.

Among the contributors to the targeted figure is the group’s subsidiary Metronic Engineering Sdn Bhd, which has recently signed a memorandum of understanding with Hong Kong-listed Zhuhai Singyes New Materials Technology Co Ltd that would result in world-class smart city technology solutions in Malaysia.

Metronic’s partnership with Singyes is also expected to connect the country’s infrastructures with the Internet of Things (IoT) and 5G capabilities, which in turn would support the 11th Malaysia Plan’s Smart City Initiatives.

“Smart city technology solutions from Singyes — such as smart light-adjusting film/LED/glass, sensor networks, advanced composites lighting/closed-circuit television systems with infrastructure integrated, renewable energy solar solutions and 5G capabilities — allow for a safe and healthy smart living environment which bodes well for smart city initiatives across Malaysia,” Hoo added in a statement.

Metronic has registered a commendable revenue of RM43 million for the financial year ended Dec 31, 2018 (FY18).

Among the projects the group is involved in are the Kuala Lumpur (KL) Convention Centre, Melawati Mall, Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Sungai Buloh-Kajang Line, KL Sentral, Sunway Velocity Hotel, Arcoris Mon’t Kiara, Damansara City Hotel, KL Eco City and Radia Bukit Jelutong.

As at FY18, Metronic’s balance orderbook stood at RM83 million.

The group also undertook a rationalisation exercise on its available asset and investments towards optimising returns.

As such, Metronic’s ongoing cash call of up to RM42 million from its renounceable rights issue is expected to be put to good use to generate more profits for the company by increasing its project tender success rates.

The rights issue comprises up to 645.34 million in new ordinary shares at an issue price of 6.5 sen per rights share, together with up to 484.01 million free detachable warrants on the basis of four rights shares, with three free warrants for every two existing Metronic shares held by its entitled shareholders.

Currently, Metronic is in the middle of finalising tenders of several huge potential engineering projects worth up to RM300 million in Malaysia and across the region.

Renewables

The hydrocarbon-based chests draw power through a PV panel attached to the roof.

19 March 2019

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Malaysia

Signalling the increasing innovation of natural refrigerant-based technologies, Nestlé Ice Cream yesterday unveiled its first solar-powered ice cream kiosks in the world in Malaysia, as reported by the news publication New Straits Times.

The hydrocarbon-based kiosks draw solar energy through the photovoltaic panels located on the roof to keep the ice cream in the freezer cold. The new solar-powered kiosks were introduced with the aim of furthering the company’s commitments to sustainability.

“Prior to the solar-powered kiosks, we introduced over 13,000 eco freezers across Malaysia in 2015. These freezers require half as much energy as the previous model and use natural refrigerants to keep our ice creams at the right temperature,” Teo Heng Keat, who is the business executive officer for Nestlé Malaysia, told New Straits Times.

“Malaysia is a perfect country to have our solar-powered ice cream kiosks and we hope that with these kiosks, we are able to inspire other companies to take action and look for new ways to reduce the carbon emissions and go green,” Teo said.

Moving forward, Nestlé will roll out more such solar-powered kiosks across the country in the near future, according to New Straits Times.

In 2011, Nestlé debuted its first hydrocarbon-based ice-cream chest freezer. Since 2014, all Nestlé’s new ice-cream chest freezers in Europe are HFC-free (and since 2015, worldwide). Since 2016, all its new island and upright freezers worldwide are HFC-free.

Nestle also took home the best-in-sector light commercial Accelerate Europe award at the ATMOsphere Europe 2017 conference, held in Germany.

The awards aim to recognise the companies and individuals that have done the most to advance natural refrigerant adoption.

Renewables

Minister: Govt hopes to boost renewable energy growth with net metering programme

19 March 2019

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Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR, March 19 — The government is looking into energy efficiency and renewable energy (RE) to reduce electricity bills and decarbonising the government’s administration, said Minister of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment, and Climate Change (MESTECC), Yeo Bee Yin.

In a statement from the Sustainable Energy Development Authority (SEDA) today, she said by introducing new policies like the net energy metering (NEM) programme, the government hopes it can catalyse and scale up the RE growth in the country.

The NEM programme is a solar photovoltaic (PV) initiative by MESTECC to encourage Malaysia’s renewable energy uptake.

Under the programme, energy produced from the installed solar PV system will be consumed first, and any excess exported to Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) on a “one-on-one” offset basis.

The scheme is applicable to all domestic, commercial, industrial and agricultural sectors as long as they are TNB customers.

The programme has seen positive growth since its introduction in October last year, with 38 megawatts (MW) taken up out of the 500 MW allocated for the programme, Yeo said.

“Malaysia has huge potential in harnessing solar power via rooftop PV systems.

“There are 3.2 million landed properties, 450,000 shophouses, 90,000 terrace factories, 21,000 stand-alone factories and 1,000 shopping complexes in Malaysia,” she added.

To date, SEDA has approved 17 solar investor applications since it implemented the solar PV investor directory in January this year.

The new NEM has also succeeded in spawning new solar PV behind-the-meter (BTM) business opportunities that includes solar leasing, purchase of solar electricity via power purchase agreement (PPA) or a hybrid of both.

Additionally, Yeo said a new roadmap, known as the Renewable Energy Transition Roadmap (RETR) 2035 is currently being developed to explore the possible strategies and action plan to realise the government’s target of 20 per cent RE in the national power mix by 2025.

The roadmap will also explore the cost benefits and effectiveness of establishing a mandatory REC market.

The strategies include a peer-to-peer energy trading where the solar prosumers can sell their excess electricity to consumers, enabling those who have rooftop constraints to enjoy the NEM scheme.

It also includes providing the option where consumers can purchase 100 per cent RE electricity from power utility companies. — Bernama

Electricity/Power Grid

EDC reduces daytime energy supply to offset shortage

19 March 2019

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Cambodia

Electricité du Cambodge yesterday issued a statement saying that due to power shortages, it has reduced the supply of electricity in the Kingdom during the day in order to ensure supply at night.

In the statement, EDC said it had contacted neighbouring countries in order to provide more electricity. It said that Thailand agreed to supply 80 megawatts, Laos 10 megawatts, while Vietnam refused due to its own energy supply issues in its southern provinces.

“We are still lacking 13 percent of energy,” the statement noted. “Because of this, the EDC has reduced the supply of electricity until the rain season comes.”

“We are alternating locations that receive electricity during the day because people need electricity the most at night,” it added. “We are trying our best to deploy our own generators to supply electricity during the day at industrial areas, hospitals, water facilities, embassies and government institutions.”

Prime Minister Hun Sen yesterday renewed a call for the public and government institutions to reduce usage, noting that the Kingdom is currently facing a shortage of 400 megawatts of electricity due to a lack of water to power electric dams.

“I am appealing for understanding from our people because this issue is related to climate change,” Mr Hun Sen said. “Climate change has caused some areas to lack water and electricity.”

“Our big problem is that all hydropower dams use turbines to produce electricity,” he added. “Due to water drying out, we lack about 400 megawatts.”

He said that people should have patience when it comes to shortages of electricity.

A lack of water for hydropower dams has led to the shortage. KT/Chor Sokunthea

“I appeal to our people to have patience during this hard time,” Mr Hun Sen said. “However, this issue will not affect industrial areas.”

“Please reduce the use of electricity and water,” he added. “It is not something we can control. We can solve this by using generators as we had in the past.”

According to the Mines and Energy Ministry, Cambodia produced 2,650 megawatts of electricity last year, of which 1,329 megawatts, or 50 percent, came from hydroelectric dams.

EDC on Friday issued a statement notifying the public that because of the extremely hot weather, the demand for electricity has gone up leading to disruptions in power supply.

EDC said it is scheduling power cuts either in the mornings or afternoons for six hours daily throughout the country.

Meanwhile, a 60-megawatt solar power farm in Kampong Speu province is scheduled to start generating power next month, roughly four months ahead of schedule to aid the Kingdom’s power woes.

Yim Viseth, chairman of the Electricity Authority of Cambodia, yesterday said the 20 megawatts are needed ahead of schedule due to the power shortage.

“We are facing a shortage of power and the EDC has made this a priority issue, so the fact that we can get this project online ahead of schedule is pretty good,” Mr Viseth said.

Electricity/Power Grid

Ministry will build over 1,000 megawatts power stations within one and a half year: official

19 March 2019

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Myanmar

Ministry of Electricity and Energy is planning to build over 1,000 megawatts power stations within one and a half year time and will supply electricity using 500 KV power lines across Myanmar without interrupted, said Union Minister Win Khaing of the Electricity and Energy on March 16.

At the present, the power line can carry up to 300 megawatts and the ministry has power stations which only can generate under 300 megawatts.

“The power stations built in the future will be generated over 1,000 megawatts. We are building 500 KV power line to connect Meiktila, Taungoo, Bayargyi and Yangon and it will be the main back-bone of connecting between northern, southern, eastern and western grips. The ministry can supply electricity to anywhere in Myanmar using the national grip within one and a half year or two year time without interrupted,” said the minister.

Myanmar is now generating about 3,800 megawatts of electricity and it can generate 3,000 megawatts more within three year time, added the minister.

The demand of electricity is increased about 19 per cent annually and it needed between 300 and 500 megawatts annually. The government needs to set long term and short term plans to fulfill the electricity in line with the requirement, he continued.

“We are planning to build natural gas fire turbines to supply the electricity to meet the requirement but the availability of the gas is limited and the ministry has planned to use other energy sources to generate electricity,” said the minister.

“Electricity usage is increased from 15 to 19 per cent annually and it is expected to reach to 4,531 megawatts in 2020-21 FY,” he said.

The ministry is planning to fulfill electricity requirement through hydropower plants, gas fire turbines and solar power plants in addition to LNG power plants which will be less usable as the production of natural gas will be declined by 2020.

Oil & Gas

Fuel companies raising pump prices

19 March 2019

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Philippines

MANILA, Philippines — Local oil firms are raising pump prices today, with a steep increase for gasoline, amid a tight supply situation in the Asian market.

In separate advisories, oil companies announced that gasoline prices would be increased by P1.45 per liter, diesel by P0.30 per liter and kerosene by P0.40 per liter. This is the sixth consecutive week for gasoline price increases. There were no adjustments in diesel and kerosene prices last week.

Caltex Philippines said it would implement the price hike by 12:01 a.m. while Petro Gazz, Pilipinas Shell Petroleum, PTT Philippines and Seaoil Philippines said they would implement the increases starting this 6 a.m. Other oil companies have yet to announce their respective price adjustments as of this writing.

The monitoring done by the Department of Energy (DOE) showed that the tight supply of oil in the Asian region pushed up local prices.

“Fundamentals in the Asian gasoline market strengthened further at the end of the trading week as greater evidence of supply tightness emerged with news of refinery maintenance in the region,” the DOE said.

Those undergoing maintenance include Japan’s largest refiner JXTG Nippon Oil & Energy until April 14 while Petronas will be starting its scheduled maintenance program on March 20.

Meanwhile, Sinopec announced plans to shutdown its Dongxing refinery at Zhanjiang in southern China’s Guangdong province for a two-month maintenance starting July 3 until around Sept. 3.

Read more at https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2019/03/19/1902741/fuel-companies-raising-pump-prices#6eFKbCpZazkqjgoQ.99

Renewables

Floating solar testbed to battle Filipino typhoons

19 March 2019

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Philippines

The Philippines’ first and biggest floating solar (FPV) testbed, which is under construction in Southeast Asia’s third-largest lake, aims to demonstrate how the technology combined with a screw piling method can withstand typhoons in a region that has on average 20 storms each year.

Filipino renewable energy developer SunAsia Energy recently completed the first segment of this 20.5kW floating PV testbed that is owned by its subsidiary NorteSol Energy. The system uses modules from Chinese manufacturer Trina Solar, with half the plant using aluminium-framed panels and the other half frameless panels. More modules from other manufacturers will also be tested in a second phase.

The project is located on Laguna Lake, 55 kilometres south of the business district of Makati City, which is part of the huge Manila metropolis, on the northern island of Luzon.

Theresa Capellan, president of SunAsia Energy told PV Tech that the results of the testbed would be shared at a floating solar conference in June – adding: “We will scale up to utility size FPV as soon as the testbed yields a favourable outcome, which we are optimistic about.”

Wind and waves

The Laguna Lake natural water resource covers 95,000 hectares and crosses several cities and towns. Last December, NorteSol Energy signed an agreement with the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) to pilot FPV solar in the lake and study its engineering and operational feasibility, particularly during the typhoon season from June to September.

“Laguna Lake is a challenging location for a floating PV solar because of its waters, winds and waves. We know that storms visit the Philippines 20 times a year, on average,” said Karlo Abril, project officer of SunAsia Energy.

Abril explained that in Japan and Taiwan, FPV plants tend to be bolted on the water surface to ensure stability from strong waves and gusty winds during the typhoon season. Whereas, SunAsia Energy has introduced a screw piling method in the Philippines as its anchoring solution in anticipation of strong storms.

French floating solar pioneer Ciel et Terre also offered its expertise in the installation processes for the Laguna Lake-based project.

Various aspects of the plant will be tested including the Trina Solar modules, looking at the effect of aluminium frames, among other materials, on water surfaces. SunAsia will also be using advanced sensors to record weather movements, track wind speed, tag wave fluctuations, and monitor water quality changes.

“Experience in Singapore and Vietnam reveals that the greatest advantage of floating solar is its cooling effects to the waters,” Capellan added in a release. “Solar panels on waters reduce evaporation during summertime, increase oxygen levels, and improve the overall water quality of the lake’s fishing grounds. This implies that FPV solar can help increase fish population as cooler waters increase zooplankton making it easier for fish to find food as well as reproduce.”

SunAsia is already well established in the Filipino renewable energy space having one of the largest utility-scale PV plants in Toledo, Cebu, and what it claims to be a first-of-its-kind microgrid system in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan.

Renewables

Numerous renewables projects thirsty for planning adjustment

19 March 2019

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Vietnam

News outlet baodautu.vn quoted a recent report sent by the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) to the Prime Minister as saying the ministry had received a large number of proposals from investors on adding their projects into the power development plan.

Those in desire of planning adjustments include five liquefied natural gas fired power projects with a combined capacity reaching thousands of MW, 210 projects in photovoltaic power, and 59 in wind power.

Regarding grid connection, there are nearly 100 projects ranging from 110 kV, 220 kV, to 500 kV which are also seeking for planning adjustments.

The ministry cited the delayed planning process as a major cause which hampers the operating schedule of power projects.

It could pose a high risk of failure for projects to meet requirements for commercial operations as prescribed in the Prime Minister’s Decision 11/2017/QD-TTg and to enjoy preferential tariffs in Decision No. 39/2018/QD-TTg.

In fact, investors are rushing to put their solar power projects into commercial operations prior to June 30, 2019, whilst the commercial operations date for wind power falls on November 1, 2021.

Therefore, financiers have raised concerns that their power projects have yet to be added to the power development plan so far.

According to baodautu.vn, the large-scale Ke Ga wind power project is designed with an overall capacity of 3,400 MW. The investor revealed that a detailed plan on surveying a 2,000-square-kilometer site in the central province of Binh Thuan was submitted to the MoIT for approval last week.

The project is expected to see the first series of turbines put into operations by late 2022 while the first phase of construction towards the 600 MW capacity will be completed by 2023.

The delayed planning process raises a big question mark over when the Ke Ga project will be added to the power development plan and will receive an investment decision.

In fact, the MoIT is assigned to implement the power development plan and national energy plan as stated in the Prime Minister’s Decision No. 995/QD-TTg dated August 9, 2018.

However, there is no specific guidance regarding the procedures for planning, appraising, and approving the plan. This has caused confusion for the ministry over how to handle new power projects as it considers whether it is still empowered to approve the projects in format with Circular 43/2013/TT-BTC, Tran Tuan Anh, Minister of Industry and Trade noted in the report.

The MoIT suggested the Prime Minister allow the ministry to adjust and supplement the power development plan as it did with previous regulations.

In particular, it recommended the planning of power sources of over 50 MW and power grids of 220 kV or higher be approved and adjusted by the Prime Minister, while projects under these levels should be approved by the ministry.

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