The Star 20 Dec 09;
KOTA KINABALU: A coalition of concerned groups here is hoping that Malaysia’s pledge to slash its carbon emissions over the next 10 years will start with the scrapping of an unpopular coal-fired power plant project in the state’s east coast.
“This strengthens the case against the coal-fired power plant. However, Sabah still needs to solve its power supply shortfall by other means,” said Green Surf spokesman Dr Rahimatsah Amat.
The WWF Malaysia Borneo Programme chief technical officer said Malaysia’s adoption of the National Green Technology Policy strengthened its commitment to move away from “dirty” energy and focus on renewable energy.
“As such, the issue of having a coal-fired plant should be finally put to rest as it goes against new policies and commitments,” Dr Rahimatsah said yesterday.
Addressing the United Nations Climate Change Conference 2009 in Copenhagen last Thursday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak pledged a 40% cut in Malaysia’s emissions by the year 2020, compared to 2005 levels.
Last week, Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB) said it was expecting the proposed 300mW coal-fired plant in Lahad Datu to be fully operational in 2014, and was awaiting environmental approval.
SESB senior general manager for operations Abd Razak Sallim insisted that the plant was the only option available to the electricity-deficient east coast, as other methods were not feasible.
According to Lahad Datu Energy Sdn Bhd (LDE), the company behind the plant, the facility will be designed to burn 1.22 million tonnes of coal annually.
Meanwhile, Dr Rahimatsah said Green Surf would conduct a thorough study of the actual energy situation in Sabah and practical alternatives for power generation.
Put coal-fired plant to bed: Green Surf
Daily Express 20 Dec 09;
Kota Kinabalu: The issue of coal-fired plant should be finally put to rest permanently as it goes against new Government policies and commitments in both the Coral Triangle Initiative and the ongoing Copenhagen Climate Summit, said Green Surf Saturday.
"Early this year, our Prime Minister launched the National Green Technology which calls for Malaysia to move away from dirty energy such as coal and to promote the use of renewable energy," noted Dr Rahimatsah Amat at a press conference.
"We applaud Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's 'Herculean endeavour' in committing Malaysia to slash up to 40 per cent of carbon emissions by 2020 compared with 2005 levels," said Dr Rahimatsah of WWF-Malaysia.
Also present were Sabah Environment Protection Association (Sepa) President Wong Tack, PACOS leader Adrian Lasimbang and a host of Green Surf and Sepa members.
"Malaysians support the Prime Minister and this strengthens the no coal-fired power plant for the Sabah case, although Sabah still needs to solve its energy crisis by other means," Dr Rahimatsah added.
He said the Four-Fuel Policy that Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB) uses to justify having a coal-fired power plant in Sabah is an outdated policy devised in 1981.
"This means it was designed without taking into consideration environmental impacts as well as climate change, which is a hot issue today," he pointed out.
"The environment was not a major concern back then and climate change was not even an issue. Now we know better, so let's do the right thing for Sabah's future," he pointed out further.
Dr Rahimatsah cited another policy that was adopted by the State Cabinet, the Sabah Shoreline Management Plan that has identified the coastal area of the Dent Peninsular (where the coal fired power plant is meant to be built) as being extremely sensitive and should be protected with no major development.
The identified site for the proposed coal-fired plant is also situated within the global epicentre for marine species and habitat, known as the Coral Triangle Initiative to which Malaysia has put in US$1 million (about RM3.4 million).
Sabah is also one of the few states in Malaysia that has placed environmental conservation as a priority and the Government has been working towards embracing the future by conserving age-old natural environment," according to the Sabah Development Corridor (SDC document.
The SDC also states that one of the key principles that will guide the development of Sabah is to ensure sustainable growth via environmental conservation.
SESB's statement that coal-fired power plant will have no effect on marine life in the mangrove forests, sea grass beds, the coral reefs and beyond is illogical as even small housing developments by the coast has an effect on the marine ecosystem.
To make such a hard and fast conclusion has put SESB on an obligation to furnish to the Sabah public independent scientific details on the baseline data on the condition of the marine ecosystem before coal-fired plant operation and also post-operation data clearly showing nothing has changed after non-stop discharge of waste water into the sea.
SESB's suggestion that fishermen can earn more in the manufacturing industry makes no sense as they chose to remain in the fishing industry as each family can earn RM1,500 to RM2,500 cultivating seaweed along the Dent Peninsular.
"As far as Green Surf is aware, no one has asked that the Detailed Environmental Impact Assessment (DEIA) include the whole world but just the identified zone of impact for the Dent Peninsular," said Dr Rahimatsah.
"Such simulations are the norm for DEIAs especially those situated in such sensitive areas and will not overload and crash computers as was mentioned by Lahad Datu Energy Sdn Bhd Project Director," he said.
"In 2001, energy companies across the United States were busy drawing up plans for about 150 new coal-fired power plants. However, by mid 2009, 100 of these planned plants were rejected. This is more than 50 per cent," he cited the growing unpopularity of coal-fired plants.
Dr Rahimatsah quoted the Prime Minister's own words: "We can no longer ignore these issues (climate change) but must now collectively and effectively address these challenges together where new approaches are critical".
Rahimatsah also disclosed that Green Surf is currently conducting a detailed study on all the alternative sources of energy in Sabah to "complement" studies done by TNB and SESB.
The report, scheduled to be competed by mid January, will also be presented to the Cabinet.
"I believe there is no point staying in loggerhead. The best solution is we are offering our services to help provide a solution to the energy crisis in Sabah," he said.
Dr Rahimatsah said the public have remained in the dark on the specific causes of the energy crisis in Sabah and said SESB and independent power producers (IPPs) should open their operation logbooks to the public to see exactly what is at fault.
"I don't think such books are OSA (Official Secrets Act) materials," he said.
Meanwhile, President of PACOS Trust criticised the SESB for insisting that coal is the only option.
"Renewable resources from oil palm wastes is a big option and we should look at it towards providing an alternative to coal," he said, citing two oil palm mills already doing bio-energy from biomass and biogas.
"They maybe small but if we could just upscale it a bit, I think it is an alternative to coal," he added.
Adrian also criticised SESB's planning which look at only "Centralised Systems" which are prone to management problems because they are complicated.
"They should also look at smaller scale but localised energy systems which can benefit the local economy instead of just importing energy from elsewhere."
On Malaysia's bold pledge to cut emissions by 40 per cent by 2020, Adrian noted: "2020 is not that far, yet the 2006 emission level was about 187 million tonnes of C02. This means if we cut emissions by 40 per cent from that, we are talking about removing 75 million tonnes and as I checked the figures, a 500MW-coal plant actually emits 3.3 million tonnes of C02.
So if Sabah goes for coal, by 2020 we have to phase out all these coal-fired power plants in order to meet the 40 per cent target," he noted.
"We are not just talking about the proposed 300MW power plant but all coal-fired plants in the country will have to be phased out. So the push for coal-fired plant shows we are not thinking of the climate change context and what Malaysia has vowed to do," Afdrain said.
Meanwhile, Sepa President Wong Tack said Sabah should not "jump into coal."
"Sabah should not make a decision in a rush and jump into coal because that decision will last for generations once it is made," he said.
"Give ourselves a chance, give us time," Wong said, citing the creation of the Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water only months ago this year. "I can see the future of renewable energy is coming up very soon.
Instead of the big rush into coal, we should study the options carefully," urged Wong tack.
