Tawau geothermal plant expected in 2015 in Malaysia completion
Sabah, Malaysia (source: flickr/ onemorebiteblog, creative commons)
Alexander Richter
16 May 2012
The Tawau geothermal project for a first phase 36 MW plant by Tawau Green Energy is expected to be completed in 2015 with an expected cost of $136 million.
Reported from Malaysia, “the phase one of Tawau Green Energy Geothermal Power Plant involving generating capacity of 36MW is expected to be completed in 2015.
The power plant at Apas Kiri, which is the first renewable and sustainable project of its kind in Malaysia, will supply 30MW to the Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB) grid.
Sustainable Energy Development Authority of Malaysia (SEDA Malaysia) chairman Tan Sri Dr Fong Chan Onn, who visited the project site yesterday, said the plant will be Malaysia’s first grid-connected geothermal power plant.
Fong said the renewable power plant is a unique prospect in the district and it is also acceptable to everyone in the community.
The project undertaken by Tawau Green Energy Sdn Bhd (TGE) will reduce the utilization of fossil fuel for power generation in the state grid in line with Malaysia’s sustainable development policy and global greenhouse gas emission reduction.
According to Fong, the process of producing electricity with a geothermal power plant is similar to other thermal power plants that use coal, oil or gas except that it does not require burning any fuel.
Instead, geothermal plant utilizes energy from the natural steam and hot water drawn from the geothermal reservoir, he explained.
The geothermal power plant is a form of green energy which does not require any fuel burning or combustion to produce heat or electricity, he said.
It emits little carbon dioxide, no nitrogen dioxide and very low amounts of sulfur dioxide, he added.
The project is estimated to cost RM419 million (($136 million) and it has also qualified to receive a grant of RM35million ($11.3 m) from the Private-Public Partnership Unit of the Prime Minister’s Department for the access road and water treatment plant.
Source: The Borneo Post
