Sunday, December 26, 2010
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Glittering night for developers
Monday November 15, 2010
PETALING JAYA: It was a glittering and memorable night last Thursday when the best of the country's property developers were honoured at the Malaysia Property Award 2010.
Amid the glitz and glamour of the event was a strong message to property developers that profits aside, going "green" is not only the way forward but also will be the future demand for residential and commercial properties globally, including in Malaysia. The two most-talked-about issues were sustainable property developments and caring for the environment.
The highlight of the night was centred on the winner of the "Property Man of the Year Award 2010" Datuk Alan Tong, who is also dubbed Malaysia's Condo King.
"Winning this award is an acknowledgment by the panel of judges that hardwork pays. As a property developer, I believe that being diligent, transparent and having consideration for property purchasers are the most important traits of any good developer," he said.
Tong received the prestigious award from the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin, who graced the event at The Shangri-La Hotel in Kuala Lumpur in a glittering ceremony attended by local and foreign guests.
The nine other winners of the Malaysia Property Award 2010 included Sunway City Bhd's Sunway City Ipoh for the Master Plan category; Coronation Springs Sdn Bhd's Springtide Residences in Tanjung Bungah, Penang (Residential Development – High Rise); SP Setia Bhd's Precinct 3, Setia Eco Park in Shah Alam, Selangor (Residential Development – Low Rise); Sunway Pyramid Shopping Mall Expansion in Bandar Sunway, Selangor (Retail Development); and Quill group's Quill 7 in KL Sentral, Kuala Lumpur (Office Development).
The other winners are The Westin Langkawi Resort & Spa, Langkawi, Kedah (Hotel Development); Cahaya Jauhar Sdn Bhd's Kota Iskandar (Phase 1) in Nusajaya, Johor (Public Sector); Gloharta (M) Sdn Bhd's Bunga Raya Island Resort & Spa in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah (Resort Development) and Gamuda Bhd's Stormwater Management and Road Tunnel (SMART) (Special Award for National Contribution).
Winners of the MPA in their relevant categories will represent Malaysia the following year at the International Prix d'Excellence, an annual competition that honours the world's best property projects.
SunCity property investment managing director Ngeow Voon Yean said bagging two awards in the FIABCI Malaysia Property Award 2010 was a recognistion of all the hardwork and dedication of the Sunway Group staff.
Quill group executive director Datuk Michael Ong said: "We are delighted to have won the award. It has been a long journey for us," he said. The property developer won the award for its magnificent 30-storey office tower set in the heart of KL Sentral, Malaysia's largest transit hub – QUILL 7.
The International Prix d'Excellence is an annual competition which honours the world's best property projects.
The 2010 Malaysia Property Award was organised by FIABCI Malaysia with Malayan Banking Bhd as the official sponsor.
Documents 1 to 10 of 16 matching the query "quill 7"
1.
Glittering night for developers
[BUSINESS 15-Nov-2010]
PETALING JAYA: It was a glittering and memorable night last Thursday when the best of the country’s property developers were honoured at the Malaysia Property Award 2010.
2.
50 families to benefit from food aid programme
[NATION 4-Nov-2010]
KUALA LUMPUR: Fifty poor families in Pandan Indah can now enjoy a year of food aid under a project put together by a corporate-NGO partnership.
3.
CapitaLand intends to get bigger
[BUSINESS 2-Oct-2010]
SINGAPORE-BASED CapitaLand Ltd is looking to expand its presence in Malaysia’s real estate sector with the strong turnaround of the country’s economy at an expected gross domestic product of at least 6.5% this year.
4.
CapitaLand’s Malaysian success
[BUSINESS 14-Aug-2010]
LAST month, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak told Johor Umno branch leaders not to be emotional or parochial about Singapore investments.
5.
Artist showcases his latest work in exhibition
[CENTRAL 19-Jun-2010]
GROWING up in different states had definitely taught Jack Ting a few survival skills but the 42-year-old artist felt the toughest part was when he eventually had to leave his hometown, Sibu, to further his studies in Kuala Lumpur.
6.
Events
[CENTRAL 12-Jun-2010]
Saturday June 12, 2010. Events. Art exhibition. QUILL Group of Companies is hosting a solo art exhibition themed “Relative Reality: Rite of Passage” showcasing artworks of talented Sarawak-born artist, Jack Ting. It is jointly sponsored by UOB to raise funds for charity. The exhibition is held at central.
7.
Quill profit up on property income
[BUSINESS 21-Apr-2010]
PETALING JAYA: Quill Capita Trust, a real estate investment trust (REIT), posted a 1.69% rise in net profit to RM7.47mil for the quarter ended March 31 compared with the previous corresponding period.
8.
Quill sees higher BMW car sales
[BUSINESS 13-Apr-2010]
PETALING JAYA: Quill Automobiles Sdn Bhd, which has sold 150 BMW cars since November, expects a 15% to 20% increase in sales volume within the next six months.
9.
Quill aims to sell 10 Rolls-Royce cars
[BUSINESS 22-Jan-2010]
PETALING JAYA: Quill Motorcars Sdn Bhd , the newly appointed dealer for Rolls-Royce cars in Malaysia, projects to sell between eight and 10 units a year as demand for the luxury car is expected to more than double globally this year.
10.
Quill Capita profit up slightly But Starhill and Atrium post lower earnings
[BUSINESS 22-Jan-2010]
PETALING JAYA: Of the three real estate investment trusts (REITs) that posted their financial results yesterday, only Quill Capita saw some growth in earnings.
Documents 11 to 16 of 16 matching the query "quill 7"
11.
Singapore team to defend in-line hockey crown
[CENTRAL 23-Feb-2010]
SINGAPORE’S Team Piranhas will return to defend their crown in the Malaysian In-line Hockey Tournament (MIHT) at the Sports Plaza in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, on Feb 26-27.
12.
Mah Sing unit to buy land for RM45.5m
[BUSINESS 9-Feb-2010]
PETALING JAYA: Mah Sing Group Bhd’s wholly owned unit Multi Synergy Group Sdn Bhd yesterday signed an agreement to acquire 7.67ha of freehold industrial land in Hicom Industrial Estate, Shah Alam, from Quill Industrial Properties Sdn Bhd for RM45.5mil cash.
13.
Cyberjaya signages finally up
[CENTRAL 29-Jan-2010]
AFTER more than a year, the Re-zoning Structure Plan (CRSP) for Cyberjaya was finally completed last week.
14.
Rolls-Royce upbeat on Ghost model
[BUSINESS 28-Jan-2010]
PETALING JAYA: Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Ltd has identified Malaysia as a potential key market for its Rolls-Royce and aims this year to sell eight to 10 units of its luxury vehicles here.
15.
Bookstore chain out to promote BM
[CENTRAL 5-Dec-2009]
AS the nation’s official language, Bahasa Malaysia has always played a significant role in uniting a country with different ethnic groups.
16.
REIT managers association gets endorsement
[BUSINESS 1-Dec-2009]
KUALA LUMPUR: The managers of 11 Malaysian real estate investment trusts (REITs) on Monday endorsed the formation of the Malaysian REIT Managers Association (M-REITMA) which will be completed once given the go-ahead by the Registrar of Societies (ROS).
PETALING JAYA: It was a glittering and memorable night last Thursday when the best of the country's property developers were honoured at the Malaysia Property Award 2010.
Amid the glitz and glamour of the event was a strong message to property developers that profits aside, going "green" is not only the way forward but also will be the future demand for residential and commercial properties globally, including in Malaysia. The two most-talked-about issues were sustainable property developments and caring for the environment.
The highlight of the night was centred on the winner of the "Property Man of the Year Award 2010" Datuk Alan Tong, who is also dubbed Malaysia's Condo King.
"Winning this award is an acknowledgment by the panel of judges that hardwork pays. As a property developer, I believe that being diligent, transparent and having consideration for property purchasers are the most important traits of any good developer," he said.
Tong received the prestigious award from the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin, who graced the event at The Shangri-La Hotel in Kuala Lumpur in a glittering ceremony attended by local and foreign guests.
The nine other winners of the Malaysia Property Award 2010 included Sunway City Bhd's Sunway City Ipoh for the Master Plan category; Coronation Springs Sdn Bhd's Springtide Residences in Tanjung Bungah, Penang (Residential Development – High Rise); SP Setia Bhd's Precinct 3, Setia Eco Park in Shah Alam, Selangor (Residential Development – Low Rise); Sunway Pyramid Shopping Mall Expansion in Bandar Sunway, Selangor (Retail Development); and Quill group's Quill 7 in KL Sentral, Kuala Lumpur (Office Development).
The other winners are The Westin Langkawi Resort & Spa, Langkawi, Kedah (Hotel Development); Cahaya Jauhar Sdn Bhd's Kota Iskandar (Phase 1) in Nusajaya, Johor (Public Sector); Gloharta (M) Sdn Bhd's Bunga Raya Island Resort & Spa in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah (Resort Development) and Gamuda Bhd's Stormwater Management and Road Tunnel (SMART) (Special Award for National Contribution).
Winners of the MPA in their relevant categories will represent Malaysia the following year at the International Prix d'Excellence, an annual competition that honours the world's best property projects.
SunCity property investment managing director Ngeow Voon Yean said bagging two awards in the FIABCI Malaysia Property Award 2010 was a recognistion of all the hardwork and dedication of the Sunway Group staff.
Quill group executive director Datuk Michael Ong said: "We are delighted to have won the award. It has been a long journey for us," he said. The property developer won the award for its magnificent 30-storey office tower set in the heart of KL Sentral, Malaysia's largest transit hub – QUILL 7.
The International Prix d'Excellence is an annual competition which honours the world's best property projects.
The 2010 Malaysia Property Award was organised by FIABCI Malaysia with Malayan Banking Bhd as the official sponsor.
Documents 1 to 10 of 16 matching the query "quill 7"
1.
Glittering night for developers
[BUSINESS 15-Nov-2010]
PETALING JAYA: It was a glittering and memorable night last Thursday when the best of the country’s property developers were honoured at the Malaysia Property Award 2010.
2.
50 families to benefit from food aid programme
[NATION 4-Nov-2010]
KUALA LUMPUR: Fifty poor families in Pandan Indah can now enjoy a year of food aid under a project put together by a corporate-NGO partnership.
3.
CapitaLand intends to get bigger
[BUSINESS 2-Oct-2010]
SINGAPORE-BASED CapitaLand Ltd is looking to expand its presence in Malaysia’s real estate sector with the strong turnaround of the country’s economy at an expected gross domestic product of at least 6.5% this year.
4.
CapitaLand’s Malaysian success
[BUSINESS 14-Aug-2010]
LAST month, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak told Johor Umno branch leaders not to be emotional or parochial about Singapore investments.
5.
Artist showcases his latest work in exhibition
[CENTRAL 19-Jun-2010]
GROWING up in different states had definitely taught Jack Ting a few survival skills but the 42-year-old artist felt the toughest part was when he eventually had to leave his hometown, Sibu, to further his studies in Kuala Lumpur.
6.
Events
[CENTRAL 12-Jun-2010]
Saturday June 12, 2010. Events. Art exhibition. QUILL Group of Companies is hosting a solo art exhibition themed “Relative Reality: Rite of Passage” showcasing artworks of talented Sarawak-born artist, Jack Ting. It is jointly sponsored by UOB to raise funds for charity. The exhibition is held at central.
7.
Quill profit up on property income
[BUSINESS 21-Apr-2010]
PETALING JAYA: Quill Capita Trust, a real estate investment trust (REIT), posted a 1.69% rise in net profit to RM7.47mil for the quarter ended March 31 compared with the previous corresponding period.
8.
Quill sees higher BMW car sales
[BUSINESS 13-Apr-2010]
PETALING JAYA: Quill Automobiles Sdn Bhd, which has sold 150 BMW cars since November, expects a 15% to 20% increase in sales volume within the next six months.
9.
Quill aims to sell 10 Rolls-Royce cars
[BUSINESS 22-Jan-2010]
PETALING JAYA: Quill Motorcars Sdn Bhd , the newly appointed dealer for Rolls-Royce cars in Malaysia, projects to sell between eight and 10 units a year as demand for the luxury car is expected to more than double globally this year.
10.
Quill Capita profit up slightly But Starhill and Atrium post lower earnings
[BUSINESS 22-Jan-2010]
PETALING JAYA: Of the three real estate investment trusts (REITs) that posted their financial results yesterday, only Quill Capita saw some growth in earnings.
Documents 11 to 16 of 16 matching the query "quill 7"
11.
Singapore team to defend in-line hockey crown
[CENTRAL 23-Feb-2010]
SINGAPORE’S Team Piranhas will return to defend their crown in the Malaysian In-line Hockey Tournament (MIHT) at the Sports Plaza in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, on Feb 26-27.
12.
Mah Sing unit to buy land for RM45.5m
[BUSINESS 9-Feb-2010]
PETALING JAYA: Mah Sing Group Bhd’s wholly owned unit Multi Synergy Group Sdn Bhd yesterday signed an agreement to acquire 7.67ha of freehold industrial land in Hicom Industrial Estate, Shah Alam, from Quill Industrial Properties Sdn Bhd for RM45.5mil cash.
13.
Cyberjaya signages finally up
[CENTRAL 29-Jan-2010]
AFTER more than a year, the Re-zoning Structure Plan (CRSP) for Cyberjaya was finally completed last week.
14.
Rolls-Royce upbeat on Ghost model
[BUSINESS 28-Jan-2010]
PETALING JAYA: Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Ltd has identified Malaysia as a potential key market for its Rolls-Royce and aims this year to sell eight to 10 units of its luxury vehicles here.
15.
Bookstore chain out to promote BM
[CENTRAL 5-Dec-2009]
AS the nation’s official language, Bahasa Malaysia has always played a significant role in uniting a country with different ethnic groups.
16.
REIT managers association gets endorsement
[BUSINESS 1-Dec-2009]
KUALA LUMPUR: The managers of 11 Malaysian real estate investment trusts (REITs) on Monday endorsed the formation of the Malaysian REIT Managers Association (M-REITMA) which will be completed once given the go-ahead by the Registrar of Societies (ROS).
Monday, November 1, 2010
Rendezvous Hotel Kuala Lumpur to Open in July
by Mick Tan, 11 May 2010-->
Thumbnail:
The 4-star 444-key Rendezvous Hotel Kuala Lumpur, which forms part of the US$75-million Taragon Puteri Kuala Lumpur development in Changkat Thambi Dollah, is envisaged to commence operations in July 2010.
According to the management, the hotel is expected to record an occupancy rate of between 55% and 60% and an average rate of approximately US$80 in its first year of operations.
The hotel will be managed under a 12-year plus six-year extension lease.
The hotel is still not open as of today.
Submitted by Alice Cheung on 30 October 2010 - 8:19pm
Thumbnail:
The 4-star 444-key Rendezvous Hotel Kuala Lumpur, which forms part of the US$75-million Taragon Puteri Kuala Lumpur development in Changkat Thambi Dollah, is envisaged to commence operations in July 2010.
According to the management, the hotel is expected to record an occupancy rate of between 55% and 60% and an average rate of approximately US$80 in its first year of operations.
The hotel will be managed under a 12-year plus six-year extension lease.
The hotel is still not open as of today.
Submitted by Alice Cheung on 30 October 2010 - 8:19pm
Taragon Puteri KL, Bukit Bintang, RM 780,000Kuala Lumpur
Description:TARAGON PUTERI KL features a unique 3 in 1 concept combining hospitality, retail and residences in one development. this integrated commercial development comprises two adjoining blocks, with one block dedicated for an international all suites hotel and the other, a luxury serviced residences block.Limited retail units will also be made available to serve the needs of hotel guests and residents of the residences block.THE RESIDENCES BLOCK comprises 152 units of quality serviced residences. The luxurious serviced residences provide prospective buyers with the opportunity to experience the bliss of solitude amidst the chaos of inner-city living.Standard finishing include plastered ceiling, air conditioning, built in wardrobe, kitchen cabinets and oven hood.LayoutsExecutive Suites-Type 1&2 : 522 sf (1 bedroom + 1 bathroom)-Type 3 : 1044 sf (1 bedroom + 1 bathroom)-Type 5 : 1507 sf (3+1 bedroom + 4 bathroom)-Type 6 : 1511 sf (3+1 bedroom + 4 bathroom)-Type 7 : 1488 sf (3 bedroom + 3 bathroom)-Type 8 : 1572 sf (3 bedroom + 4 bathroom)Superior Suites-Type SP1 : 2175 sf (4+1 bedroom + 5 bathroom)-Type SP2 : 2026 sf (4+1 bedroom + 5 bathroom)-Type SP3 : 2039 sf (4+1 bedroom + 5 bathroom)-Type SP5 : 2068 sf (4+1 bedroom + 5 bathroom)Walking distance to Berjaya Time Square, Lot 10, Sg Wang , Pavilion. Few minutes drive to KLCC. Accessible to Smart Tunnel & KLIA Dedicated Highway & Jalan Tun Razak.The CF to be obtain end of 2010. for futher details please contact TENG 017-299 5230 or email tcl86@hotmail.com.
Property Details
QuikPro No:
UP662630
Property Type:
Serviced Residence
Tenure:
Freehold
Built-Up:
1,044 sq. ft.
Asking Price
RM 780,000
Asking Price psf :
RM 740
Bedrooms:
1
Bathrooms:
2
Occupancy:
Vacant
Posted Date:
01/11/2010
Property Details
QuikPro No:
UP662630
Property Type:
Serviced Residence
Tenure:
Freehold
Built-Up:
1,044 sq. ft.
Asking Price
RM 780,000
Asking Price psf :
RM 740
Bedrooms:
1
Bathrooms:
2
Occupancy:
Vacant
Posted Date:
01/11/2010
RHG no longer part of Taragon Puteri project?
THE opening of Rendezvous Hospitality Group (RHG)’s new 445-room business hotel within the Taragon Puteri Kuala Lumpur integrated development remains uncertain.
The reason is that Singapore-based RHG will no longer be involved in the project.
RHG chief executive officer Iqbal Jumabhoy when contacted by Business Times said: “The management contract for Rendezvous Hotel Kuala Lumpur has not been activated because conditions for the lease and operations have not been met.”
The hotel was scheduled to open this month.
“As a consequence, we have closed the hotel pre-opening office in Kuala Lumpur and have ceased marketing activities at this stage,” Jumabhoy said via e-mail.
A question on the likelihood that Rendezvous could return to Taragon, located on Changkat Thambi Dollah off Jalan Pudu, was unanswered.
A check on RHG’s official website still stated that “under the brands of Rendezvous Hotels and The Marque Hotels, the group comprises 15 hotels with 3,350 rooms across Singapore, Australia, New Zealand and China, including a hotel under development in Malaysia”.
A press release dated March 1 2010 on the appointment of Freddy Sim as the general manager for the hotel, is also available on the website.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Taragon when asked about these developments said: “Work on the site is on schedule and the hotel will open by January 2011.”
In an interview with Business Times in March this year, Sim had said that Rendezvous was leasing the hotel portion and will also manage it. The duration for the lease was for 12 years plus six option years.
This leasing agreement in itself is unique in the Malaysian market, as most hotel operators here either own and manage or solely manage hotels.
RHG, a subsidiary of Straits Trading Co Ltd, is a relatively new but growing Singapore hotel brand. It plans to have 12,000 rooms by 2020.
RHG manages hotels under the Rendezvous and Marque brand through Rendezvous Hotels & Resorts International.
Asked about future openings for RHG in Malaysia, Jumabhoy said: “While we have no definite plans for Malaysia at this point in time, we are always on the lookout for any opportunity in the Asia-Pacific region.”
- Hotel Property in Kuala Lumpur
The reason is that Singapore-based RHG will no longer be involved in the project.
RHG chief executive officer Iqbal Jumabhoy when contacted by Business Times said: “The management contract for Rendezvous Hotel Kuala Lumpur has not been activated because conditions for the lease and operations have not been met.”
The hotel was scheduled to open this month.
“As a consequence, we have closed the hotel pre-opening office in Kuala Lumpur and have ceased marketing activities at this stage,” Jumabhoy said via e-mail.
A question on the likelihood that Rendezvous could return to Taragon, located on Changkat Thambi Dollah off Jalan Pudu, was unanswered.
A check on RHG’s official website still stated that “under the brands of Rendezvous Hotels and The Marque Hotels, the group comprises 15 hotels with 3,350 rooms across Singapore, Australia, New Zealand and China, including a hotel under development in Malaysia”.
A press release dated March 1 2010 on the appointment of Freddy Sim as the general manager for the hotel, is also available on the website.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Taragon when asked about these developments said: “Work on the site is on schedule and the hotel will open by January 2011.”
In an interview with Business Times in March this year, Sim had said that Rendezvous was leasing the hotel portion and will also manage it. The duration for the lease was for 12 years plus six option years.
This leasing agreement in itself is unique in the Malaysian market, as most hotel operators here either own and manage or solely manage hotels.
RHG, a subsidiary of Straits Trading Co Ltd, is a relatively new but growing Singapore hotel brand. It plans to have 12,000 rooms by 2020.
RHG manages hotels under the Rendezvous and Marque brand through Rendezvous Hotels & Resorts International.
Asked about future openings for RHG in Malaysia, Jumabhoy said: “While we have no definite plans for Malaysia at this point in time, we are always on the lookout for any opportunity in the Asia-Pacific region.”
- Hotel Property in Kuala Lumpur
Taragon Puteri KL
Taragon Puteri KL
City Centre, KL
For sale @ RM 896,000.00
Property Details
Properties Summary Details
Property ID : 01680
Category : Residential
Property Type : Serviced Residence
Hold Type : Freehold
No. of Rooms : 3+1
No. of Bathrooms : 3
Built Up Area : 1507
Additional Details
Furnishing Type : Partly Furnished
Remarks
Estimated Completion Date : End of 2009+ 24-hour security+ CCTV+ Guarded Community+ Swimming and wading pool+Children Playground+ Sauna+ Gymnasium+ Barbeque area+ Multipurpose hall
Taragon Puteri KL features a unique 3 in 1 concept combining hospitality, retail and residences in one development. This integrated commercial development comprises two adjoining blocks, with one block dedicated for an international all suites hotel and the other, a luxury serviced Residences Block. Limited retail units will also be made available to serve the needs of hotel guests and residents of the Residences Block.
The Residences Block comprises 152 units of quality serviced residences. The luxurious serviced residences provide prospective buyers with the opportunity to experience the bliss of solitude amidst the chaos of inner-city living.Standard finishings include plastered ceiling, air conditioning, built in wardrobe, kitchen cabinets and oven hood.+ Niche project+ Low density+ Maximum privacy+ City View+ Inner-city living+ 24-hour security+ CCTV+ Guarded Community+ Swimming and wading pool+ Children's Playground+ Sauna+ Gymnasium+ Barbeque area+ Multipurpose hall+ Free Covered Car Park+ Next to A Hotel+ Superb location – accessible from Jalan Sultan Ismail in March 2007+ A new 3 in 1 concept. Leisure, hospitality, retail and residences in one building+ The proposed Building is under negotiation to be managed by an international hotel chain – First of its kind to ensure quality living and international standard of property management+ Superb location - accessible from Jalan Sultan Ismail, SMART & Elevated KLIA Highway soon.
Type 5Level 3A - Level 10
Rm 876,000 - Rm 927,000
City Centre, KL
For sale @ RM 896,000.00
Property Details
Properties Summary Details
Property ID : 01680
Category : Residential
Property Type : Serviced Residence
Hold Type : Freehold
No. of Rooms : 3+1
No. of Bathrooms : 3
Built Up Area : 1507
Additional Details
Furnishing Type : Partly Furnished
Remarks
Estimated Completion Date : End of 2009+ 24-hour security+ CCTV+ Guarded Community+ Swimming and wading pool+Children Playground+ Sauna+ Gymnasium+ Barbeque area+ Multipurpose hall
Taragon Puteri KL features a unique 3 in 1 concept combining hospitality, retail and residences in one development. This integrated commercial development comprises two adjoining blocks, with one block dedicated for an international all suites hotel and the other, a luxury serviced Residences Block. Limited retail units will also be made available to serve the needs of hotel guests and residents of the Residences Block.
The Residences Block comprises 152 units of quality serviced residences. The luxurious serviced residences provide prospective buyers with the opportunity to experience the bliss of solitude amidst the chaos of inner-city living.Standard finishings include plastered ceiling, air conditioning, built in wardrobe, kitchen cabinets and oven hood.+ Niche project+ Low density+ Maximum privacy+ City View+ Inner-city living+ 24-hour security+ CCTV+ Guarded Community+ Swimming and wading pool+ Children's Playground+ Sauna+ Gymnasium+ Barbeque area+ Multipurpose hall+ Free Covered Car Park+ Next to A Hotel+ Superb location – accessible from Jalan Sultan Ismail in March 2007+ A new 3 in 1 concept. Leisure, hospitality, retail and residences in one building+ The proposed Building is under negotiation to be managed by an international hotel chain – First of its kind to ensure quality living and international standard of property management+ Superb location - accessible from Jalan Sultan Ismail, SMART & Elevated KLIA Highway soon.
Type 5Level 3A - Level 10
Rm 876,000 - Rm 927,000
Park Regis to Manage Taragon Puteri KL
Sep 16, 2010
Bluestone Group Malaysia, through its wholly owned subsidiary Taragon Capital Malaysia (TCM) Sdn Bhd, recently signed with Park Regis Hotel Management Sdn Bhd (PPHM), a wholly-owned subsidiary of StayWell Hospitality Group, to operate its new hotel at its integrated development, Taragon Puteri KL. TCM is currently in the final stages of completing Taragon Puteri KL, with work on-site running as scheduled.
StayWell Hospitality Group, headquartered in Sydney, Australia, currently operates in Asia, Middle East, Morocco and Australia. Taragon Puteri KL, slated to open in January 2011, will mark the international hotel group’s first foray into Malaysia.
Bluestone Group Malaysia, through its wholly owned subsidiary Taragon Capital Malaysia (TCM) Sdn Bhd, recently signed with Park Regis Hotel Management Sdn Bhd (PPHM), a wholly-owned subsidiary of StayWell Hospitality Group, to operate its new hotel at its integrated development, Taragon Puteri KL. TCM is currently in the final stages of completing Taragon Puteri KL, with work on-site running as scheduled.
StayWell Hospitality Group, headquartered in Sydney, Australia, currently operates in Asia, Middle East, Morocco and Australia. Taragon Puteri KL, slated to open in January 2011, will mark the international hotel group’s first foray into Malaysia.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
20Trees, Melawati
20Trees, Melawati
Sitting on 23 acres of undulating land, 20trees in Melawati is a residential address like no other.
Location
Prominently situated in a matured township, 20trees grants easy accessibility via major highways such as Middle Ring Road 2 (MRR2), Duta Ulu Kelang Expressway (DUKE) and AKLEH (Ampang-KL Elevated Highway). This excellent location and accessibility makes it a prime and worthy investment.
20trees has every convenience within reach such as educational institutions namely International School Kuala Lumpur (ISKL), The Alice Smith School, Seri Utama International School (UIS), Sayfol International School and Mutiara International Grammar School. It is also located near several medical centres such as Ampang Puteri Specialist Hospital and Gleneagles Hospital. Shopping is a breeze with nearby shopping centres including Giant Hypermarket Ulu Kelang and Wangsa Walk Shopping Centre.
Prominently situated in a matured township, 20trees grants easy accessibility via major highways such as Middle Ring Road 2 (MRR2), Duta Ulu Kelang Expressway (DUKE) and AKLEH (Ampang-KL Elevated Highway). This excellent location and accessibility makes it a prime and worthy investment.
20trees has every convenience within reach such as educational institutions namely International School Kuala Lumpur (ISKL), The Alice Smith School, Seri Utama International School (UIS), Sayfol International School and Mutiara International Grammar School. It is also located near several medical centres such as Ampang Puteri Specialist Hospital and Gleneagles Hospital. Shopping is a breeze with nearby shopping centres including Giant Hypermarket Ulu Kelang and Wangsa Walk Shopping Centre.
Built-up area
This unique hillside development comprises courtyard homes, terrace homes, garden homes and low-rise apartments. All of them are sold out except for the courtyard homes. Inspired by the traditional Asian courtyard home, the homes, measuring 48ft by 96ft each with a built-up area from 6,420sq ft to 6,902sq ft, are tastefully designed with homeowners’ comfort in mind. Each unit has seven bedrooms and six bathrooms and is tagged from RM2.84million onwards.
Additionally, it also comes with good finishes and quality fittings such as air conditioners and hot water system for the living room and master bedroom, designer kitchen with appliances which include hob and hood, solid surface counter top, built-in microwave, built-in oven, fridge and also external water filter.
Another unique feature of the courtyard home is the additional master bedroom. This second master bedroom has a separate entrance from the outside, making it a perfect guest room.
Additionally, it also comes with good finishes and quality fittings such as air conditioners and hot water system for the living room and master bedroom, designer kitchen with appliances which include hob and hood, solid surface counter top, built-in microwave, built-in oven, fridge and also external water filter.
Another unique feature of the courtyard home is the additional master bedroom. This second master bedroom has a separate entrance from the outside, making it a perfect guest room.
Facilities and amenities
Residents will enjoy the fully equipped clubhouse and recreational facilities including a 50-metre lap pool, children’s pool, Jacuzzi, gymnasium, yoga and pilates room, gardens for meditation, day care centre and children’s play chamber.
Launch
The freehold courtyard homes are now completed with Certificate of Fitness (CF). Launched in September 2010, the developers are offering exclusive discounts for early birds. There will a special rebate and the developer will absorb Sale and Purchase Agreement (SPA) legal fees, loan documentation fees and stamp duty for title transfer. Bumiputras enjoy a 7% discount.
The freehold courtyard homes are now completed with Certificate of Fitness (CF). Launched in September 2010, the developers are offering exclusive discounts for early birds. There will a special rebate and the developer will absorb Sale and Purchase Agreement (SPA) legal fees, loan documentation fees and stamp duty for title transfer. Bumiputras enjoy a 7% discount.
The Developer
Selangor Dredging Berhad’s property development activities are spearheaded by SDB Properties Sdn Bhd, a brand name that has quickly become synonymous with niche luxury developments with innovative designs. Some of the SDB’s recent projects include the multi award-winning Park Seven luxury condominium in KLCC, Five Stones luxury condominium in SS2, Petaling Jaya, 20trees West exclusive bungalow in Melawati and Gilstead Two luxury condominium in prime Bukit Timah locale, Singapore.
Selangor Dredging Berhad’s property development activities are spearheaded by SDB Properties Sdn Bhd, a brand name that has quickly become synonymous with niche luxury developments with innovative designs. Some of the SDB’s recent projects include the multi award-winning Park Seven luxury condominium in KLCC, Five Stones luxury condominium in SS2, Petaling Jaya, 20trees West exclusive bungalow in Melawati and Gilstead Two luxury condominium in prime Bukit Timah locale, Singapore.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Rajang River is drying up?
By PHILIP HII philiphii@thestar.com.my
SIBU: Less than two weeks after the logjam disaster in Rajang River, the country’s longest river is again a cause for concern for people living along its banks.
Express boats have not been able to ply the Sibu-Belaga-Sibu routes since Friday as the river is drying up due to the current dry spell. The only option left for travellers is the gruelling journey on the 190km Bintulu-Bakun road.
Floating pontoons at the Kapit Express Boat Wharf along Khoo Peng Loong Road here are now resting on a muddy river bed.
“This time the water level went down really fast. Just 10 days ago, it almost reached the road level, a drop of more than 2m,” boat skipper Lau Ah Kuok said.
Shrinking Rajang: The water level at the mighty Sungai Rajang is dropping fast as the dry spell hits Sarawak and water is being diverted into the Bakun dam. The edge of the river, which had about 2m of water (inset) is now little more than a muddy bank.
Lau said he believed the drastic change in the water level was partly due to the impoundment of the 205m-high Bakun Dam which began last Wednesday.
The flooding of the dam, which is South-East Asia’s largest, is estimated to take seven months and in the process, would flood 69,000ha of land.
Social activist Wong Meng Chuo, who has a masters degree in Environmental Management from the Imperial College in London, said he was worried that a prolonged drought would pose severe environmental and ecological consequences below Bakun Dam.
Wong said the Rajang River was denied one-third of the water source with the impoundment of the dam.
“Firstly, river navigation in some areas will stop due to low water. Secondly, salty water from the ocean would come up to as far as Sibu. Thirdly, marine and river life will be affected,” Wong pointed out.
He explained that with less water in the river, there would be less oxygen which could cause some species of fish to die. Wong added there could also be more landslides along the riverbanks as the soil structure would be different.
He said it was unlikely that the impoundment of the dam would stop because it would incur a loss of RM330,000 per day to do so.
The low water level is also a cause for concern for the RV Orient Pandaw, the only cruise ship here.
“If the dry weather continues, I am worried our ship would have difficulties navigating near the Pelagus rapids,” the ship’s purser Neville Joseph said, adding that October to December were peak seasons with an average of 40 passengers per trip.
Durin vegetable farmer Kong Chiek Wak is worried the prolonged dry weather will seriously affect his vegetables.
“We only have a small water pump. It would be difficult to pump water from the Rajang for farm use if the water level is too low,” Kong explained.
The low water level will also affect the transportation of logs by barges and cargo boats from Kapit-Baleh areas to the sawmills in Sibu or for export through Tanjung Manis.
Sibu Water Board general manager Daniel Wong said he was monitoring the situation closely.
“The water supply in Sibu is normal and there is no cause for alarm now,” he said.
At about 4.30pm yesterday, heavy rain fell for about an hour on Sibu after a dry week.
SIBU: Less than two weeks after the logjam disaster in Rajang River, the country’s longest river is again a cause for concern for people living along its banks.
Express boats have not been able to ply the Sibu-Belaga-Sibu routes since Friday as the river is drying up due to the current dry spell. The only option left for travellers is the gruelling journey on the 190km Bintulu-Bakun road.
Floating pontoons at the Kapit Express Boat Wharf along Khoo Peng Loong Road here are now resting on a muddy river bed.
“This time the water level went down really fast. Just 10 days ago, it almost reached the road level, a drop of more than 2m,” boat skipper Lau Ah Kuok said.
Shrinking Rajang: The water level at the mighty Sungai Rajang is dropping fast as the dry spell hits Sarawak and water is being diverted into the Bakun dam. The edge of the river, which had about 2m of water (inset) is now little more than a muddy bank.
Lau said he believed the drastic change in the water level was partly due to the impoundment of the 205m-high Bakun Dam which began last Wednesday.
The flooding of the dam, which is South-East Asia’s largest, is estimated to take seven months and in the process, would flood 69,000ha of land.
Social activist Wong Meng Chuo, who has a masters degree in Environmental Management from the Imperial College in London, said he was worried that a prolonged drought would pose severe environmental and ecological consequences below Bakun Dam.
Wong said the Rajang River was denied one-third of the water source with the impoundment of the dam.
“Firstly, river navigation in some areas will stop due to low water. Secondly, salty water from the ocean would come up to as far as Sibu. Thirdly, marine and river life will be affected,” Wong pointed out.
He explained that with less water in the river, there would be less oxygen which could cause some species of fish to die. Wong added there could also be more landslides along the riverbanks as the soil structure would be different.
He said it was unlikely that the impoundment of the dam would stop because it would incur a loss of RM330,000 per day to do so.
The low water level is also a cause for concern for the RV Orient Pandaw, the only cruise ship here.
“If the dry weather continues, I am worried our ship would have difficulties navigating near the Pelagus rapids,” the ship’s purser Neville Joseph said, adding that October to December were peak seasons with an average of 40 passengers per trip.
Durin vegetable farmer Kong Chiek Wak is worried the prolonged dry weather will seriously affect his vegetables.
“We only have a small water pump. It would be difficult to pump water from the Rajang for farm use if the water level is too low,” Kong explained.
The low water level will also affect the transportation of logs by barges and cargo boats from Kapit-Baleh areas to the sawmills in Sibu or for export through Tanjung Manis.
Sibu Water Board general manager Daniel Wong said he was monitoring the situation closely.
“The water supply in Sibu is normal and there is no cause for alarm now,” he said.
At about 4.30pm yesterday, heavy rain fell for about an hour on Sibu after a dry week.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Properties earmarked for My Second Home programme
By JACK WONG jackwong@thestar.com.my Oct 4, 2010
KUCHING: Naim Holdings Bhd has earmarked three high-end property developments in Miri and here for the largely untapped Malaysia My Second Home programme in Sarawak.
Corporate services and human resource senior director Ricky Kho said the three projects with gross development value (GDV) close to RM400mil were scheduled for launch next year and in 2012.
“The first property to be
developed in Miri will comprise apartments, semi-detached and detached houses,” he told StarBiz yesterday.
There will be two blocks of six-storey service apartment (72 units) and a 15-storey apartment (168 units) with a clubhouse.
The proposed project with GDV of more than RM250mil will also comprise 53 units of semi-detached and detached houses, 44 detached vacant lots, a double-storey shophouse, a mini market and a restaurant.
Naim is undertaking the joint-venture project on a 20ha land owned by Miri Malay Charitable Trust Board.
Kho said the service apartment would be priced from RM800,000, semi-detached houses from RM750,000 and detached houses between RM1mil and RM2mil each.
He said the second property scheduled for launch in 2012 would be a condominium project overlooking the scenic South China Sea near to Piasau Beach, Miri.
With a GDV of RM80mil, the project will comprise 96 units which would be sold from RM800,000 each.
Kho said the third project under planning in Jalan Upland here would comprise of town houses.
“We see great potential in My Second Home programme in Sarawak as it is a largely untapped market. Sabah is doing quite well in promoting the programme.
“There are many foreigners, including Singaporeans and Europeans, who are keen to participate in the My Second Home programme in Sarawak,” he added.
Kho said Naim would market its proposed property developments under the programme abroad, targeting particularly the expatriates and retirees.
He is confident that Miri as a resort city and its scenic beaches would appeal to foreigners looking for an ideal relaxed lifestyle.
KUCHING: Naim Holdings Bhd has earmarked three high-end property developments in Miri and here for the largely untapped Malaysia My Second Home programme in Sarawak.
Corporate services and human resource senior director Ricky Kho said the three projects with gross development value (GDV) close to RM400mil were scheduled for launch next year and in 2012.
“The first property to be
developed in Miri will comprise apartments, semi-detached and detached houses,” he told StarBiz yesterday.
There will be two blocks of six-storey service apartment (72 units) and a 15-storey apartment (168 units) with a clubhouse.
The proposed project with GDV of more than RM250mil will also comprise 53 units of semi-detached and detached houses, 44 detached vacant lots, a double-storey shophouse, a mini market and a restaurant.
Naim is undertaking the joint-venture project on a 20ha land owned by Miri Malay Charitable Trust Board.
Kho said the service apartment would be priced from RM800,000, semi-detached houses from RM750,000 and detached houses between RM1mil and RM2mil each.
He said the second property scheduled for launch in 2012 would be a condominium project overlooking the scenic South China Sea near to Piasau Beach, Miri.
With a GDV of RM80mil, the project will comprise 96 units which would be sold from RM800,000 each.
Kho said the third project under planning in Jalan Upland here would comprise of town houses.
“We see great potential in My Second Home programme in Sarawak as it is a largely untapped market. Sabah is doing quite well in promoting the programme.
“There are many foreigners, including Singaporeans and Europeans, who are keen to participate in the My Second Home programme in Sarawak,” he added.
Kho said Naim would market its proposed property developments under the programme abroad, targeting particularly the expatriates and retirees.
He is confident that Miri as a resort city and its scenic beaches would appeal to foreigners looking for an ideal relaxed lifestyle.
Cemetery site scares off Hong Kong developers
Hong Kong axed its first land auction in 16 years last week after property-mad developers were scared off by the site's location -- next to a cemetery, considered a bad omen by Chinese buyers.
Soaring property prices have sent the financial hub's government into action over the past year, staging half a dozen land sales to boost supply and cool an overheating market amid fears of a housing-price bubble.
The land sales sparked huge interest from buyers, including Hong Kong's richest man Li Ka-shing, given the scarcity of real estate in this densely populated city of seven million.
But the cemetery plot, about 20 minutes' drive from Hong Kong's glittering financial district, was deemed too spooky for the highly superstitious Chinese.
"It's very unusual -- there is always a shortage of land in Hong Kong," said Alnwick Chan, executive director at property consultancy Knight Frank.
"But the (building) would overlook cemeteries.
That is quite an issue for the Chinese population.
It has perceived bad luck and would always have this haunted feeling."The site is surrounded by cemeteries and tombstone workshops, a far cry from Hong Kong's highly prized views of the South China Sea or emerald green hills.
Auctioneers pulled the site after just a few minutes on Tuesday with the plot failing to draw even one bid for its 530 million Hong Kong dollars (68 million US dollars) opening price.
Surveyors had estimated it might fetch as much as 780 million Hong Kong dollars.
On the same day, a site in the city's outlying New Territories fetched a higher-than-expected 459 million Hong Kong dollars, throwing cold water on any suggestion that Hong Kong's property market is softening.
"I believe it's an isolated incident," Buggle Lau, chief analyst at Hong Kong property broker Midland Holdings, said of the failed sale.
"The other site received an overwhelming response.
"The aborted sale was Hong Kong's first since 1994, when a plot of land was also pulled off the auction block after garnering zero interest.
The cemetery site's close proximity to a slope would also hike developers' costs, while its location in a middle-income district might hamper demand for flats in a high-margin luxury building, Lau told AFP.
Worst of all, the upper floors -- which usually fetch the highest prices -- would have the clearest view of the vast cemeteries, he added.
Mainland Chinese buyers, who account for as much as half of the luxury residential sales in Hong Kong, would shy away from investing in the unlucky property, said Yu Kam-hung, a senior managing director at CB Richard Ellis.
"The marketability would be limited," he told AFP.
In August, billionaire tycoon Li snapped up two prime residential sites for a combined 7.61 billion Hong Kong dollars -- well above market estimates.
Developers have remained upbeat about Hong Kong's residential market despite government measures to rein in prices, including boosting land supply and tightening mortgage lending.
Hong Kong house prices have surged nearly 45 percent from their trough at the end of 2008, while prices of some luxury flats have returned to, or surpassed, the peaks of the 1997 property boom.
Soaring property prices have sent the financial hub's government into action over the past year, staging half a dozen land sales to boost supply and cool an overheating market amid fears of a housing-price bubble.
The land sales sparked huge interest from buyers, including Hong Kong's richest man Li Ka-shing, given the scarcity of real estate in this densely populated city of seven million.
But the cemetery plot, about 20 minutes' drive from Hong Kong's glittering financial district, was deemed too spooky for the highly superstitious Chinese.
"It's very unusual -- there is always a shortage of land in Hong Kong," said Alnwick Chan, executive director at property consultancy Knight Frank.
"But the (building) would overlook cemeteries.
That is quite an issue for the Chinese population.
It has perceived bad luck and would always have this haunted feeling."The site is surrounded by cemeteries and tombstone workshops, a far cry from Hong Kong's highly prized views of the South China Sea or emerald green hills.
Auctioneers pulled the site after just a few minutes on Tuesday with the plot failing to draw even one bid for its 530 million Hong Kong dollars (68 million US dollars) opening price.
Surveyors had estimated it might fetch as much as 780 million Hong Kong dollars.
On the same day, a site in the city's outlying New Territories fetched a higher-than-expected 459 million Hong Kong dollars, throwing cold water on any suggestion that Hong Kong's property market is softening.
"I believe it's an isolated incident," Buggle Lau, chief analyst at Hong Kong property broker Midland Holdings, said of the failed sale.
"The other site received an overwhelming response.
"The aborted sale was Hong Kong's first since 1994, when a plot of land was also pulled off the auction block after garnering zero interest.
The cemetery site's close proximity to a slope would also hike developers' costs, while its location in a middle-income district might hamper demand for flats in a high-margin luxury building, Lau told AFP.
Worst of all, the upper floors -- which usually fetch the highest prices -- would have the clearest view of the vast cemeteries, he added.
Mainland Chinese buyers, who account for as much as half of the luxury residential sales in Hong Kong, would shy away from investing in the unlucky property, said Yu Kam-hung, a senior managing director at CB Richard Ellis.
"The marketability would be limited," he told AFP.
In August, billionaire tycoon Li snapped up two prime residential sites for a combined 7.61 billion Hong Kong dollars -- well above market estimates.
Developers have remained upbeat about Hong Kong's residential market despite government measures to rein in prices, including boosting land supply and tightening mortgage lending.
Hong Kong house prices have surged nearly 45 percent from their trough at the end of 2008, while prices of some luxury flats have returned to, or surpassed, the peaks of the 1997 property boom.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Murum dam to add more power by 2013
By Yvonne Tan
THE RM3.5bil Murum dam, owned by utility firm Sarawak Energy Bhd is the other major hydropower project in the state. Located in the upper reaches of the Rajang River in central Sarawak, the dam project will add up to 944 MW by the end of 2013, fuelling concerns that together with the 2,400 MW Bakun dam, there will be a power glut in the state.
Total installed capacity from these two dams will be 3,344MW but firm power that is available for use at any time will be about 2,420MW, according to reports. Sarawak’s current capacity stands at 1,300MW.
Some industry players play down this potential surplus, saying that demand from industries in the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (Score) will resolve the matter.
Launched in 2008, Score – also known as the state’s second wave of development – is projected to bring in investments of about RM300bil until 2030. To date, some RM24bil have been poured into this initiative.
Sarawak Energy itself has projected that industries in Score would consume about 500MW in 2012 and close to 2,000MW by 2014. And by 2015, according to industry sources, the state expects a commitment of 2,590MW, which is more than the 2,420MW of firm power from Bakun and Murum once they are ready.
However, as it stands now, no agreements have been signed.
Currently, discussions are ongoing for power to be used by the smelter project carried out by Cahya Mata Sarawak Bhd and Australia-based Rio Tinto Alcan, which will require between 900MW and 1,200MW for an initial annual capacity of up to 720,000 tonnes when it is ready.
Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary’s GIIG Holdings Sdn Bhd and China’s Aluminium Corp’s joint venture Smelter Asia, with an initial annual capacity of 330,000 tonnes requiring 600MW, is also another deal at the negotiation stage.
In June, Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud mentioned a third aluminium smelter plant without elaborating. The implementation of the third smelter plant would depend on the progress of the first and second projects, he had reportedly said.
Meanwhile, amid the concerns of a power oversupply that these two dams may bring about, plans are reportedly afoot for the construction of a further five small dams. Among these is a 245MW dam to be built in Limbang, reports have indicated.
The Murum Dam is currently 27% completed, with the job awarded to China’s Three Gorges Project Corp and sub-contracted to Sinohydro Corp Ltd.
THE RM3.5bil Murum dam, owned by utility firm Sarawak Energy Bhd is the other major hydropower project in the state. Located in the upper reaches of the Rajang River in central Sarawak, the dam project will add up to 944 MW by the end of 2013, fuelling concerns that together with the 2,400 MW Bakun dam, there will be a power glut in the state.
Total installed capacity from these two dams will be 3,344MW but firm power that is available for use at any time will be about 2,420MW, according to reports. Sarawak’s current capacity stands at 1,300MW.
Some industry players play down this potential surplus, saying that demand from industries in the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (Score) will resolve the matter.
Launched in 2008, Score – also known as the state’s second wave of development – is projected to bring in investments of about RM300bil until 2030. To date, some RM24bil have been poured into this initiative.
Sarawak Energy itself has projected that industries in Score would consume about 500MW in 2012 and close to 2,000MW by 2014. And by 2015, according to industry sources, the state expects a commitment of 2,590MW, which is more than the 2,420MW of firm power from Bakun and Murum once they are ready.
However, as it stands now, no agreements have been signed.
Currently, discussions are ongoing for power to be used by the smelter project carried out by Cahya Mata Sarawak Bhd and Australia-based Rio Tinto Alcan, which will require between 900MW and 1,200MW for an initial annual capacity of up to 720,000 tonnes when it is ready.
Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary’s GIIG Holdings Sdn Bhd and China’s Aluminium Corp’s joint venture Smelter Asia, with an initial annual capacity of 330,000 tonnes requiring 600MW, is also another deal at the negotiation stage.
In June, Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud mentioned a third aluminium smelter plant without elaborating. The implementation of the third smelter plant would depend on the progress of the first and second projects, he had reportedly said.
Meanwhile, amid the concerns of a power oversupply that these two dams may bring about, plans are reportedly afoot for the construction of a further five small dams. Among these is a 245MW dam to be built in Limbang, reports have indicated.
The Murum Dam is currently 27% completed, with the job awarded to China’s Three Gorges Project Corp and sub-contracted to Sinohydro Corp Ltd.
How to utilise all that power in Sarawak?
By YAP LENG KUEN lengkuen@thestar.com.my
SOME may hail Bakun Dam as an engineering feat, but more people associate the project with its troubled past and the question marks about its future impact on the Sarawak economy.
As it is, the 2,400MW hydroelectric dam may turn out to be a nightmare for those who have struggled to bring it to completion. And there is the very real possibility of the state suffering the expensive problem of a power glut when the 944MW Murum Dam comes onstream by 2013.
At current estimates, the combined cost of the two dams is RM10.8bil. Their total installed capacity will come to 3,344MW, while firm power (that is power that will be available for use at any time) will be about 2,420MW. Even without both dams, Sarawak’s capacity to generate electricity (1,300MW) already exceeds the peak demand of 1,100MW.
The proponents of the dam projects say there will be no surplus capacity problem when the plans for the Sarawak Corridor for Renewable Energy (Score) become reality, and these include energy-guzzling enterprises such as aluminium smelting and solar panel manufacturing (see also page 28).
However, considering that none of these major proposed Score initatives appears ready to take off soon, it is hard to share such optimism. A lot has to happen before we can see a power offtake level in Sarawak that will justify the huge amount of funds that has been and will be poured into the two dam projects.
These giant steel gates are 21m high and weigh 300 tonnes each. They will keep the flooded water in the Bakun Dam reservoir that will be 210m deep and big as the island of Singapore. — Pic by STEPHEN THEN How to
Meanwhile, an immediate challenge is to sort out the commercial arrangements for the power from Bakun. As the project cost and tariff rates are being finalised, the two negotiating parties – Sarawak Hidro Sdn Bhd (the developer, owner and operator of the project) and Sarawak Energy Bhd (the sole buyer of the power produced) – appear to be at loggerheads over what constitutes the appropriate price levels.
Counting the costs
At the heart of the standoff is the need for the federal government to make a crucial decision. It finds itself in this position after taking over the construction of the RM7.3bil project in 1998 following major financial woes faced by the original developer, Ekran Bhd, which is controlled by Sarawak tycoon Tan Sri Ting Pek Khiing.
With the Sarawak government pressing for a lower bill, the federal government has to make a tough call on how much to cut. At the moment, the instruction is to bill in full.
“The power has to be sold to Sarawak Energy,’’ Sarawak Hidro chairman Tan Sri Izzuddin Dali tells StarBizWeek. “The sooner we do that, the faster we can recoup some of our costs and interest payments.’’
Sarawak Hidro, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Minister of Finance Inc, has its own bills to pay. Salaries and consultancy fees come up to RM1.3mil every month. After impoundment of the dam and commissioning of the turbines, operation and maintenance costs will amount to about RM13mil per year.
Development costs for the six to seven packages of the Bakun Dam have hit RM4.4bil and interest payments during the construction period is estimated to be RM1.1bil. In addition, when the federal government took the project off Ekran’s hands, it paid the company RM950mil, while resettlement costs have exceeded RM500mil.
Starting next year, a delay in impoundment and supply of power – the first turbine can be operated seven months after flooding – will result in revenue foregone of RM10mil per month.
Tan Sri Izzuddin Dali ... ‘The sooner we sell the power, the faster we can recoup some of our costs and interest payments.’
There must be a lot of hand wringing going on at Sarawak Hidro. The dam met the technical requirements for flooding in April, but the State government has yet to give the nod for the impoundment.
Sarawak Hidro is not about to play a losing game even though it is keen to sell off the power as soon as possible. “We should negotiate. Why should we sell at a loss?’’ asks Izzuddin.
“The state needs Bakun to average down its cost of generation. Based on estimates obtained from industry sources and Sarawak Energy’s annual report for 2008, the average cost of generation is about 17 sen per kWh. With Bakun, the cost can be reduced substantially.”
He adds: “At the same time, Sarawak Hidro needs to pay back its debt (of RM5.75bil to the Employees Provident Fund and the Pensions Fund) plus provide a reasonable rate of return (about 8.5%) to the Government. We think there are sufficient incentives at both ends to do the deal.’’
Datuk Seri Peter Chin ... ‘Both parties have to be pragmatic.’
Although his ministry has no jurisdiction over Sarawak, Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Peter Chin offers an assessment of the situation: “Both parties have to be pragmatic. They have gone through thick and thin to develop the dam. This will help Sarawak industrialise faster, while some form of tariff should be worked out to equalise the investments put in.’’
At the negotiation table
The haggling over Bakun is a test of stamina, will and skill. Each side keeps an eye on how much the other will make over the 30-year concession period. Sarawak Energy has laid its first card on the table by asking the federal government to exclude compensation and resettlement costs from the total bill.
Sarawak Hidro has asked the state to drop the water levy of one sen per kWh (which comes to about RM150mil per year) of electricity generated. Spread over three decades, the loss in water levy to Sarawak can be substantial. However, the matter is still being discussed, with Sarawak Hidro relying on the argument that dams like Pergau and Kenyir pay only about half sen per kWh.
Tan Sri Dr George Chan ... ‘There are two very interested smelters.’
The Bakun Dam is capable of producing 15.5 gigawatt hours of firm power per year.
During initial talks, Sarawak Hidro offered to sell its electricity at slightly below 10 sen per kWh, a rate that Sarawak Energy had balked at. Based on a tariff of 9 sen per kWh, Sarawak Hidro is expected to receive RM1.4bil per year, after taking into account the water levy payable to the state. This works out to a revenue of RM42bil over 30 years.
Not that Sarawak Energy is at the losing end if it pays 9 sen per kWh. Assuming that it can sell all the power at 15 sen per kWh to industries and consumers, it gets RM2.3bil per year, which amounts to RM70bil over 30 years. Different rates are charged for different users, but Sarawak is targeting energy-intensive industries to take up the bulk of the power.
Sarawak Energy is said to have verbally indicated that it wants to buy power at 5 sen per kWh, which Sarawak Hidro deems as ridiculously low. Apparently, the reasoning behind this is that the Federal Government should facilitate the development in the state and therefore, the tariff should be subsidised.
“They want 5 sen? They have to show us how they derive that figure,’’ counters Izzuddin.
There have been news reports that say Sarawak Energy is willing to pay 8 sen per kWh, while the aluminium smelters are only willing to pay 4 US cents per kWh (13.6 sen based on an exchange rate of RM3.40 to the US dollar).
The smelters have yet to make a commitment to set up shop in Sarawak, although Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr George Chan, who is also the state’s Industrial Development Minister, is confident they will do so if they are given attractive power rates.
“There are two very interested smelters – Rio Tinto and Smelter Asia. Two more are likely to come on board. They are knocking at our doors and I am very confident they will commit,’’ he tells StarBizWeek by phone.
The dam awaits
Smelters insist on better rates as they operate on a take-or-pay basis, which means they have to pay a certain fixed percentage for the constant supply of power.
Industries using smaller amounts of power, as in the poly silicon, ferro silicon and solar panel industries, are also said to be coming up under the Score project. Most of the large, energy-intensive industries may materialise only in three to five years’ time. In fact, power demand from Score is initially projected at 500MW in 2012, rising to about 2,600MW by 2015.
What is Sarawak Hidro to do in the interim, apart from commissioning its eight turbines on a staggered basis and hoping for the projections to become reality?
Some power from Bakun will come in handy when some of the existing power plants in Sarawak are shut down for maintenance. Obviously, that cannot be a long-term solution.
These gigantic spillways are built on top of the Bakun Dam in central Sarawak to allow excess water from the 210m deep reservoir to escape during floods. These gates are 60m tall.
The concern is that initially, the state may only be able to use an additional 200MW per year, with 50MW representing organic growth in demand.
Of course, Sarawak Hidro may choose not to operate some of the turbines if there is insufficient demand. However, it will be uneconomical as the same amount of water is required to run one or all of the turbines. So, this too is not the best solution.
Considering the vast amount of money, time and effort sunk into it, the Bakun Dam deserves higher operating levels. “The state should facilitate the construction of two submarine cables to transmit 1,600MW to the peninsula, where the power can be sold at higher rates,’’ says an industry observer.
He asks: “Why should all the power be sold cheaply as a carrot for smelters? In certain parts of the world, pollution is still an issue with the smelting industry. Or why should we be planning for nuclear energy when we have hydropower as a cheaper source?’’
Others point out that firm commitments to take up electricity from Bakun are vital, and that other avenues, for example, the relocation of certain industries from Peninsular Malaysia, should be looked into.
With all the political pressure, it will not be a surprise if the federal government accedes to the state’s “demand’’ for cheap power. Now that the plan for the submarine cable from Bakun to the peninsula has been scrapped, Sarawak has the upper edge as the sole buyer of the dam’s electricity.
Other possibilities to resolve the impasse include the sale of the dam itself. Sarawak Energy is among the interested parties.
While some people, including Sarawak Hidro’s Izzuddin, maintain that the proper way to move forward is to secure the best price via negotiations, others feel that it is better not to wait. Instead, the federal government should cut losses if a reasonable offer is made.
Sarawak Energy has indicated that it wants to buy over the project at RM6bil. It is estimated that by the time the delays in impoundment and power supply to the state are ironed out, the project cost may swell to RM8bil.
Some view this talk of a disposal of the dam with skepticism, as the previous bid by the people behind Smelter Asia to buy the dam failed to materialise and only served to disrupt the then ongoing power purchase agreement talks.
If pushed into a corner without a power purchase agreement, will Sarawak Hidro opt not to operate the turbines and allow the water to flow back into the river? That will be the worst-case scenario and the most drastic way to cut costs. If that happens, it will be a very poor solution as the asset remains unutilised and the sheer waste will tarnish the country’s image as well as that of Sarawak.
SOME may hail Bakun Dam as an engineering feat, but more people associate the project with its troubled past and the question marks about its future impact on the Sarawak economy.
As it is, the 2,400MW hydroelectric dam may turn out to be a nightmare for those who have struggled to bring it to completion. And there is the very real possibility of the state suffering the expensive problem of a power glut when the 944MW Murum Dam comes onstream by 2013.
At current estimates, the combined cost of the two dams is RM10.8bil. Their total installed capacity will come to 3,344MW, while firm power (that is power that will be available for use at any time) will be about 2,420MW. Even without both dams, Sarawak’s capacity to generate electricity (1,300MW) already exceeds the peak demand of 1,100MW.
The proponents of the dam projects say there will be no surplus capacity problem when the plans for the Sarawak Corridor for Renewable Energy (Score) become reality, and these include energy-guzzling enterprises such as aluminium smelting and solar panel manufacturing (see also page 28).
However, considering that none of these major proposed Score initatives appears ready to take off soon, it is hard to share such optimism. A lot has to happen before we can see a power offtake level in Sarawak that will justify the huge amount of funds that has been and will be poured into the two dam projects.
These giant steel gates are 21m high and weigh 300 tonnes each. They will keep the flooded water in the Bakun Dam reservoir that will be 210m deep and big as the island of Singapore. — Pic by STEPHEN THEN How to
Meanwhile, an immediate challenge is to sort out the commercial arrangements for the power from Bakun. As the project cost and tariff rates are being finalised, the two negotiating parties – Sarawak Hidro Sdn Bhd (the developer, owner and operator of the project) and Sarawak Energy Bhd (the sole buyer of the power produced) – appear to be at loggerheads over what constitutes the appropriate price levels.
Counting the costs
At the heart of the standoff is the need for the federal government to make a crucial decision. It finds itself in this position after taking over the construction of the RM7.3bil project in 1998 following major financial woes faced by the original developer, Ekran Bhd, which is controlled by Sarawak tycoon Tan Sri Ting Pek Khiing.
With the Sarawak government pressing for a lower bill, the federal government has to make a tough call on how much to cut. At the moment, the instruction is to bill in full.
“The power has to be sold to Sarawak Energy,’’ Sarawak Hidro chairman Tan Sri Izzuddin Dali tells StarBizWeek. “The sooner we do that, the faster we can recoup some of our costs and interest payments.’’
Sarawak Hidro, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Minister of Finance Inc, has its own bills to pay. Salaries and consultancy fees come up to RM1.3mil every month. After impoundment of the dam and commissioning of the turbines, operation and maintenance costs will amount to about RM13mil per year.
Development costs for the six to seven packages of the Bakun Dam have hit RM4.4bil and interest payments during the construction period is estimated to be RM1.1bil. In addition, when the federal government took the project off Ekran’s hands, it paid the company RM950mil, while resettlement costs have exceeded RM500mil.
Starting next year, a delay in impoundment and supply of power – the first turbine can be operated seven months after flooding – will result in revenue foregone of RM10mil per month.
Tan Sri Izzuddin Dali ... ‘The sooner we sell the power, the faster we can recoup some of our costs and interest payments.’
There must be a lot of hand wringing going on at Sarawak Hidro. The dam met the technical requirements for flooding in April, but the State government has yet to give the nod for the impoundment.
Sarawak Hidro is not about to play a losing game even though it is keen to sell off the power as soon as possible. “We should negotiate. Why should we sell at a loss?’’ asks Izzuddin.
“The state needs Bakun to average down its cost of generation. Based on estimates obtained from industry sources and Sarawak Energy’s annual report for 2008, the average cost of generation is about 17 sen per kWh. With Bakun, the cost can be reduced substantially.”
He adds: “At the same time, Sarawak Hidro needs to pay back its debt (of RM5.75bil to the Employees Provident Fund and the Pensions Fund) plus provide a reasonable rate of return (about 8.5%) to the Government. We think there are sufficient incentives at both ends to do the deal.’’
Datuk Seri Peter Chin ... ‘Both parties have to be pragmatic.’
Although his ministry has no jurisdiction over Sarawak, Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Peter Chin offers an assessment of the situation: “Both parties have to be pragmatic. They have gone through thick and thin to develop the dam. This will help Sarawak industrialise faster, while some form of tariff should be worked out to equalise the investments put in.’’
At the negotiation table
The haggling over Bakun is a test of stamina, will and skill. Each side keeps an eye on how much the other will make over the 30-year concession period. Sarawak Energy has laid its first card on the table by asking the federal government to exclude compensation and resettlement costs from the total bill.
Sarawak Hidro has asked the state to drop the water levy of one sen per kWh (which comes to about RM150mil per year) of electricity generated. Spread over three decades, the loss in water levy to Sarawak can be substantial. However, the matter is still being discussed, with Sarawak Hidro relying on the argument that dams like Pergau and Kenyir pay only about half sen per kWh.
Tan Sri Dr George Chan ... ‘There are two very interested smelters.’
The Bakun Dam is capable of producing 15.5 gigawatt hours of firm power per year.
During initial talks, Sarawak Hidro offered to sell its electricity at slightly below 10 sen per kWh, a rate that Sarawak Energy had balked at. Based on a tariff of 9 sen per kWh, Sarawak Hidro is expected to receive RM1.4bil per year, after taking into account the water levy payable to the state. This works out to a revenue of RM42bil over 30 years.
Not that Sarawak Energy is at the losing end if it pays 9 sen per kWh. Assuming that it can sell all the power at 15 sen per kWh to industries and consumers, it gets RM2.3bil per year, which amounts to RM70bil over 30 years. Different rates are charged for different users, but Sarawak is targeting energy-intensive industries to take up the bulk of the power.
Sarawak Energy is said to have verbally indicated that it wants to buy power at 5 sen per kWh, which Sarawak Hidro deems as ridiculously low. Apparently, the reasoning behind this is that the Federal Government should facilitate the development in the state and therefore, the tariff should be subsidised.
“They want 5 sen? They have to show us how they derive that figure,’’ counters Izzuddin.
There have been news reports that say Sarawak Energy is willing to pay 8 sen per kWh, while the aluminium smelters are only willing to pay 4 US cents per kWh (13.6 sen based on an exchange rate of RM3.40 to the US dollar).
The smelters have yet to make a commitment to set up shop in Sarawak, although Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr George Chan, who is also the state’s Industrial Development Minister, is confident they will do so if they are given attractive power rates.
“There are two very interested smelters – Rio Tinto and Smelter Asia. Two more are likely to come on board. They are knocking at our doors and I am very confident they will commit,’’ he tells StarBizWeek by phone.
The dam awaits
Smelters insist on better rates as they operate on a take-or-pay basis, which means they have to pay a certain fixed percentage for the constant supply of power.
Industries using smaller amounts of power, as in the poly silicon, ferro silicon and solar panel industries, are also said to be coming up under the Score project. Most of the large, energy-intensive industries may materialise only in three to five years’ time. In fact, power demand from Score is initially projected at 500MW in 2012, rising to about 2,600MW by 2015.
What is Sarawak Hidro to do in the interim, apart from commissioning its eight turbines on a staggered basis and hoping for the projections to become reality?
Some power from Bakun will come in handy when some of the existing power plants in Sarawak are shut down for maintenance. Obviously, that cannot be a long-term solution.
These gigantic spillways are built on top of the Bakun Dam in central Sarawak to allow excess water from the 210m deep reservoir to escape during floods. These gates are 60m tall.
The concern is that initially, the state may only be able to use an additional 200MW per year, with 50MW representing organic growth in demand.
Of course, Sarawak Hidro may choose not to operate some of the turbines if there is insufficient demand. However, it will be uneconomical as the same amount of water is required to run one or all of the turbines. So, this too is not the best solution.
Considering the vast amount of money, time and effort sunk into it, the Bakun Dam deserves higher operating levels. “The state should facilitate the construction of two submarine cables to transmit 1,600MW to the peninsula, where the power can be sold at higher rates,’’ says an industry observer.
He asks: “Why should all the power be sold cheaply as a carrot for smelters? In certain parts of the world, pollution is still an issue with the smelting industry. Or why should we be planning for nuclear energy when we have hydropower as a cheaper source?’’
Others point out that firm commitments to take up electricity from Bakun are vital, and that other avenues, for example, the relocation of certain industries from Peninsular Malaysia, should be looked into.
With all the political pressure, it will not be a surprise if the federal government accedes to the state’s “demand’’ for cheap power. Now that the plan for the submarine cable from Bakun to the peninsula has been scrapped, Sarawak has the upper edge as the sole buyer of the dam’s electricity.
Other possibilities to resolve the impasse include the sale of the dam itself. Sarawak Energy is among the interested parties.
While some people, including Sarawak Hidro’s Izzuddin, maintain that the proper way to move forward is to secure the best price via negotiations, others feel that it is better not to wait. Instead, the federal government should cut losses if a reasonable offer is made.
Sarawak Energy has indicated that it wants to buy over the project at RM6bil. It is estimated that by the time the delays in impoundment and power supply to the state are ironed out, the project cost may swell to RM8bil.
Some view this talk of a disposal of the dam with skepticism, as the previous bid by the people behind Smelter Asia to buy the dam failed to materialise and only served to disrupt the then ongoing power purchase agreement talks.
If pushed into a corner without a power purchase agreement, will Sarawak Hidro opt not to operate the turbines and allow the water to flow back into the river? That will be the worst-case scenario and the most drastic way to cut costs. If that happens, it will be a very poor solution as the asset remains unutilised and the sheer waste will tarnish the country’s image as well as that of Sarawak.
Power-full state
By CECILIA KOK cecilia_kok@thestar.com.my
With Sarawak deciding to keep the energy generated by Bakun for itself, will there be sufficient offtake for such huge power supply when the dam becomes operational?
AFTER a long history of controversies, challenges and delays, the multibillion-ringgit Bakun hydroelectric dam in Sarawak is finally getting ready to unleash its power. It is expected to first start with one turbine generating about 300 megawatt (MW) of electricity by the middle of next year. This will be increased to around 600MW to 900MW by the end of 2011.
And when all the eight turbines at the massive dam are fully commissioned by the end of 2012, the plant will be able to generate about 2,400MW of hydropower, all of which will be contained within Sarawak for its own consumption.
At a glance, critics would say that there is too much power for the state to absorb, given that its current generation capacity is already considerably higher that its peak demand. Sarawak’s electricity generation capacity at present is around 1,300MW, while peak demand barely exceeds 1,000MW.
But these numbers, based on historical information, may not paint the real picture of what’s in store for the state.
For one, there is the Sarawak Corridor for Renewable Energy (Score) project, which is expected to attract energy-intensive industries such as aluminium smelting and solar-panel manufacturing. Then, apart from having to meet the state’s gradually growing organic demand, there is the longer term plan to position itself as a major power and utility player in the region, exporting electricity to neighbouring regions.
Score influences
“Big plans are in the pipeline with the establishment of Score; the state needs to guarantee a sustainable supply of energy at competitive rates to encourage inflows of investments to drive its economy,” an industry observer explains.
Score is expected to expand Sarawak’s economy five-fold, causing it to grow at an average of up to 8% per year, and its population to double to 4.6 million, by 2030.
According to projections by the state’s sole electricity supplier, Sarawak Energy Bhd, Score would need about 500MW in 2012 to power up industries operating within the economic development zone. By 2014, the amount of power needed by industries in Score will likely increase four-fold to near 2,000MW.
“The state would have to prepare for the anticipated substantial growth in electricity demand by industries in Score,” an analyst explains.
“And in such instances, it is clear that Sarawak Energy does not foresee any power glut looming in the future.”
Sarawak Energy is the sole rightful buyer of power generated from the Bakun dam. The dam is owned and operated by Sarawak Hidro Sdn Bhd, which is 100% owned by the Federal Government via the Minister of Finance Inc.
Sarawak Energy’s ambitious projections of the state’s future power demand, however, are not enough to pacify sceptics. This is because the state utility company has yet to secure any firm commitment from investors to take up power.
Their concern is that the dam will not be fully utilised when the expensive project becomes operational. The thing is, electricity generated cannot be stored. Once generated, the power has to be used; otherwise, it will be wasted.
Sarawak Hidro engineers at the Bakun Dam project.
“Bakun dam has to be fully utilised because the nation has spent so much time, money and effort in developing that gigantic project,” an analyst opines.
Tapping potential
It is understood that the state is still negotiating with investors to finalise the commercial terms for their agreements. Among these include energy-intensive aluminium smelters such as the joint venture between Cahya Mata Sarawak Bhd and Australia-based Rio Tinto Alcan, which requires between 900MW and 1,200MW for an initial annual capacity of up to 720,000 tonnes; and the joint venture between Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary’s vehicle GIIG Holdings Sdn Bhd and China’s Aluminium Corp, which requires at least 600MW for an initial annual capacity of 330,000 tonnes.
“There seems to be quite a number of interested parties wanting to invest in Score, and we have been made to understand that the state is very close to securing several foreign direct investment projects for the economic development zone. And these are besides the aluminium smelters that have already expressed their interests earlier,” an industry player explains.
The state is reportedly engaged in talks with less energy-intensive industries such as poly-silicon, manganese and ferro-silicon industries to set up base in Score. These industries are expected to require around 150MW to 200MW of power to start their operations.
“Anyhow, the state needs to secure firm commitments from investors to take up power as soon as possible; otherwise, there is the risk of a power glut in the state, especially so with other hydroelectric dams coming onstream in the next couple of years,” an industry player says.
Building up power
The RM3.5bil Murum dam, owned by Sarawak Energy, is expected to become operational by the end of 2013. The plant will add about 940MW to Sarawak’s generating capacity.
On top of that, plans are already underway to develop other hydroelectric dams in the state. According to Sarawak Energy, the list includes a 1,400MW dam in Balleh, 1,000MW in Baram, 150MW in Limbang and 300MW in Metjawah, among others. In total, Sarawak has more than 20,000MW of hydropower potential based on studies done earlier for the state utility firm.
“Leaving any of the hydropower plants, especially Bakun, idle is not an option. It is likely that Sarawak Energy would draw down power from Bakun, and shut down its gas and coal-fired plants for maintenance, or it may even phase out those plants that are powered by fossil fuel totally and replace them with renewable energy,” an industry source says.
There are plans to export electricity to the surrounding regions such as West Kalimantan in Indonesia and Brunei as well as Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia. But new commitment to export power is unlikely to take place any time soon until Sarawak is able to meet its own anticipated growth of electricity demand, industry sources say.
It has long planned for the Bakun hydroelectric plant to be a part of the solution for peninsula’s growing energy demand. But after the plan for the RM10bil undersea cable connecting Sarawak and peninsula was scrapped in the middle of the year, consumers in the peninsula can forget about getting power from Bakun.
Facing the possibility of an energy crunch in the next five years, the Government has desperately sought for replacement power sources to fill the gap (about 1,600MW) now that the Bakun option is off the table.
“It is ironic that we see a concern of a power glut on one side of the country, and a power crunch on the other side,” an analyst says. “This matter can be resolved but it requires political will on both sides of the divide.”
But as it is now, the peninsula will have to depend on power players such as Tenaga Nasional Bhd, Malakoff Bhd or Jimah Power Sdn Bhd to crank up their coal-fired facilities to meet the power demand, while Sarawak works on transforming itself into a major energy hub in the region.
With Sarawak deciding to keep the energy generated by Bakun for itself, will there be sufficient offtake for such huge power supply when the dam becomes operational?
AFTER a long history of controversies, challenges and delays, the multibillion-ringgit Bakun hydroelectric dam in Sarawak is finally getting ready to unleash its power. It is expected to first start with one turbine generating about 300 megawatt (MW) of electricity by the middle of next year. This will be increased to around 600MW to 900MW by the end of 2011.
And when all the eight turbines at the massive dam are fully commissioned by the end of 2012, the plant will be able to generate about 2,400MW of hydropower, all of which will be contained within Sarawak for its own consumption.
At a glance, critics would say that there is too much power for the state to absorb, given that its current generation capacity is already considerably higher that its peak demand. Sarawak’s electricity generation capacity at present is around 1,300MW, while peak demand barely exceeds 1,000MW.
But these numbers, based on historical information, may not paint the real picture of what’s in store for the state.
For one, there is the Sarawak Corridor for Renewable Energy (Score) project, which is expected to attract energy-intensive industries such as aluminium smelting and solar-panel manufacturing. Then, apart from having to meet the state’s gradually growing organic demand, there is the longer term plan to position itself as a major power and utility player in the region, exporting electricity to neighbouring regions.
Score influences
“Big plans are in the pipeline with the establishment of Score; the state needs to guarantee a sustainable supply of energy at competitive rates to encourage inflows of investments to drive its economy,” an industry observer explains.
Score is expected to expand Sarawak’s economy five-fold, causing it to grow at an average of up to 8% per year, and its population to double to 4.6 million, by 2030.
According to projections by the state’s sole electricity supplier, Sarawak Energy Bhd, Score would need about 500MW in 2012 to power up industries operating within the economic development zone. By 2014, the amount of power needed by industries in Score will likely increase four-fold to near 2,000MW.
“The state would have to prepare for the anticipated substantial growth in electricity demand by industries in Score,” an analyst explains.
“And in such instances, it is clear that Sarawak Energy does not foresee any power glut looming in the future.”
Sarawak Energy is the sole rightful buyer of power generated from the Bakun dam. The dam is owned and operated by Sarawak Hidro Sdn Bhd, which is 100% owned by the Federal Government via the Minister of Finance Inc.
Sarawak Energy’s ambitious projections of the state’s future power demand, however, are not enough to pacify sceptics. This is because the state utility company has yet to secure any firm commitment from investors to take up power.
Their concern is that the dam will not be fully utilised when the expensive project becomes operational. The thing is, electricity generated cannot be stored. Once generated, the power has to be used; otherwise, it will be wasted.
Sarawak Hidro engineers at the Bakun Dam project.
“Bakun dam has to be fully utilised because the nation has spent so much time, money and effort in developing that gigantic project,” an analyst opines.
Tapping potential
It is understood that the state is still negotiating with investors to finalise the commercial terms for their agreements. Among these include energy-intensive aluminium smelters such as the joint venture between Cahya Mata Sarawak Bhd and Australia-based Rio Tinto Alcan, which requires between 900MW and 1,200MW for an initial annual capacity of up to 720,000 tonnes; and the joint venture between Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary’s vehicle GIIG Holdings Sdn Bhd and China’s Aluminium Corp, which requires at least 600MW for an initial annual capacity of 330,000 tonnes.
“There seems to be quite a number of interested parties wanting to invest in Score, and we have been made to understand that the state is very close to securing several foreign direct investment projects for the economic development zone. And these are besides the aluminium smelters that have already expressed their interests earlier,” an industry player explains.
The state is reportedly engaged in talks with less energy-intensive industries such as poly-silicon, manganese and ferro-silicon industries to set up base in Score. These industries are expected to require around 150MW to 200MW of power to start their operations.
“Anyhow, the state needs to secure firm commitments from investors to take up power as soon as possible; otherwise, there is the risk of a power glut in the state, especially so with other hydroelectric dams coming onstream in the next couple of years,” an industry player says.
Building up power
The RM3.5bil Murum dam, owned by Sarawak Energy, is expected to become operational by the end of 2013. The plant will add about 940MW to Sarawak’s generating capacity.
On top of that, plans are already underway to develop other hydroelectric dams in the state. According to Sarawak Energy, the list includes a 1,400MW dam in Balleh, 1,000MW in Baram, 150MW in Limbang and 300MW in Metjawah, among others. In total, Sarawak has more than 20,000MW of hydropower potential based on studies done earlier for the state utility firm.
“Leaving any of the hydropower plants, especially Bakun, idle is not an option. It is likely that Sarawak Energy would draw down power from Bakun, and shut down its gas and coal-fired plants for maintenance, or it may even phase out those plants that are powered by fossil fuel totally and replace them with renewable energy,” an industry source says.
There are plans to export electricity to the surrounding regions such as West Kalimantan in Indonesia and Brunei as well as Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia. But new commitment to export power is unlikely to take place any time soon until Sarawak is able to meet its own anticipated growth of electricity demand, industry sources say.
It has long planned for the Bakun hydroelectric plant to be a part of the solution for peninsula’s growing energy demand. But after the plan for the RM10bil undersea cable connecting Sarawak and peninsula was scrapped in the middle of the year, consumers in the peninsula can forget about getting power from Bakun.
Facing the possibility of an energy crunch in the next five years, the Government has desperately sought for replacement power sources to fill the gap (about 1,600MW) now that the Bakun option is off the table.
“It is ironic that we see a concern of a power glut on one side of the country, and a power crunch on the other side,” an analyst says. “This matter can be resolved but it requires political will on both sides of the divide.”
But as it is now, the peninsula will have to depend on power players such as Tenaga Nasional Bhd, Malakoff Bhd or Jimah Power Sdn Bhd to crank up their coal-fired facilities to meet the power demand, while Sarawak works on transforming itself into a major energy hub in the region.
Flea mart for green lifestyle
By CHRISTINA CHIN sgchris@thestar.com.my Photos by GOH GAIK LEE
MORE than 20 traders took part in the two-day ‘Green and Eco Weekend Flea Market’ which kicked off at the New World Park in George Town on Saturday.
The organiser — JCI Tanjung Bungah — hoped to make the event a monthly affair.
“Our target is to get more traders to come and fill up the whole area,” said JCI Tanjung Bungah president Khor Kai Ee.
He said the objectives of the flea market were to promote fresh, eco-friendly produce to consumers and to educate the public on leading a greener, healthier lifestyle.
“Everything from 100% rubber slippers to pure honey, organic supplements, fruits and non-toxic cleaning products are on sale at the flea market.
“Whenever people speak about the environment, they always refer to big companies and factories.
“In actual fact, it’s us — the householders — who can really make an impact on the environment by changing our lifestyles.
“Simple measures like consuming organically grown produce and refraining from using household products that contain harmful substances and toxic chemicals can really help the environment,” he said.
Kind to the environment: Traders setting up stalls at the Green and Eco Weekend Flea Market at New World Park in Penang.
Meanwhile, the company managing New World Park — PPB Hartabina Sdn Bhd — is planning to further improve the building’s ‘green report card’ by adding more environmentally-friendly features.
The airy building which houses a hawker centre, restaurants, a stage and shoplots, is arguably Penang’s greenest hawker centre with its energy-saving features.
In line with turning the state into a greener space, the company is planning to install solar panels on the roof.
Thoughtful design: The airy New World Park building is environmental-friendly.
PPB senior manager Clarence Tan said from the very beginning, the idea was to have a building that made optimal use of natural sunlight and ventilation rather than to build an air-conditioned enclosure.
“We wanted to maintain the alfresco hawker dining experience Swatow Lane is famous for, which explains the airy feel of the place.
“The idea was to have somewhere where people can enjoy Penang’s famous street food in a clean, green and comfortable environment.
“We have already installed grease traps for the hawkers and are looking at more ways on how to turn this building into an even more environmental-friendly space for the public,” he said after the opening of the flea market.
For details, log on to newworldpark.com.my.
MORE than 20 traders took part in the two-day ‘Green and Eco Weekend Flea Market’ which kicked off at the New World Park in George Town on Saturday.
The organiser — JCI Tanjung Bungah — hoped to make the event a monthly affair.
“Our target is to get more traders to come and fill up the whole area,” said JCI Tanjung Bungah president Khor Kai Ee.
He said the objectives of the flea market were to promote fresh, eco-friendly produce to consumers and to educate the public on leading a greener, healthier lifestyle.
“Everything from 100% rubber slippers to pure honey, organic supplements, fruits and non-toxic cleaning products are on sale at the flea market.
“Whenever people speak about the environment, they always refer to big companies and factories.
“In actual fact, it’s us — the householders — who can really make an impact on the environment by changing our lifestyles.
“Simple measures like consuming organically grown produce and refraining from using household products that contain harmful substances and toxic chemicals can really help the environment,” he said.
Kind to the environment: Traders setting up stalls at the Green and Eco Weekend Flea Market at New World Park in Penang.
Meanwhile, the company managing New World Park — PPB Hartabina Sdn Bhd — is planning to further improve the building’s ‘green report card’ by adding more environmentally-friendly features.
The airy building which houses a hawker centre, restaurants, a stage and shoplots, is arguably Penang’s greenest hawker centre with its energy-saving features.
In line with turning the state into a greener space, the company is planning to install solar panels on the roof.
Thoughtful design: The airy New World Park building is environmental-friendly.
PPB senior manager Clarence Tan said from the very beginning, the idea was to have a building that made optimal use of natural sunlight and ventilation rather than to build an air-conditioned enclosure.
“We wanted to maintain the alfresco hawker dining experience Swatow Lane is famous for, which explains the airy feel of the place.
“The idea was to have somewhere where people can enjoy Penang’s famous street food in a clean, green and comfortable environment.
“We have already installed grease traps for the hawkers and are looking at more ways on how to turn this building into an even more environmental-friendly space for the public,” he said after the opening of the flea market.
For details, log on to newworldpark.com.my.
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Renewable Energy News Today
Discover tried, tested, and proven insider strategies that will put you ahead of the pack.A FREE report available for immediate download
Did you know there is a hidden technology that may make solar panels obsolete?
In 2009, $70 Billion was invested in renewable energy programs by the United States alone.
And get this.
There are a tiny handful of specific industries getting the lion's share of this money.
It's true.
These answers are just a taste of the insider knowledge being published in a new, easy-to-read report called the Green Guide. This guide was painstakingly assembled by an independent research firm, now with subscribers in more than 100 different countries. And it's free to the public for a short period of time.
Its goal is to help its readers make informed decisions in renewable energy investments.
Here's a sample of what you'll discover:
The 3 criteria of a reforestation project that will richen the environment and its investors.
Offshore wind power or onshore wind power? Which has more potential to create affordable renewable energy? The answer will shock you.
Breakthroughs in solar panel technology that might make it one of the primary sources of energy.
Little known facts about a technology scientifically proven to create energy from garbage (this has the potential to reduce landfill space and satisfy our hunger for energy).
An alternative to corn-based ethanol that creates fuel at the same cost as oil at $40 a barrel...without straining the world's food supply.
A new technology that turns dead plants and animals into engine-churning ethanol (this could be the future's largest source of bio-fuels).
7 affordable sources of alternative energy you probably haven't heard of (and the carbon trade's surprising effect on them).
Plus much more!Yes! I'd like to get the FREE Green Guide Report. Click here and complete the form to receive your FREE report!
About The Researchers of The Green Guide
The Green Guide is an independent growth-oriented market research firm, with subscribers in more than 100 different countries.
Its reports are assembled from a number of independent veteran research analysts. This team has worked with the biggest and most important stockbrokers, asset managers, hedge fund and private equity firms in the world. This gives them a large pool of input to assemble some of the world's most accurate information on renewable energy and environmental investment opportunity.
Unlike large research companies, we are completely independent. We only distribute independent reports. We do not solicit banking business. We do not provide brokerage services or manage money.Get the FREE Green Guide Now!
Renewable Energy News Today
Nobel scientist: Solar, wind will become main energy sources
LOS ANGELES: A Nobel-prize winning scientist said that solar and wind will become Earth’s dominant contributor of energy due to continuous research and development of alternative energy, reports China’s Xinhua news agency.
Total oil and natural gas production, which today provides about 60% of global energy consumption, is expected to peak in 10 to 30 years from now, followed by a rapid decline, said Walter Kohn, Ph.D., who is with the University of California, Santa Barbara.
“These trends have created two unprecedented global challenges,” said Kohn who shared the 1998 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
“One is the threatened global shortage of acceptable energy. The other is the unacceptable, imminent danger of global warming and its consequences.”
Kohn noted that these challenges require a variety of responses, and the most obvious is continuing scientific and technical progress providing abundant and affordable alternative energies, safe, clean and carbon-free.
Speaking at a special symposium at the American Chemical Society’s 240th National Meeting in Boston, he said since the challenges are global in nature, the scientific and technical work should enjoy a maximum of international cooperation, which fortunately is beginning to evolve.
The global photovoltaic energy production increased by a factor of about 90 and wind energy by a factor of about 10 over the last decade.
Kohn expects vigorous growth of these two effectively inexhaustible energies to continue during the next decade and beyond, thereby leading to a new era, the SOL/WIND era, in human history, in which solar and wind energy will become the earth’s dominant energy sources.
Another important issue, Kohn added that the incumbent primarily on developed countries, whose population has pretty much levelled off, is reduction in per capita energy consumption.
“A striking example is the U.S. per capita consumption of gasoline, approximately five times higher than the global average,” he said.
“The less developed world, understandably, aims to bring their standard of living to a level similar to that of the highly developed countries; in return they should stabilise their growing populations.”
Kohn noted that he is impressed by students on his campus who spent their own collective funds to fully solarise an athletic building.
“When it comes to providing leadership by young people in the area of energy conservation and energy efficiency and global warming - they are fantastic,” he said, adding that it is a major social commitment.-Bernama
Total oil and natural gas production, which today provides about 60% of global energy consumption, is expected to peak in 10 to 30 years from now, followed by a rapid decline, said Walter Kohn, Ph.D., who is with the University of California, Santa Barbara.
“These trends have created two unprecedented global challenges,” said Kohn who shared the 1998 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
“One is the threatened global shortage of acceptable energy. The other is the unacceptable, imminent danger of global warming and its consequences.”
Kohn noted that these challenges require a variety of responses, and the most obvious is continuing scientific and technical progress providing abundant and affordable alternative energies, safe, clean and carbon-free.
Speaking at a special symposium at the American Chemical Society’s 240th National Meeting in Boston, he said since the challenges are global in nature, the scientific and technical work should enjoy a maximum of international cooperation, which fortunately is beginning to evolve.
The global photovoltaic energy production increased by a factor of about 90 and wind energy by a factor of about 10 over the last decade.
Kohn expects vigorous growth of these two effectively inexhaustible energies to continue during the next decade and beyond, thereby leading to a new era, the SOL/WIND era, in human history, in which solar and wind energy will become the earth’s dominant energy sources.
Another important issue, Kohn added that the incumbent primarily on developed countries, whose population has pretty much levelled off, is reduction in per capita energy consumption.
“A striking example is the U.S. per capita consumption of gasoline, approximately five times higher than the global average,” he said.
“The less developed world, understandably, aims to bring their standard of living to a level similar to that of the highly developed countries; in return they should stabilise their growing populations.”
Kohn noted that he is impressed by students on his campus who spent their own collective funds to fully solarise an athletic building.
“When it comes to providing leadership by young people in the area of energy conservation and energy efficiency and global warming - they are fantastic,” he said, adding that it is a major social commitment.-Bernama
ADB to issue bond to finance clean energy projects
MANILA: The Asian Development Bank said Wednesday it plans to issue its first clean energy bond to raise funds for renewable energy projects in Asia.
The development lender said it would match the amount raised by the bond, which is expected to be issued later this month and would target Japanese retail investors.
The bond issuance will be arranged through HSBC Securities (Japan) Ltd. and will be sold throughout Japan by more than 20 securities companies.
The bond will have four tranches, one denominated in Australian dollars, another in Turkish lira and two tranches in Brazilian real.
They will have tenors — the period to maturity — of between four and seven years.
The ADB is targeting $2 billion a year in clean energy investments by 2013 to focus on wind, solar, water, geothermal and biomass — plant matter such as sugarcane used to generate electricity. It has invested more than $5 billion in clean energy since 2005.
The use of coal, oil and other carbon-based fossil fuels to meet Asia's rapidly growing energy needs has added to the release of greenhouse gases that many scientists believe contribute to climate change.
The bank said that insufficient energy investment in the region hampers developing countries from reaching their full potential, with more than 800 million people — or a quarter of the population of the Asia-Pacific area — still without access to electricity and 1.8 billion people relying on traditional biomass fuels for cooking and heating. - AP
The development lender said it would match the amount raised by the bond, which is expected to be issued later this month and would target Japanese retail investors.
The bond issuance will be arranged through HSBC Securities (Japan) Ltd. and will be sold throughout Japan by more than 20 securities companies.
The bond will have four tranches, one denominated in Australian dollars, another in Turkish lira and two tranches in Brazilian real.
They will have tenors — the period to maturity — of between four and seven years.
The ADB is targeting $2 billion a year in clean energy investments by 2013 to focus on wind, solar, water, geothermal and biomass — plant matter such as sugarcane used to generate electricity. It has invested more than $5 billion in clean energy since 2005.
The use of coal, oil and other carbon-based fossil fuels to meet Asia's rapidly growing energy needs has added to the release of greenhouse gases that many scientists believe contribute to climate change.
The bank said that insufficient energy investment in the region hampers developing countries from reaching their full potential, with more than 800 million people — or a quarter of the population of the Asia-Pacific area — still without access to electricity and 1.8 billion people relying on traditional biomass fuels for cooking and heating. - AP
Environmentalists: The more you give, the more you get
SHAH ALAM: Environmentalists T. Srinivasa Rao and R. Gnanasekaran from New Delhi, India, who are on their seventh globe-trotting expedition to raise awareness on global warming, believe in the importance of giving back.
“One truth is that the more you give, the more you get in return.
“And the more you give to the earth, the more the earth will give back to you,” said Srinivasa, 48.
Green cops: Srinivasa (left) and Gnanasekaran, who are travelling around the world to spread the message on global warming and urge governments to opt for green solutions, standing outside the Selangor State Secretariat building in Shah Alam.
Both men arrived here after travelling across Europe and spent most of their time meeting local councillors, state leaders and school children to “sow the seeds of going green”.
They will be in Kuala Lumpur and USJ to work with communities and neighbourhoods to help protect Mother Earth.
Srinivasa’s wife Thamarai, in her 30s, and sons Gokvlavanar, eight, and Kayalvizhe, six, are travelling with him.
Srinivasa and Gnanasekaran received US$1,000 (RM3,200) from Selangor state exco member Ronnie Liu on Friday.
Gnanasekaran, 47, said being green was not just about contributing money but also one’s time and talents.
“Malaysia is a beautiful nation blessed with abundance of sunlight and this natural resource can be turned into solar energy.
“Paying utility bills is absolutely unnecessary. Making the solar panels will be cost-effective if all houses are fitted with it,” he said.
Gnanasekaran said people were using fossil fuel that polluted the air and this led to global warming and depleted non-renewable resources.
“We want developed countries like the United States to support developing nations with financial grants to develop renewable-energy projects to improve the environment,” he said.
Srinivasa and Gnanasekaran, both electrical engineers, started their global awareness campaign in 1986 with their first expedition on bicycle covering 68,000km.
The duo will head to Buenos Aires and travel through South America before arriving in Mexico for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in December.
“One truth is that the more you give, the more you get in return.
“And the more you give to the earth, the more the earth will give back to you,” said Srinivasa, 48.
Green cops: Srinivasa (left) and Gnanasekaran, who are travelling around the world to spread the message on global warming and urge governments to opt for green solutions, standing outside the Selangor State Secretariat building in Shah Alam.
Both men arrived here after travelling across Europe and spent most of their time meeting local councillors, state leaders and school children to “sow the seeds of going green”.
They will be in Kuala Lumpur and USJ to work with communities and neighbourhoods to help protect Mother Earth.
Srinivasa’s wife Thamarai, in her 30s, and sons Gokvlavanar, eight, and Kayalvizhe, six, are travelling with him.
Srinivasa and Gnanasekaran received US$1,000 (RM3,200) from Selangor state exco member Ronnie Liu on Friday.
Gnanasekaran, 47, said being green was not just about contributing money but also one’s time and talents.
“Malaysia is a beautiful nation blessed with abundance of sunlight and this natural resource can be turned into solar energy.
“Paying utility bills is absolutely unnecessary. Making the solar panels will be cost-effective if all houses are fitted with it,” he said.
Gnanasekaran said people were using fossil fuel that polluted the air and this led to global warming and depleted non-renewable resources.
“We want developed countries like the United States to support developing nations with financial grants to develop renewable-energy projects to improve the environment,” he said.
Srinivasa and Gnanasekaran, both electrical engineers, started their global awareness campaign in 1986 with their first expedition on bicycle covering 68,000km.
The duo will head to Buenos Aires and travel through South America before arriving in Mexico for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in December.
More major companies adopt green agenda
By EUGENE MAHALINGAM eugenicz@thestar.com.my
The Star will be featuring a series of articles in conjunction with the StarBiz-ICRM Corporate Responsibility Awards. The CR Awards is the result of a partnership between The Star and Institute of Corporate Responsibility Malaysia, supported by the Securities Commission and Bursa Malaysia Bhd. Its working partners are PricewaterhouseCoopers and Securities Industry Development Corporation, while the official sponsor is Canon Marketing (M) Sdn Bhd
PETALING JAYA: Going green seems to be the buzzword these days.
So much so that it’s already become a part of many companies’ daily business strategies.
Vimal Kumar
To Guinness Anchor Bhd (GAB), the usage of green technology provides an opportunity to improve the way the company conducts its business.
“Employing green technology leads to higher efficiency and cost savings,” managing director Charles Ireland told StarBiz.
He said GAB had continuously worked on reducing energy consumption and its impact on the environment through the upgrading of plant installations and process improvements.
Among the initiatives that have been put in place include the recuperation of carbon dioxide (CO2) form fermentations at lower purity, which has led to zero purchase of CO2 from external sources.
“We have switched from using fuel oil to natural gas and renewable gas, mainly biogas, generated from the anaerobic treatment of wastewater at our wastewater treatment plant,” Ireland said.
He added that the company had improved the performance of its refrigeration plant through the usage of a frequency control motor that had resulted in lower electricity usage.
DiGi Telecommunications Sdn Bhd head of corporate responsibility Vimal Kumar said as part of the company’s commitment towards sustainable business practices, it was embedding strategically planned energy efficient and renewable energy initiatives into every aspect of its business.
“We have an ambition to reduce our business CO2 footprint by 50% by 2011. To support this, we have taken various steps company-wide and engage with stakeholders to unearth innovative solutions to reduce our shared climate impact,” she said.
Vimal said DiGi’s business practices included the usage of energy saving solutions, efficient cooling solutions, reduced diesel and petrol usage, solar panels to power mobile transmission stations, energy audits at switching centers, common power sharing and swapping of equipment to energy efficient equipment.
She said that it definitely made more business sense to employ green technology in the company’s day-to-day operations, adding that even the tiniest of efforts made a big difference.
“Simple initiatives like turning off our lights for one and a half hours every day during lunch time saves up to 63 tonnes of CO2 per year.
“Through our various energy efficiency initiatives, we have reduced our electricity consumption year on year. In 2009, we have reduced our carbon emissions by approximately 18,000 tonnes.
Vimal said other efforts such as default double-sided printing and controlled printing via individual passwords together with continual efforts to migrate policies and processes to electronic systems had reduced the company’s paper usage significantly.
“In 2009, we reduced usage of more than 700,000 pieces of paper compared to the previous year. Additional efforts include having all our letterheads and envelopes made from recycled material.
“We have also reduced our waste to landfill by recycling approximately 27% of our total waste in 2009. All these translate to operational cost savings as well.”
Vimal said DiGi was constantly driving a “sustainable mindset” across its organisation by putting in place various initiatives that actively engaged its employees.
These include regular in-house awareness programs, energy efficiency initiatives in our office building, going paperless, telecommuting and virtual meetings to reduce travel.
YTL Corp Bhd director of investments Ruth Yeoh said the group had already realised over a decade ago the implications of uncontrolled carbon emissions into the atmosphere within the heavy energy demands of the utilities and construction industries.
“This prompted us to begin innovating ways to use clean technology and explore renewable energy sources. One of our continuous efforts as a leading utilities player is to insist that our equipment suppliers continuously work to improve their technologies, not just because we demand it, but also due to the big consumer push for it.
“Our long-standing commitment to the environment has since been applied to the various businesses within our group,” she said.
Through YTL Power, the first independent power producer in Malaysia, the group ensured from the outset that its gas-fuelled, combined-cycle power plants would not cause environmental damage, according to Yeoh.
“Our power stations have specific design features such as a water cooling system that features hot water discharge pipes that extend 10% further than required in the engineering by-laws, so that elevated sea water temperature would have a minimum impact on marine life,” she said.
The YTL group is also a major shareholder of Express Rail Link Sdn Bhd, a railway development company that operates the KLIA Ekspres and KLIA Transit.
In order to ensure environmentally friendly operations, YTL’s fleet of high-speed trains have no direct emissions of pollutants and have “built in” energy savings by design, said Yeoh.
“There is also an energy saving programme where drivers are trained to operate the trains with efficiency in mind.
This programme was able to reduce the energy cost per trip from RM65.59 in 2003 to RM62.11 in 2005, translating into total savings of approximately RM300,000 that year,” she said.
In 2008, the group set up YTL-SV Carbon, an in-house carbon credit consultancy to help companies go green. According to Yeoh, YTL-SV Carbon specialises in clean development mechanism (CDM) projects.
Examples of projects include biomass, biogas, and other clean energy from waste arising from agricultural municipal, cement and industrial sources. YTL-SV Carbon also covered the development of technology to convert traditionally harmful waste elements (such as Palm Oil Mill Effluent, or POME) into environmentally-friendly resources.
Yeoh also said that Wessex Water, one of YTL’s subsidiaries in Britain, operated under stringent environmental regulations, with a key long-term goal of becoming a sustainable water company.
“Its success in meeting compliance rates for drinking water, sewage treatment and bathing water have placed it amongst the best in the United Kingdom,” she said.
To participate in StarBiz-ICRM Corporate Responsibility Awards 2010, you will need to fill out an online questionnaire. Submission closes on Sept 24. The online questionnaire is accessible at http://www.asiacall.net/survey/starbizicrm2010/. Further questions can be directed to starbiz-icrm@csr-asia.com or call 03-2072 2130 or 03-2070-0130. For more information, log on to http://www.thestar.com.my/starbizicrm/
The Star will be featuring a series of articles in conjunction with the StarBiz-ICRM Corporate Responsibility Awards. The CR Awards is the result of a partnership between The Star and Institute of Corporate Responsibility Malaysia, supported by the Securities Commission and Bursa Malaysia Bhd. Its working partners are PricewaterhouseCoopers and Securities Industry Development Corporation, while the official sponsor is Canon Marketing (M) Sdn Bhd
PETALING JAYA: Going green seems to be the buzzword these days.
So much so that it’s already become a part of many companies’ daily business strategies.
Vimal Kumar
To Guinness Anchor Bhd (GAB), the usage of green technology provides an opportunity to improve the way the company conducts its business.
“Employing green technology leads to higher efficiency and cost savings,” managing director Charles Ireland told StarBiz.
He said GAB had continuously worked on reducing energy consumption and its impact on the environment through the upgrading of plant installations and process improvements.
Among the initiatives that have been put in place include the recuperation of carbon dioxide (CO2) form fermentations at lower purity, which has led to zero purchase of CO2 from external sources.
“We have switched from using fuel oil to natural gas and renewable gas, mainly biogas, generated from the anaerobic treatment of wastewater at our wastewater treatment plant,” Ireland said.
He added that the company had improved the performance of its refrigeration plant through the usage of a frequency control motor that had resulted in lower electricity usage.
DiGi Telecommunications Sdn Bhd head of corporate responsibility Vimal Kumar said as part of the company’s commitment towards sustainable business practices, it was embedding strategically planned energy efficient and renewable energy initiatives into every aspect of its business.
“We have an ambition to reduce our business CO2 footprint by 50% by 2011. To support this, we have taken various steps company-wide and engage with stakeholders to unearth innovative solutions to reduce our shared climate impact,” she said.
Vimal said DiGi’s business practices included the usage of energy saving solutions, efficient cooling solutions, reduced diesel and petrol usage, solar panels to power mobile transmission stations, energy audits at switching centers, common power sharing and swapping of equipment to energy efficient equipment.
She said that it definitely made more business sense to employ green technology in the company’s day-to-day operations, adding that even the tiniest of efforts made a big difference.
“Simple initiatives like turning off our lights for one and a half hours every day during lunch time saves up to 63 tonnes of CO2 per year.
“Through our various energy efficiency initiatives, we have reduced our electricity consumption year on year. In 2009, we have reduced our carbon emissions by approximately 18,000 tonnes.
Vimal said other efforts such as default double-sided printing and controlled printing via individual passwords together with continual efforts to migrate policies and processes to electronic systems had reduced the company’s paper usage significantly.
“In 2009, we reduced usage of more than 700,000 pieces of paper compared to the previous year. Additional efforts include having all our letterheads and envelopes made from recycled material.
“We have also reduced our waste to landfill by recycling approximately 27% of our total waste in 2009. All these translate to operational cost savings as well.”
Vimal said DiGi was constantly driving a “sustainable mindset” across its organisation by putting in place various initiatives that actively engaged its employees.
These include regular in-house awareness programs, energy efficiency initiatives in our office building, going paperless, telecommuting and virtual meetings to reduce travel.
YTL Corp Bhd director of investments Ruth Yeoh said the group had already realised over a decade ago the implications of uncontrolled carbon emissions into the atmosphere within the heavy energy demands of the utilities and construction industries.
“This prompted us to begin innovating ways to use clean technology and explore renewable energy sources. One of our continuous efforts as a leading utilities player is to insist that our equipment suppliers continuously work to improve their technologies, not just because we demand it, but also due to the big consumer push for it.
“Our long-standing commitment to the environment has since been applied to the various businesses within our group,” she said.
Through YTL Power, the first independent power producer in Malaysia, the group ensured from the outset that its gas-fuelled, combined-cycle power plants would not cause environmental damage, according to Yeoh.
“Our power stations have specific design features such as a water cooling system that features hot water discharge pipes that extend 10% further than required in the engineering by-laws, so that elevated sea water temperature would have a minimum impact on marine life,” she said.
The YTL group is also a major shareholder of Express Rail Link Sdn Bhd, a railway development company that operates the KLIA Ekspres and KLIA Transit.
In order to ensure environmentally friendly operations, YTL’s fleet of high-speed trains have no direct emissions of pollutants and have “built in” energy savings by design, said Yeoh.
“There is also an energy saving programme where drivers are trained to operate the trains with efficiency in mind.
This programme was able to reduce the energy cost per trip from RM65.59 in 2003 to RM62.11 in 2005, translating into total savings of approximately RM300,000 that year,” she said.
In 2008, the group set up YTL-SV Carbon, an in-house carbon credit consultancy to help companies go green. According to Yeoh, YTL-SV Carbon specialises in clean development mechanism (CDM) projects.
Examples of projects include biomass, biogas, and other clean energy from waste arising from agricultural municipal, cement and industrial sources. YTL-SV Carbon also covered the development of technology to convert traditionally harmful waste elements (such as Palm Oil Mill Effluent, or POME) into environmentally-friendly resources.
Yeoh also said that Wessex Water, one of YTL’s subsidiaries in Britain, operated under stringent environmental regulations, with a key long-term goal of becoming a sustainable water company.
“Its success in meeting compliance rates for drinking water, sewage treatment and bathing water have placed it amongst the best in the United Kingdom,” she said.
To participate in StarBiz-ICRM Corporate Responsibility Awards 2010, you will need to fill out an online questionnaire. Submission closes on Sept 24. The online questionnaire is accessible at http://www.asiacall.net/survey/starbizicrm2010/. Further questions can be directed to starbiz-icrm@csr-asia.com or call 03-2072 2130 or 03-2070-0130. For more information, log on to http://www.thestar.com.my/starbizicrm/
Renewable energy a growth sector for Malaysia
By ELAINE ANG elaine@thestar.com.my
The Star will feature a series of stories in conjunction with StarBiz-ICRM Corporate Responsibility Awards. The CR Awards is the result of a partnership between The Star and Institute of Corporate Responsibility Malaysia (ICRM), supported by the Securities Commission and Bursa Malaysia Bhd. Its working partners are PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and Securities Industry Development Corp.
THE renewable energy sector is fast gaining ground as a new growth area for many countries worldwide with the vast potential it presents environmentally and economically.
Renewable energy plays a major role in meeting a country’s energy needs, enabling businesses to reap energy cost savings and revenue while combating global warming.
On the homefront, renewable energy is seen as a growth sector that will help propel the country into a high-income economy.
The sector, however, is still relatively undeveloped in the country as reflected in the low achievement of renewable energy targets under the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP).
According to PricewaterhouseCoopers Advisory Services associate director (sustainability and climate change) Mark Wong, the 9MP targeted the production of 350MW of grid-connected electricity from renewable sources, translating into 1.8% of electricity mix.
“However, only 53MW was achieved by the end of 2009, or 15% of the targeted capacity,” he said.
The 10th Malaysia Plan (10MP) re-emphasised the use of renewable energy to meet Malaysia’s growing energy demands, in particular hydro power for electricity generation and blending of biofuels for transport sector.
Two of the steps taken by the Government to help boost development in renewable energy sector is the plan to implement a feed-in tariff programme later this year and the mandatory blending of biofuels for transport sector in 2011.
Wong said renewable energy was expected to contribute about 6% of the country’s electricity production mix in the next five years and about 11% by 2020.
“Renewable energy is often perceived to be a green initiative that is something nice to do. What needs to be understood is that there is a strong business case for renewable energy sector in the long term,” he said.
Renewable energy advisor to the Energy, Green Technology and Water Ministry, Ahmad Hadri Haris, had said in a report that based on projections by experts, the sector could provide at least RM70bil worth of revenue for the private sector and potentially generate tax revenue of at least RM1.76bil for the Government by 2020.
Another economic and social benefit arising from the sector is job creation. Experts have estimated that at least 52,000 jobs could be created from the construction, operation and maintenance of renewable energy plants in the country by 2020.
ACCA Global head of sustainability and corporate social responsibility Henning Drager said there was a strong recognition that the dependence on fossil fuels needed to be curtailed. This is based on the Government’s support of renewables as reflected in the National Renewable Energy Policy and Action Plan.
“Communities, industries, businesses and households need a reliable energy supply to prosper.
“Ramping up the renewable energy generation percentage is crucial if Malaysia is serious about reducing fossil fuels’ contribution to climate change, addressing energy security issues around importing oil and coal from unstable global regions, and the creation of skilled and unskilled jobs in the domestic renewables sector.”
Latest projections by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development is that renewable energy, especially solar power, could play a large role in Malaysia’s future energy generation. This is because the country is blessed with over 250 days of sunshine a year, thus providing great potential to meet the energy needs of businesses and communities.
Amsterdam-based international expert on corporate responsibility and sustainable development, Paul Hohnen, concurred.
He said the country’s challenges in the long term included the transition from its reliance on finite supplies of oil and gas to renewable sources such as solar power and also to ensure maximum diversity and sustainability of its ecosystems.
“At the end of the day, the sun is Malaysia’s greatest renewable asset. It sustainably powers forests and farms, as well as tourism. But there is still much untapped potential and this is where much of the growth potential is.
“If Malaysia can achieve this transition, it will create firm foundations not only for domestic solar power industries but also industries based on plant genetic diversity (such as medicines), and sustainable crops for fuel, food, fibre and fertilisation,” he said.
Drager said significant upfront investment would be required to increase the contribution of renewables based on a thorough assessment of their respective generation potential.
“Addressing any structural, political and cultural barriers to redirecting government subsidies towards this sector will be a key element for future success,” he added.
Drager said a detailed renewables job creation programme would need to be worked out by the Government to match the skills based on the renewables ambition.
“The programme should also address Malaysia’s high-income model because the highly-skilled labour required, including engineers, electricians and project managers, will be able to demand salary premiums and create aspirations around joining Malaysia’s renewables drive.”
Concrete measures and frameworks needed to be worked out across stakeholder groups and these include low and no interest loans, longer return-on-investment timelines, tax incentives and ambitious renewables targets, he said.
> To participate in StarBiz-ICRM Corporate Responsibility Awards 2010, you will need to fill out an online questionnaire. Submission closes on Sept 24. The online questionnaire is accessible at http://www.asiacall.net/survey/starbizicrm2010/. Further questions can be directed to starbiz-icrm@csr-asia.com or call 03-2072 2130 or 03-2070-0130. For more information, log on to http://www.thestar.com.my/starbizicrm/.
StarBiz-ICRM Corporate Responsibility Awards 2010: Workshop to assist companies to fill out survey
IN conjunction with the StarBiz-ICRM Corporate Responsibility Awards 2010, CSR Asia in association with the organisers , StarBiz and ICRM, will conduct a workshop to assist companies with completing the survey.
The workshop will be held at Cyberhub on 1st Floor, Menara Star, Section 16, Petaling Jaya from 9.30–11.00 am on Sept 2. For those attending the workshop, kindly bring along your laptop to access the survey online or a printed copy of the survey.
For those who cannot make it during that time, CSR Asia staff will be on hand for the rest of the day at the same venue to answer your questions. Companies that have difficulties completing the survey or require further guidance and information are strongly encouraged to attend this workshop.
The Star will feature a series of stories in conjunction with StarBiz-ICRM Corporate Responsibility Awards. The CR Awards is the result of a partnership between The Star and Institute of Corporate Responsibility Malaysia (ICRM), supported by the Securities Commission and Bursa Malaysia Bhd. Its working partners are PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and Securities Industry Development Corp.
THE renewable energy sector is fast gaining ground as a new growth area for many countries worldwide with the vast potential it presents environmentally and economically.
Renewable energy plays a major role in meeting a country’s energy needs, enabling businesses to reap energy cost savings and revenue while combating global warming.
On the homefront, renewable energy is seen as a growth sector that will help propel the country into a high-income economy.
The sector, however, is still relatively undeveloped in the country as reflected in the low achievement of renewable energy targets under the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP).
According to PricewaterhouseCoopers Advisory Services associate director (sustainability and climate change) Mark Wong, the 9MP targeted the production of 350MW of grid-connected electricity from renewable sources, translating into 1.8% of electricity mix.
“However, only 53MW was achieved by the end of 2009, or 15% of the targeted capacity,” he said.
The 10th Malaysia Plan (10MP) re-emphasised the use of renewable energy to meet Malaysia’s growing energy demands, in particular hydro power for electricity generation and blending of biofuels for transport sector.
Two of the steps taken by the Government to help boost development in renewable energy sector is the plan to implement a feed-in tariff programme later this year and the mandatory blending of biofuels for transport sector in 2011.
Wong said renewable energy was expected to contribute about 6% of the country’s electricity production mix in the next five years and about 11% by 2020.
“Renewable energy is often perceived to be a green initiative that is something nice to do. What needs to be understood is that there is a strong business case for renewable energy sector in the long term,” he said.
Renewable energy advisor to the Energy, Green Technology and Water Ministry, Ahmad Hadri Haris, had said in a report that based on projections by experts, the sector could provide at least RM70bil worth of revenue for the private sector and potentially generate tax revenue of at least RM1.76bil for the Government by 2020.
Another economic and social benefit arising from the sector is job creation. Experts have estimated that at least 52,000 jobs could be created from the construction, operation and maintenance of renewable energy plants in the country by 2020.
ACCA Global head of sustainability and corporate social responsibility Henning Drager said there was a strong recognition that the dependence on fossil fuels needed to be curtailed. This is based on the Government’s support of renewables as reflected in the National Renewable Energy Policy and Action Plan.
“Communities, industries, businesses and households need a reliable energy supply to prosper.
“Ramping up the renewable energy generation percentage is crucial if Malaysia is serious about reducing fossil fuels’ contribution to climate change, addressing energy security issues around importing oil and coal from unstable global regions, and the creation of skilled and unskilled jobs in the domestic renewables sector.”
Latest projections by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development is that renewable energy, especially solar power, could play a large role in Malaysia’s future energy generation. This is because the country is blessed with over 250 days of sunshine a year, thus providing great potential to meet the energy needs of businesses and communities.
Amsterdam-based international expert on corporate responsibility and sustainable development, Paul Hohnen, concurred.
He said the country’s challenges in the long term included the transition from its reliance on finite supplies of oil and gas to renewable sources such as solar power and also to ensure maximum diversity and sustainability of its ecosystems.
“At the end of the day, the sun is Malaysia’s greatest renewable asset. It sustainably powers forests and farms, as well as tourism. But there is still much untapped potential and this is where much of the growth potential is.
“If Malaysia can achieve this transition, it will create firm foundations not only for domestic solar power industries but also industries based on plant genetic diversity (such as medicines), and sustainable crops for fuel, food, fibre and fertilisation,” he said.
Drager said significant upfront investment would be required to increase the contribution of renewables based on a thorough assessment of their respective generation potential.
“Addressing any structural, political and cultural barriers to redirecting government subsidies towards this sector will be a key element for future success,” he added.
Drager said a detailed renewables job creation programme would need to be worked out by the Government to match the skills based on the renewables ambition.
“The programme should also address Malaysia’s high-income model because the highly-skilled labour required, including engineers, electricians and project managers, will be able to demand salary premiums and create aspirations around joining Malaysia’s renewables drive.”
Concrete measures and frameworks needed to be worked out across stakeholder groups and these include low and no interest loans, longer return-on-investment timelines, tax incentives and ambitious renewables targets, he said.
> To participate in StarBiz-ICRM Corporate Responsibility Awards 2010, you will need to fill out an online questionnaire. Submission closes on Sept 24. The online questionnaire is accessible at http://www.asiacall.net/survey/starbizicrm2010/. Further questions can be directed to starbiz-icrm@csr-asia.com or call 03-2072 2130 or 03-2070-0130. For more information, log on to http://www.thestar.com.my/starbizicrm/.
StarBiz-ICRM Corporate Responsibility Awards 2010: Workshop to assist companies to fill out survey
IN conjunction with the StarBiz-ICRM Corporate Responsibility Awards 2010, CSR Asia in association with the organisers , StarBiz and ICRM, will conduct a workshop to assist companies with completing the survey.
The workshop will be held at Cyberhub on 1st Floor, Menara Star, Section 16, Petaling Jaya from 9.30–11.00 am on Sept 2. For those attending the workshop, kindly bring along your laptop to access the survey online or a printed copy of the survey.
For those who cannot make it during that time, CSR Asia staff will be on hand for the rest of the day at the same venue to answer your questions. Companies that have difficulties completing the survey or require further guidance and information are strongly encouraged to attend this workshop.
RM5.2mil spent on state-of-the-art solar roofing system
By DERRICK VINESH derrickvinesh@thestar.com.my
BUKIT MERTAJAM: Ixmation Malaysia has spent a whopping RM5.2mil to equip its new facility in the Penang Science Park in Bukit Minyak here with a self-designed state-of-the-art solar roofing system.
Ixmation group chief executive officer Dr Martin Pfister (pic) said the company had installed third generation solar tubes covering an area of 1,672 sq m (18,000 sq ft) on the three-storey building, located on 3,901sq m (42,000 sq ft) plot of land.
“The cylindrical solar tubes, which used thin solar films produced by Ixmation, could help supplement the company’s annual energy consumption by 240-megawatt hours using solar energy.
“A quarter of the new plant’s energy needs is supplemented by solar energy,” he said when Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng opened Ixmation Malaysia’s second plant yesterday.
Pfister noted that the innovative tubes ensured a complete circular absorption of solar energy.
“Our industrial focus has changed in the last three years, more to alternative energy production, electronics, medical devices and test systems for the automotive industry.
“The move was the company’s contribution toward the national ‘1Malaysia Green, 1Malaysia Clean’ campaign as well as the state government’s ‘Cleaner, Greener Penang’ campaign,” he said.
Pfister said Ixmation, which was a business unit of the Swiss-based Conzzeta AG, hoped to chart a group sales turnover of RM310.5mil (USD$100mil) in the next two to three years compared to its present turnover of about RM217.3mil (USD$70mil).
He said Conzzeta’s sales turnover was about RM3.1bil (USD$1bil).
Lim said according to the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report 2010-2011, Switzerland ranked number 1, with the highest per capita income of RM71,426 (USD$23,000), in term of exports.
“Despite not having any natural resources, this achievement shows that Switzerland has got the right model that focuses on building human talent.
“That is why we too must look towards branding Penang as a land that celebrates excellence and inspires innovations,” he said.
Also present were Conzzeta AG board of directors’ chairman Jacob Schmidheiny, Conzzeta AG chief executive officer (CEO) Robert Suter, Ixmation Asia chief exe-cutive officer (CEO) K.C. Loh, Ixmation Malaysia general manager K.K. Lai and Swiss ambassador to Malaysia Dr Urs Stemmler.
BUKIT MERTAJAM: Ixmation Malaysia has spent a whopping RM5.2mil to equip its new facility in the Penang Science Park in Bukit Minyak here with a self-designed state-of-the-art solar roofing system.
Ixmation group chief executive officer Dr Martin Pfister (pic) said the company had installed third generation solar tubes covering an area of 1,672 sq m (18,000 sq ft) on the three-storey building, located on 3,901sq m (42,000 sq ft) plot of land.
“The cylindrical solar tubes, which used thin solar films produced by Ixmation, could help supplement the company’s annual energy consumption by 240-megawatt hours using solar energy.
“A quarter of the new plant’s energy needs is supplemented by solar energy,” he said when Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng opened Ixmation Malaysia’s second plant yesterday.
Pfister noted that the innovative tubes ensured a complete circular absorption of solar energy.
“Our industrial focus has changed in the last three years, more to alternative energy production, electronics, medical devices and test systems for the automotive industry.
“The move was the company’s contribution toward the national ‘1Malaysia Green, 1Malaysia Clean’ campaign as well as the state government’s ‘Cleaner, Greener Penang’ campaign,” he said.
Pfister said Ixmation, which was a business unit of the Swiss-based Conzzeta AG, hoped to chart a group sales turnover of RM310.5mil (USD$100mil) in the next two to three years compared to its present turnover of about RM217.3mil (USD$70mil).
He said Conzzeta’s sales turnover was about RM3.1bil (USD$1bil).
Lim said according to the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report 2010-2011, Switzerland ranked number 1, with the highest per capita income of RM71,426 (USD$23,000), in term of exports.
“Despite not having any natural resources, this achievement shows that Switzerland has got the right model that focuses on building human talent.
“That is why we too must look towards branding Penang as a land that celebrates excellence and inspires innovations,” he said.
Also present were Conzzeta AG board of directors’ chairman Jacob Schmidheiny, Conzzeta AG chief executive officer (CEO) Robert Suter, Ixmation Asia chief exe-cutive officer (CEO) K.C. Loh, Ixmation Malaysia general manager K.K. Lai and Swiss ambassador to Malaysia Dr Urs Stemmler.
Solar heating system at UKM Medical Centre
By WONG PEK MEI pekmei@thestar.com.my
KUALA LUMPUR: The Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre in Cheras is close to achieving its aim of becoming Malaysia’s first “green hospital”.
The installation of the country’s first large scale solar-assisting hot water heating system at the hospital is 70% complete.
The concrete construction and foundation of the project had been done and the hospital was only waiting for funds from the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry to proceed to the next stage.
The funds will be used to purchase and fix 1,750 evacuated tube solar collectors to supply hot water to 1,000 beds at the hospital
While the evacuated tube solar collectors absorb the sunlight, water supply passing through these collectors will be heated up and the hot water routed to the necessary areas for use.
Among other purposes, the hot water will be used for washing and bathing at the hospital.
Unused hot water during the day will be kept in a storage system for continuous use at night.
The system is expected to be completely installed by the end of the year.
UKM Solar Energy Research Institute director Prof Dr Kamaruzzaman Sopian told The Star yesterday that liquefied petroleum gas would be used as a back-up to heat the water.
On March 16, The Star reported the system is also the brainchild of UKM Medical Centre dean and director Prof Datuk Dr Lokman Saim and deputy dean of development Prof Dr Syed Zulkifli Syed Zakaria.
The three together with industrial collaborator Khalid Mokhtar, of Zamatel Sdn Bhd, were given a grant from the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry to create the system, which will be able to save over 40% of the hospital’s LPG bill.
He said the hospital management would be taking a holistic approach to enhance the ‘green hospital’ concept by improving water conservation, indoor air quality and use of sustainable materials for the well-being of patients and employees.
KUALA LUMPUR: The Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre in Cheras is close to achieving its aim of becoming Malaysia’s first “green hospital”.
The installation of the country’s first large scale solar-assisting hot water heating system at the hospital is 70% complete.
The concrete construction and foundation of the project had been done and the hospital was only waiting for funds from the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry to proceed to the next stage.
The funds will be used to purchase and fix 1,750 evacuated tube solar collectors to supply hot water to 1,000 beds at the hospital
While the evacuated tube solar collectors absorb the sunlight, water supply passing through these collectors will be heated up and the hot water routed to the necessary areas for use.
Among other purposes, the hot water will be used for washing and bathing at the hospital.
Unused hot water during the day will be kept in a storage system for continuous use at night.
The system is expected to be completely installed by the end of the year.
UKM Solar Energy Research Institute director Prof Dr Kamaruzzaman Sopian told The Star yesterday that liquefied petroleum gas would be used as a back-up to heat the water.
On March 16, The Star reported the system is also the brainchild of UKM Medical Centre dean and director Prof Datuk Dr Lokman Saim and deputy dean of development Prof Dr Syed Zulkifli Syed Zakaria.
The three together with industrial collaborator Khalid Mokhtar, of Zamatel Sdn Bhd, were given a grant from the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry to create the system, which will be able to save over 40% of the hospital’s LPG bill.
He said the hospital management would be taking a holistic approach to enhance the ‘green hospital’ concept by improving water conservation, indoor air quality and use of sustainable materials for the well-being of patients and employees.
‘Provide incentives for developers to go green’
MORE education and tax incentives are needed if the Government wants to convince all developers in the country to go green with their buildings.
International Real Estate Federation (FIABCI) Malaysia Penang branch chairman Daisy Ooi said the current tax incentives by the government were insufficient to encourage the developers and other industry players.
“More can be done to encourage everyone to construct or reside in property which comply with the Green Building Index (GBI), including having a hire purchase system for the installation of solar panels and LEDs (light emitting diode). Such items are presently expensive,” she said.
Ooi made the comment after a talk entitled ‘Green Building-Benefits and Tax incentives’ organised by FIABCI-Malaysia Penang branch on Saturday.
The talk featured architect Chan Seong Aun, the co-chairman of Malaysia Institute of Architects sustainable committee.
The committee was instrumental in coming out with the GBI for the property industry.
The index was launched in 2009, and is now adopted by many authorities to rate buildings in the country on its energy efficiency and greenery sustainable effort.
Chan said: “Laws and regulations are important to control energy efficiency in buildings.
“More laws can be amended to overcome the energy inefficiency of most buildings.”
International Real Estate Federation (FIABCI) Malaysia Penang branch chairman Daisy Ooi said the current tax incentives by the government were insufficient to encourage the developers and other industry players.
“More can be done to encourage everyone to construct or reside in property which comply with the Green Building Index (GBI), including having a hire purchase system for the installation of solar panels and LEDs (light emitting diode). Such items are presently expensive,” she said.
Ooi made the comment after a talk entitled ‘Green Building-Benefits and Tax incentives’ organised by FIABCI-Malaysia Penang branch on Saturday.
The talk featured architect Chan Seong Aun, the co-chairman of Malaysia Institute of Architects sustainable committee.
The committee was instrumental in coming out with the GBI for the property industry.
The index was launched in 2009, and is now adopted by many authorities to rate buildings in the country on its energy efficiency and greenery sustainable effort.
Chan said: “Laws and regulations are important to control energy efficiency in buildings.
“More laws can be amended to overcome the energy inefficiency of most buildings.”
SEDC and UTEM eye tie-up in renewal energy technology
By CINDY TAN malacca@thestar.com.my
MALACCA: The State Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) is mulling a tie-up with Universiti Teknikal Malaysia (UTEM) in Durian Tunggal to venture into commercialising renewal energy technology.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam said the SEDC was willing to allocate a manufacturing base for the university who will be responsible for research and development in the field.
“SEDC can provide the land and factory while finds of the UTEM’s research and development can be put to commercial use.
Going green: Mohd Ali (centre) launching the International Conference on Design & Concurrent Engineering (iDECON) at Avillion Hotel.
“This will also help the state source for locally manufactured renewal energy products without importing them at a higher costs,” he said after officiating the Internationnal Conference on Design & Concurrent Engineering Conference here on Monday.
He cited Rembia, Alor Gajah as the state’s emerging solar valley once Sun Power, a US solar panel manufacturer, begins operations here later this year.
“The panels would be manufactured here but the solar cells are supplied by another country.
“So, it would be more efficient and cost effective if such components are sourced locally,” he added.
He suggested for the SEDC and UTEM commit to a start fund of RM1mil each for their venture that could also be used for marketing purposes.
Mohd Ali said Malacca is on track with its aim of becoming a green city by adopting renewal energy for future use.
He called on the 250 delegates comprising engineering students and academicians to use the conference as a platform for new ideas and innovations in the field of renewal energy and green technology.
MALACCA: The State Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) is mulling a tie-up with Universiti Teknikal Malaysia (UTEM) in Durian Tunggal to venture into commercialising renewal energy technology.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam said the SEDC was willing to allocate a manufacturing base for the university who will be responsible for research and development in the field.
“SEDC can provide the land and factory while finds of the UTEM’s research and development can be put to commercial use.
Going green: Mohd Ali (centre) launching the International Conference on Design & Concurrent Engineering (iDECON) at Avillion Hotel.
“This will also help the state source for locally manufactured renewal energy products without importing them at a higher costs,” he said after officiating the Internationnal Conference on Design & Concurrent Engineering Conference here on Monday.
He cited Rembia, Alor Gajah as the state’s emerging solar valley once Sun Power, a US solar panel manufacturer, begins operations here later this year.
“The panels would be manufactured here but the solar cells are supplied by another country.
“So, it would be more efficient and cost effective if such components are sourced locally,” he added.
He suggested for the SEDC and UTEM commit to a start fund of RM1mil each for their venture that could also be used for marketing purposes.
Mohd Ali said Malacca is on track with its aim of becoming a green city by adopting renewal energy for future use.
He called on the 250 delegates comprising engineering students and academicians to use the conference as a platform for new ideas and innovations in the field of renewal energy and green technology.
Go green to cut waste
By CALVIN YEO yeop@thestar.com.my
GREEN technology should be adopted in daily activities as it could help create a more friendly environment, said Assistant Minister of Environment, Datuk Peter Nansian.
He said adopting green technology would not only help reduce the amount of waste generated but would promote low usage of fuel energy.
He said there were many ways where people could play their roles in creating a better and friendly environment.
“Recycling used materials for instance is one of the ways where we can play our part. In Japan for instance, discarded refrigerators and electrical appliances are recycled and turned into raw materials to make new products.
Playing his part: Nansian watering the newly planted tree after the launching ceremony while others look on.
“Used cooking oil has also been processed again to be used as engine oil in certain countries,” he said when officiating at a community-based environmental education and Local Agenda 21 at Desa Ilmu in Kota Samarahan near Kuching yesterday.
He said recycling tyres and composting were also alternative ways to reduce the amount of wastes generated.
“An estimated 6,000 tonnes of used tyres are discarded every year in the state and these do not include those from the big project sites.
“There are also an estimated 600 tonnes of food and kitchen wastes discarded in Kota Samarahan alone which has a population of about 700,000,” he said.
“We have to make it a point to use only when it is necessary and the right amount to avoid wastage,” he said.
He also said more attention should be given to maintain water quality as water source had become scarce.
“We must ensure our water is not polluted and remain clean as there are still people who depend on the river to earn a living and if it is polluted, then their source of income will be affected,” he said.
He also revealed 14 solar street lightings would be installed in Kota Samarahan area this year at an estimated cost of RM80,000. Four such street lights costing RM50,000 had been installed last year.
Earlier, Samarahan District Council chairman, Frederick Bayoi said knowledge and awareness were important aspects in environment conservation.
“Therefore, it is important for everyone to lend a helping hand towards government efforts to create a better and healthy environment,” he added.
GREEN technology should be adopted in daily activities as it could help create a more friendly environment, said Assistant Minister of Environment, Datuk Peter Nansian.
He said adopting green technology would not only help reduce the amount of waste generated but would promote low usage of fuel energy.
He said there were many ways where people could play their roles in creating a better and friendly environment.
“Recycling used materials for instance is one of the ways where we can play our part. In Japan for instance, discarded refrigerators and electrical appliances are recycled and turned into raw materials to make new products.
Playing his part: Nansian watering the newly planted tree after the launching ceremony while others look on.
“Used cooking oil has also been processed again to be used as engine oil in certain countries,” he said when officiating at a community-based environmental education and Local Agenda 21 at Desa Ilmu in Kota Samarahan near Kuching yesterday.
He said recycling tyres and composting were also alternative ways to reduce the amount of wastes generated.
“An estimated 6,000 tonnes of used tyres are discarded every year in the state and these do not include those from the big project sites.
“There are also an estimated 600 tonnes of food and kitchen wastes discarded in Kota Samarahan alone which has a population of about 700,000,” he said.
“We have to make it a point to use only when it is necessary and the right amount to avoid wastage,” he said.
He also said more attention should be given to maintain water quality as water source had become scarce.
“We must ensure our water is not polluted and remain clean as there are still people who depend on the river to earn a living and if it is polluted, then their source of income will be affected,” he said.
He also revealed 14 solar street lightings would be installed in Kota Samarahan area this year at an estimated cost of RM80,000. Four such street lights costing RM50,000 had been installed last year.
Earlier, Samarahan District Council chairman, Frederick Bayoi said knowledge and awareness were important aspects in environment conservation.
“Therefore, it is important for everyone to lend a helping hand towards government efforts to create a better and healthy environment,” he added.
Council awaits funds to solar power street lights
By RINTOS MAIL rintos@thestar.com.my
PADAWAN Municipal Council (MPP) wants to light up streets in its area with a solar power.
Its chairman Lo Khere Chiang said if everything goes as planned, some of the streets might be lighted up by solar power next year. He said MPP had requested for funds from the Federal Government for the project.
“We foresee that there is going to be tremendous benefit gained by lighting streets and public areas with long lasting solar-powered lights. We hoped to implement this in stages, depending on our funds,” he told a press conference after MPP’s full council meeting yesterday.
Lo: ‘We foresee that there is going to be tremendous benefit gained by lighting the streets.’
He said the project would save taxpayers’ money while protecting the environment by reducing carbon emission. Lo said MPP spent about RM3mil a year in its street lighting bill.
He said solar street lights are less expensive to install because they are off the grid and no underground wiring or digging of trenches were needed.
He said intially the cost a solar panel per point or post was about RM20,000, but due to competition, it was much cheaper.
“If we tender it out, the price will be between RM5,000 and RM7,000 per point,” he said.
Lo said MPP was allocated RM100,000 per year to install street lights, and with more allocation for next year, they hoped to start with a street lighting system that works without any connection to the grid.
PADAWAN Municipal Council (MPP) wants to light up streets in its area with a solar power.
Its chairman Lo Khere Chiang said if everything goes as planned, some of the streets might be lighted up by solar power next year. He said MPP had requested for funds from the Federal Government for the project.
“We foresee that there is going to be tremendous benefit gained by lighting streets and public areas with long lasting solar-powered lights. We hoped to implement this in stages, depending on our funds,” he told a press conference after MPP’s full council meeting yesterday.
Lo: ‘We foresee that there is going to be tremendous benefit gained by lighting the streets.’
He said the project would save taxpayers’ money while protecting the environment by reducing carbon emission. Lo said MPP spent about RM3mil a year in its street lighting bill.
He said solar street lights are less expensive to install because they are off the grid and no underground wiring or digging of trenches were needed.
He said intially the cost a solar panel per point or post was about RM20,000, but due to competition, it was much cheaper.
“If we tender it out, the price will be between RM5,000 and RM7,000 per point,” he said.
Lo said MPP was allocated RM100,000 per year to install street lights, and with more allocation for next year, they hoped to start with a street lighting system that works without any connection to the grid.
Renewable power seen generating RM70b
By DAVID TAN davidtan@thestar.com.my
GEORGE TOWN: The renewable power sector is expected to generate an estimated RM70bil in revenue by 2020, following the implementation of the feed-in tariff scheme under the Renewable Energy Law next July.
Malaysia Building Integrated Photovoltaic (MBIPV) project technical advisor Chen Wei-nee told StarBiz that the income tax from the RM70bil generated by renewable power plants would alone account for RM1.75bil. MBIPV is a project administered by the Energy, Green Technology, and Water Ministry.
“By 2020, there will also be some RM19bil of loan values for renewable energy projects, which will provide local banks with new sources of revenues,” she said after a talk on feed-in tariff scheme for solar energy at investPenang here.
There would also be some 52,000 jobs created to construct, operate and maintain renewable energy power plants, she added.
“The savings to reduce carbon dioxide emission will be about RM 2.1bil,” she said. Chen urged households and commercial units to quickly sign up with local power distributors for 21 years once the feed-in tariff scheme under the Renewable Energy Law was implemented next July.
“By signing and commissioning the solar power system in their buildings early, residential and commercial units will be able to obtain an attractive price to sell to local power distributors and buy back at a lower market rate,” she said.
Meanwhile, Gading Kencana Sdn Bhd managing director Guntor Tobeng said the grid-connected solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity in the country was expected to grow from 2MW (mega-watt) this year to 11MW in 2011, generating about RM209mil in business opportunities for small-medium entrepreneurs (SMEs), compared with about RM19mil in 2010.
In 2012, the solar power capacity was expected to grow to 22MW, generating RM352mil in business opportunities, according to Guntor.
“These business opportunities are in the supply of modules, system components, and provision of installation services to households and commercial buildings which generate solar energy for their own usage or those connected to the power grid for distribution. The capital barrier to these businesses is also very low, ranging between RM50,000 to RM3mil,” he said.
Guntor said the RM50,000 was applicable for SMEs interested in providing installation services and selling things such as inverters and cables to solar-powered residences and commercial units.
“The RM3mil investment is required for SMEs interested in producing solar modules using imported equipment and cells from US, China, and Taiwan,” he said.
Based in Shah Alam, Gading Kencana is involved a providing consultancy and engineering services for renewable energy used in residential and commercial buildings.
The company has, so far this year, completed RM10mil worth of solar energy projects for rural areas in East Malaysia.
GEORGE TOWN: The renewable power sector is expected to generate an estimated RM70bil in revenue by 2020, following the implementation of the feed-in tariff scheme under the Renewable Energy Law next July.
Malaysia Building Integrated Photovoltaic (MBIPV) project technical advisor Chen Wei-nee told StarBiz that the income tax from the RM70bil generated by renewable power plants would alone account for RM1.75bil. MBIPV is a project administered by the Energy, Green Technology, and Water Ministry.
“By 2020, there will also be some RM19bil of loan values for renewable energy projects, which will provide local banks with new sources of revenues,” she said after a talk on feed-in tariff scheme for solar energy at investPenang here.
There would also be some 52,000 jobs created to construct, operate and maintain renewable energy power plants, she added.
“The savings to reduce carbon dioxide emission will be about RM 2.1bil,” she said. Chen urged households and commercial units to quickly sign up with local power distributors for 21 years once the feed-in tariff scheme under the Renewable Energy Law was implemented next July.
“By signing and commissioning the solar power system in their buildings early, residential and commercial units will be able to obtain an attractive price to sell to local power distributors and buy back at a lower market rate,” she said.
Meanwhile, Gading Kencana Sdn Bhd managing director Guntor Tobeng said the grid-connected solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity in the country was expected to grow from 2MW (mega-watt) this year to 11MW in 2011, generating about RM209mil in business opportunities for small-medium entrepreneurs (SMEs), compared with about RM19mil in 2010.
In 2012, the solar power capacity was expected to grow to 22MW, generating RM352mil in business opportunities, according to Guntor.
“These business opportunities are in the supply of modules, system components, and provision of installation services to households and commercial buildings which generate solar energy for their own usage or those connected to the power grid for distribution. The capital barrier to these businesses is also very low, ranging between RM50,000 to RM3mil,” he said.
Guntor said the RM50,000 was applicable for SMEs interested in providing installation services and selling things such as inverters and cables to solar-powered residences and commercial units.
“The RM3mil investment is required for SMEs interested in producing solar modules using imported equipment and cells from US, China, and Taiwan,” he said.
Based in Shah Alam, Gading Kencana is involved a providing consultancy and engineering services for renewable energy used in residential and commercial buildings.
The company has, so far this year, completed RM10mil worth of solar energy projects for rural areas in East Malaysia.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Iskandar Malaysia moving in the right direction
By ZAZALI MUSA zaza@thestar.com.my Sep 28, 2010
Selling fast: Tham (right) and sales and marketing manager Patrick Chin with the model of the SuriaMas Block C Apartment Tower.
JOHOR BARU: Iskandar Malaysia and Singapore are two major contributing factors that will drive growth of the property market in south Johor.
IJM Land Bhd general manager (southern region) Tham Huen Cheong said the country’s first economic growth corridor was moving in the right direction since its inception in Nov 4, 2006.
Located in the southern most part of Johor, spanning 2,217 sq km and under its Comprehensive Development Plan (2006-2025), Iskandar will be transformed into an international metropolis.
The figure released by the Iskandar Regional Development Authority showed Iskandar received RM62.32bil cumulative investment up to June, surpassing the 2010 target of RM47bil.
“Developers are benefiting from the investment flow with demand for properties on the upward trend,’’ he said at the launch of SuriaMas Block C Apartment Tower.
The project located in Larkin is a privatisation project between IJM’s subsidiary Suria Bistari Development Sdn Bhd and the Johor government.
The 13-storey block with the gross development value of RM35mil is made up of 152 units with built-up area from 82.03 sq metre to 104.98 sq metre, and selling prices between RM220, 000 and RM330, 000 each.
He said the opening of the two Integrated Resorts (IR) in Singapore also saw good demand for apartments units especially those located just few kilometres away from Bangunan Sultan Iskandar, Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex in Bukit Chagar.
Tham said it was a known fact that Johor and Singapore were economically inter-dependent and positive economic growth on both sides of the Causeway would create a spill over.
“Apartment units are popular with Malaysians working in Singapore as most of the apartments blocks are located within the gated and guarded precinct,’’ said Tham.
He said many chose to stay in apartments nearby the CIQ due to the shorter travelling time commuting to work to the republic.
The safety factor was another consideration as security guards patrolled the area regularly.
Tham said apartments in the Larkin area fetched good rental due to its close proximity to Johor Baru city centre and was surrounded by amenities such as schools, banks, shopping complexes, private hospitals and public transport terminal.
He said a three-room unfurnished apartment unit in the area could easily fetch RM850 monthly rental, while for the fully-furnished three-room unit could derive rental between RM1,200 and RM1,800.
Tham said it was still considered cheap compared with a room in any Housing Development Board public flats in Singapore, which could be leased out to tenant from S$500 monthly.
Selling fast: Tham (right) and sales and marketing manager Patrick Chin with the model of the SuriaMas Block C Apartment Tower.
JOHOR BARU: Iskandar Malaysia and Singapore are two major contributing factors that will drive growth of the property market in south Johor.
IJM Land Bhd general manager (southern region) Tham Huen Cheong said the country’s first economic growth corridor was moving in the right direction since its inception in Nov 4, 2006.
Located in the southern most part of Johor, spanning 2,217 sq km and under its Comprehensive Development Plan (2006-2025), Iskandar will be transformed into an international metropolis.
The figure released by the Iskandar Regional Development Authority showed Iskandar received RM62.32bil cumulative investment up to June, surpassing the 2010 target of RM47bil.
“Developers are benefiting from the investment flow with demand for properties on the upward trend,’’ he said at the launch of SuriaMas Block C Apartment Tower.
The project located in Larkin is a privatisation project between IJM’s subsidiary Suria Bistari Development Sdn Bhd and the Johor government.
The 13-storey block with the gross development value of RM35mil is made up of 152 units with built-up area from 82.03 sq metre to 104.98 sq metre, and selling prices between RM220, 000 and RM330, 000 each.
He said the opening of the two Integrated Resorts (IR) in Singapore also saw good demand for apartments units especially those located just few kilometres away from Bangunan Sultan Iskandar, Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex in Bukit Chagar.
Tham said it was a known fact that Johor and Singapore were economically inter-dependent and positive economic growth on both sides of the Causeway would create a spill over.
“Apartment units are popular with Malaysians working in Singapore as most of the apartments blocks are located within the gated and guarded precinct,’’ said Tham.
He said many chose to stay in apartments nearby the CIQ due to the shorter travelling time commuting to work to the republic.
The safety factor was another consideration as security guards patrolled the area regularly.
Tham said apartments in the Larkin area fetched good rental due to its close proximity to Johor Baru city centre and was surrounded by amenities such as schools, banks, shopping complexes, private hospitals and public transport terminal.
He said a three-room unfurnished apartment unit in the area could easily fetch RM850 monthly rental, while for the fully-furnished three-room unit could derive rental between RM1,200 and RM1,800.
Tham said it was still considered cheap compared with a room in any Housing Development Board public flats in Singapore, which could be leased out to tenant from S$500 monthly.
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