Musa Aman: Biogas Project Gives Positive Image for Oil Palm Industry

Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman is confident that the biogas project being explored by the plantation sector in the state, can create a positive image for the oil palm industry.

He said it would be seen as an environment friendly industry which gave serious consideration to the protection of the environment.

He said the technology for biogas production from oil palm waste was not just environment friendly but also helped in the electricity generation for the plants and in the process, reduce the dependency on fossil fuel which is a source of air pollution.

“Previously, the disposal of waste from oil palm and the oil palm mills, posed a lot of problems for us. Now, it has become a source of electricity,” he added.

Musa said this in his speech while officiating the opening of the Biogas Plant at the Sawit Apas Balung mill owned by Kumpulan Sawit Kinabalu here yesterday.

The biogas plant project is the first for Kumpulan Sawit Kinabalu, a state government agency, and in line with its aim to create sustainable wealth while taking into consideration the protection of the environment in economic operations.

Musa, who is also the Finance Minister, said the state government was committed to development without sidelining environmental protection.

“We hope this commitment will receive strong support from oil palm plantation companies in Sabah,” he added.

He also hoped that more companies would explore the production of environmental friendly energy and at the same time, contribute to the renewable energy sector in the state.

“We need to be more creative and innovative to continue the quest for new ways to drive the search for energy from sources which were previously considered useless,” he added. — Bernama

Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2012/03/02/biogas-project-gives-positive-image-for-oil-palm-industry-says-musa/#ixzz1pWaTcl1t

 

Green Sabah says: Biogas plants significantly lower the greenhouse effects on the earth's atmosphere. The plants lower methane emissions by entrapping the harmful gas and using it as fuel. Besides that, biogas by itself can positively affect the economy of rural areas.

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Sawit launches first biogas plant

Tawau: Sawit Kinabalu Group on Thursday officially launched its first biogas power plant at its Apas Balung estate refinery here, which has proven very effective in reducing the estate's electricity cost.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman, who officiated at the opening, is confident that the presence of the biogas plant will also help the Group's image as an environment-friendly organisation, apart from reducing its operational costs.

He said the State Government very much welcomed the initiative, in line with its policies and halatuju which emphasises on sustainable economic development.

"I would like to stress that the State Government is committed in developing this State without disregarding environmental conservation," he said.

He also hoped more oil palm companies would emulate the move by the Group by venturing into new fields like biogas power plant development, which not only contributes to protecting the environment but also boosts the development of renewable energy in the State.

The Group's Managing Director, Othman Walat, who was also present, said the biogas plant has helped in the Group's effort to increase its efficiency and profit to RM3.28 million per annum.

The biogas plant has helped the Apas Balung estate refinery in reducing its diesel utilisation cost by 85 per cent, he said, adding the percentage is equivalent to increasing the refinery's production income by RM1.14 million a year.

Othman said that apart from reducing the refinery's production cost, because of the diesel utilisation cost, the biogas plant was also built primarily to help reduce environmental pollution in the Balung area.

"I was informed by the surrounding residents that since the biogas plant began its operation, bad smell coming from the refinery has significantly reduced. The liquid waste discharge from the refinery also went down from 91-100ppm to 30-40ppm or equivalent to a 60 per cent reduction," he said.

He said the Group intends to continue with this effort to boost further its production income through its "turning waste into wealth" project, that is making use of the oil palm waste for various purposes.

Among its plans are to build a livestock feed production mill based on palm waste at the estate as well as seven more biogas plants for its other refineries within the next five years, he said.

This is in line with the Group's mission to create sustainable wealth by running environment-friendly business, he said, adding all these are part of fulfilling the organisation's corporate obligation. 

http://www.dailyexpress.com.my/news.cfm?NewsID=80847

Green Sabah says: Biogas is one of the more environmentally friendly and low cost alternative for power generation, hope that this Biogas Power Plant at Apas Balung can help improve the electricity supply issues in Sabah and yet maintain the green aspect that we hold firm to. 

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