TNB Research, Sedania to harness energy from excess water at Johor dam
25 Sep 2022
Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) wholly-owned subsidiary TNB Research Sdn Bhd (TNBR) and Sedania Innovator Bhd’s sustainable energy arm Sedania Technologies Sdn Bhd have formed a partnership to evaluate the potential of harnessing energy from excess water in dams and water reservoirs throughout Malaysia.
Under the partnership, Sedania will deploy the energy-efficient micro-hydropower turbines developed by TNBR to generate electricity from released water at dams. Each of these microhydropower turbines with a capacity of 30 – 40 kilowatts each can generate up to 305,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity per year.
With over 70 water dams and reservoirs located throughout Malaysia, the potential from such micro hydropower energy source is estimated at over 40 gigawatt-hours per year, enough to provide carbon-free electricity to about 10,000 homes.
The first project by the two partners is for a dam project in Kota Tinggi, Johor. Sedania was awarded by a leading multinational oil and gas company with a job to assess and propose the feasibility of deploying energy-efficient micro hydropower solutions to generate electricity from released water.
Sedania’s role covers the financial and technical aspects of the project while TNBR provides the technical expertise through the design and installation of the micro-hydropower turbines.
Commenting on the potential opportunities in this area, Sedania CEO Daniel Ruppert said together with TNBR, it aims to equip dams in Malaysia with energyefficient micro-hydropower turbines, thereby enabling all its clients to use the dam’s surplus water as an energy source.
“Malaysia should be a showcase of Malaysian-made green technology with a track record of achieving energy sustainability. As an environmental, social and governance driven organisation with a vision of helping corporations reduce their carbon footprint by firstly enabling efficient energy consumption before transitioning into the vital phase of clean energy generation, Sedania is well-positioned to accelerate the sustainability agenda together with the support of TNBR,” he said in a statement today.
TNBR managing director Dr Mohd Hariffin Boosroh said TNB is championing the responsible and inclusive energy transition with the aspiration of achieving a net-zero carbon emission by 2050. With that goal in mind, TNB is investing in new green technology such as this efficient micro-hydropower turbine developed by its researchers at TNBR.
“TNB cannot do this alone and looks forward to collaborating with partners. This partnership portrays how research and industry collaboration plays an influential role in the development of innovative and sustainable solutions for Malaysia.”
As the technology is developed domestically, it will also benefit local industries within the manufacturing, commissioning, operations and maintenance of micro-hydropower turbines, and hence moves the local community out of the middle income trap by shifting to a high value, high-technology and high-skilled economy.
Source: The Sun Daily
