KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 20): Private waste disposal site operators are encouraged to seize the opportunity to earn good returns by turning waste into renewable energy, said Local Government Development Minister Nga Kor Ming.
He said that according to the latest data from the Department of Statistics Malaysia and the National Solid Waste Management Department, Malaysians generate more than 40,000 tonnes of waste daily, which can be turned into renewable energy and sold.
“This is a national mission. We’re not only discussing and negotiating it with the state governments, but also local authorities and of course strategic partners from the private sector. We want everyone to be on board. It transcends all costs.
“It’s our mission to save our mother earth and, at the same time, turn rubbish into gold. For instance, waste-to-energy (WTE) plants can generate an income of about RM25 million annually by selling electricity [generated from waste],” he said.
He told reporters this after officiating at the opening of a 12-megawatt renewable energy plant at the Bukit Tagar Enviro Park (BTEP) in Hulu Selangor near here on Wednesday.
The BTEP, which has been operational since 2005, is managed by Berjaya EnviroParks Sdn Bhd (BEPSB) on 659 acres (266.69 hectares) of government-owned land, with an additional 1,000 acres of buffer zones, comprising undeveloped land surrounding the landfill footprint.
According to Nga, the BTEP was designed to dispose of 2,500 tonnes of solid waste per day, with a lifespan of over 40 years.
“To date, the BTEP has managed and disposed of approximately 17 million tonnes of solid waste from Kuala Lumpur and its surrounding areas.
“The BTEP is able to turn methane gas from solid waste into renewable energy, in which approximately 339 million kilowatt-hours of electricity are channelled into the national grid, generating up to RM25 million in annual profit,” he said.
Nga said this made the BTEP the largest landfill gas producer in the country.
He added that the BEPSB initiative is in line with the country’s target of generating 40% renewable energy by 2035, with the solid waste disposal sector being one of the contributors through the WTE method.
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Source: EdgeProp.my
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