Hazel
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Wind, sun and diesel
By MICHAEL CHEANG.
Villagers on an East Coast island are shrinking their carbon footprints by buying green energy.
THE two giant “fans” rise grandly from the highest point of Pulau Perhentian Kecil, Terengganu, their manmade presence in sharp contrast to the lush greenery. Up close, the two white edifices are even more awe-inspiring, their three blades cutting through the air with ominous resonance.
The fans are power-producing wind turbines – the first in the country – and are part of a unique solar-wind-diesel hybrid power generation system. Installed by Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) and allegedly the first of its kind in Asia, the hybrid system has a combined capacity of 650 kilowatts (kW), and is made up of two 100kW wind turbines, 100kW worth of solar panels as well as two diesel generators capable of 200 and 150kW respectively.
It also includes a battery that can store up to 480kWh (kilowatt hour) of power.
TNB Energy Services managing director Rahimuddin Baharudin says the hybrid system will cut the cost of generating power on the island by almost 40% from the previous diesel generator system.
“Before TNB came to the island, the villagers relied on their own small generators. In 2002, TNB installed a diesel generator that powered the island for 24 hours. However, with rising diesel prices, we had to find a way to reduce the cost of generating power. One of the ways is to use renewable energy generated by wind and sun.”
Windy peak: TNB’s wind turbines rise above the forest on the highest point of Pulau Perhentian Kecil.
At this stage, the hybrid system is not meant to replace the diesel generators but to minimise the usage of diesel as a source of electricity. The combination of solar panels, wind turbines and diesel generator will ensure a continuous flow of electricity no matter what the weather conditions are.
“In the day, when we have less wind, the solar panels will cover the extra load. At night, the wind turbines will be the ones generating more power. If the solar panels and wind turbines do not create enough power, the diesel generator will (automatically run to) compensate for the deficiency.”
Rahimuddin says the system has worked well so far, to the extent of generating excess energy that has to be burned off with a heater. For now, the hybrid scheme only provides electricity for Kampung Perhentian on Pulau Perhentian Kecil, and not the dozens of resorts that pepper the sandy shores of neighbouring Pulau Perhentian Besar. The reason? The project comes under the Government’s rural electrification project and is meant for domestic usage only.
Rahimuddin reckons that it is technically possible for the resorts to tap the renewable electricity since there is now excess power. The resorts currently run their own diesel generators.
Kenapa kerajaan tidak cuba atasi masalah tenaga dgn menggunakan sumber alternative ni?
By MICHAEL CHEANG.
Villagers on an East Coast island are shrinking their carbon footprints by buying green energy.
THE two giant “fans” rise grandly from the highest point of Pulau Perhentian Kecil, Terengganu, their manmade presence in sharp contrast to the lush greenery. Up close, the two white edifices are even more awe-inspiring, their three blades cutting through the air with ominous resonance.
The fans are power-producing wind turbines – the first in the country – and are part of a unique solar-wind-diesel hybrid power generation system. Installed by Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) and allegedly the first of its kind in Asia, the hybrid system has a combined capacity of 650 kilowatts (kW), and is made up of two 100kW wind turbines, 100kW worth of solar panels as well as two diesel generators capable of 200 and 150kW respectively.
It also includes a battery that can store up to 480kWh (kilowatt hour) of power.
TNB Energy Services managing director Rahimuddin Baharudin says the hybrid system will cut the cost of generating power on the island by almost 40% from the previous diesel generator system.
“Before TNB came to the island, the villagers relied on their own small generators. In 2002, TNB installed a diesel generator that powered the island for 24 hours. However, with rising diesel prices, we had to find a way to reduce the cost of generating power. One of the ways is to use renewable energy generated by wind and sun.”
Windy peak: TNB’s wind turbines rise above the forest on the highest point of Pulau Perhentian Kecil.
At this stage, the hybrid system is not meant to replace the diesel generators but to minimise the usage of diesel as a source of electricity. The combination of solar panels, wind turbines and diesel generator will ensure a continuous flow of electricity no matter what the weather conditions are.
“In the day, when we have less wind, the solar panels will cover the extra load. At night, the wind turbines will be the ones generating more power. If the solar panels and wind turbines do not create enough power, the diesel generator will (automatically run to) compensate for the deficiency.”
Rahimuddin says the system has worked well so far, to the extent of generating excess energy that has to be burned off with a heater. For now, the hybrid scheme only provides electricity for Kampung Perhentian on Pulau Perhentian Kecil, and not the dozens of resorts that pepper the sandy shores of neighbouring Pulau Perhentian Besar. The reason? The project comes under the Government’s rural electrification project and is meant for domestic usage only.
Rahimuddin reckons that it is technically possible for the resorts to tap the renewable electricity since there is now excess power. The resorts currently run their own diesel generators.
Kenapa kerajaan tidak cuba atasi masalah tenaga dgn menggunakan sumber alternative ni?
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