Hydrocarbons will continue to be an important part of the energy mix in Southeast Asia, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Monday (Jun 26), as affordability and energy security remain key concerns for the region of more than half a billion people. Achieving net-zero emissions targets should not come "at the expense of economic growth or vice versa", Anwar said in opening the inaugural Energy Asia conference, hosted by Malaysia's state oil firm Petronas.

Nearly all domestic users and low-voltage non-domestic users will not be affected by the hike in electricity tariffs from July 1, says natural resources, environment and climate change minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad. At a press conference, Nik Nazmi said domestic users who consume less than 1,500 per kilowatt hour (kWh) of electricity a month will not be charged higher tariffs.

Architects have created Lego-like bricks of fungi that could slash construction’s carbon footprint. Cars, planes and plastics are some of the most well-known sources of pollution. But there’s another source of destructive emissions literally built into our society: construction. Almost 40 per cent of annual global CO2 emissions are attributed to the built environment, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).

Penang's residential and commercial buildings will be affixed with the Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) smart electric meter. The exercise, beginning this month, is expected to be completed in the end of next year. State Infrastructure Committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari said the exercise in Penang would begin on Thursday (June 15) in Pulau Tikus before being expanded statewide.

The Transport Ministry (MoT) will focus on sustainable energy transition for the shipping industry as part of the effort to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, said Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Hasbi Habibollah. He said the shipping sector is important for international trade as 80 to 90 per cent of global trade occurs through shipping and an estimated three per cent of the total Global Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions.

European Union countries failed on Monday to agree on planned new rules for the bloc's power market, having clashed over a proposal to extend subsidies for coal plants under the reform, and a push to expand state aid for other power plants. EU energy ministers meeting in Luxembourg ended talks without a joint stance on the reforms that seek to avoid a repeat of last year's energy crisis, when record-high gas prices left consumers with soaring energy bills.

Spain is on track to surpass the notable mark of 50% renewable electricity in 2023, according to a recent report from Rystad Energy. In other words, more than half of Spain’s electricity is expected to come from renewable energy sources this year. Spain is one of the five largest countries in Europe in terms of annual electricity demand. The others are Germany, France, Italy, and the UK (yes, the UK counts as part of Europe in this case).

As the focus of decarbonisation efforts switches from power generation to transportation, on the roads one sector stands out as needing urgent action. Trucks make up a tiny proportion of vehicles. In the UK market, for example, they make up just 1% of vehicles. Yet in 2020, medium and heavy trucks were responsible for 22% of emissions from the global transportation sector. This means tackling emissions from trucking is both a huge challenge and a significant opportunity to cut emissions rapidly.

Ministers at Global Conference on Energy Efficiency pledge to support stronger policy action and prioritise investment in ‘crucial decade’ for energy and climate targets. Forty-five governments from around the world have endorsed the goal of doubling the average global rate of energy efficiency improvements by the end of the decade to foster sustainable economic growth and help put the world on a secure and affordable path towards net zero emissions.

Electricity is essential in the modern world - and even a minor trip-up can cause disruptions that impact consumers. This is why national utility company Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) is always vigilant to ensure minimal disruption to its supply. Marking its 75th anniversary next year, TNB is still investing up to RM21 billion from 2021 to 2024 to modernise the national grid to ensure it is consistent and flexible.  

Malaysia will be well positioned to profit from the global green hydrogen market, which is forecast to reach US$189.19 billion by 2050, through the implementation of the Hydrogen Economy and Technology Roadmap (HETR). (US$1=RM4.60) Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said that of the forecast amount, the market value for Malaysia would be US$3.1 billion or two per cent by 2030.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) and Malaysia’s largest power producer, TNB Power Generation Sdn. Bhd. (TNB Genco), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to study and exchange information related to clean energy technologies. The MoU will help drive the energy transition in Malaysia and support its goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. Under the MoU, MHI with support from its power solutions brand, Mitsubishi Power, and TNB Genco will conduct studies that examine three key areas related to clean power generation.