Some countries in Southeast Asia have long adopted renewable energy produced from natural sources such as wind and solar, but the level of deployment is nowhere near that of other regions. As the region seeks to satiate its rising demand for energy in a sustainable way, nuclear could remain an option, experts say.tAUF

Turkey will need $108 billion of public and private investment as it aims to quadruple its wind and solar energy power capacity to 120,000 MW by 2035, Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said on Monday. Speaking at an event to announce Turkey's roadmap in the field of renewable energy, Bayraktar said this year's first renewable energy resource area tender conditions will be announced next week. The energy ministry is working on changes to current regulations for renewable energy investments and to encourage the private sector to participate more, Bayraktar said.

Chinese scientists have created an energy generator that uses transpiration, the process of water moving through a plant, to create electricity. The generator can transform almost all leaves on Earth into a sustainable energy source. The team said its leaf transpiration generator can power small electronic devices and be used to create plant-powered electricity. It revealed a lot about how the natural processes of plants can inspire scientists. “[It] also provides a fresh perspective for advancing green energy technologies,” the team said.

Malaysia is poised to be a regional leader in energy transition by harnessing natural resources and sound policy at high level, Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli said. Despite contributing less than one per cent of carbon dioxide emission, Raifiz said the government continues to carry its global responsibility through thoughtful measures that secure a sustainable future for the people of Southeast Asia. In the effort to embrace energy transition and decarbonising at scale, Rafizi said policy and resource are the two types of pathways that countries can really turn to.  

Malaysia has achieved significant success in energy efficiency, which has been described as the first fuel of the energy transition, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof. Fadillah, who is also the energy transition and water transformation (PETRA) minister, highlighted that as of June this year, the country achieved 5.82% in electricity savings, equivalent to 8,769 gigawatt hours (GWh) and valued at RM2.21 billion.

The Malaysian Green Technology and Climate Change Corporation (MGTC) has forged several strategic partnerships focusing specifically on the expansion of energy management standards and solar energy projects. These partnerships were formed on the final day of the 15th edition of the International Greentech and Eco Products Exhibition and Conference Malaysia (IGEM) held at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) here today.

Malaysia will be the leading country in ASEAN in terms of energy transition and smart grid, with the help of Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), said Trilliant Networks Inc. Trilliant Networks chairman and chief executive officer Andy White said their partnership with TNB since 2017 helped to accelerate the country's vision towards energy transition. He also applauded TNB's achievement of deploying 4.5 million smart meters across Malaysia this year, en route to the vision.

Sarawak is set to make history once again by becoming the first state in Southeast Asia to introduce a method of generating renewable energy from grass. According to a Sarawak Public Communication Unit (Ukas) news report, Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg announced that the cultivation of 800 acres of tropical hybrid grass in Bintulu is being used to produce biomass, a raw material for generating renewable energy that can be harvested every three months.  

Malaysia is planning to establish a task force with Laos to strengthen cooperation in developing the energy sector of both countries, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof. Fadillah, who is also the minister of energy transition and water transformation, said the task force was among the matters discussed in the bilateral meeting with Laos Minister of Energy and Mines Phoxay Sayasone. The bilateral meeting was held in conjunction with the two-day 42nd Asean Ministers on Energy Meeting (AMEM) beginning Thursday.

The Malaysian government is preparing to transition the country’s manufacturing industry from a voluntary to mandatory extended producer responsibility (EPR) scheme over a three to five-year timeframe, according to a new national circular economy framework for the sector.

Britain will become the first G7 country to end coal-fired power production on Monday with the closure of its last plant, Uniper’s (UN0k.DE), opens new tab Ratcliffe-on-Soar in England’s Midlands. It will end over 140 years of coal power in Britain. In 2015 Britain announced plans to close coal plants within the next decade as part of wider measures to reach its climate targets. At that time almost 30% of the country’s electricity came from coal but this had fallen to just over 1% last year.

Novel lithium extraction technique harnesses solar energy, offering an efficient alternative amid rising demand for the metal. Chinese scientists say they have discovered a promising and sustainable method for extracting lithium from seawater, offering an efficient alternative amid increasing demand for the key battery metal in renewable energy technologies while minimising the environmental impact. The surge in production of new energy vehicles and energy storage devices has led to a robust demand for lithium.