If you think cooperative groups are limited to small grocery stores in small towns, think again. In 2020, the world’s 300 largest co-operatives reported a combined turnover of US$2.1 billion, according to the World Cooperative Monitor. Forty-eight of the top 300 cooperatives globally are from the Asia Pacific region.  

The World Bank has approved two projects worth 1.1 billion USD to expand access to cleaner electricity in Indonesia. The first project, worth 500 million USD, will connect about 2 million Indonesians to the electricity grid in the eastern part of the country, increase solar power investment and help Indonesia’s electrical power company, PT. PLN Persero improve its capacity to manage energy transition, the World Bank said in a statement.

The Malaysian Ministry of Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change (NRECC) has announced the relaxation of conditions for the Net Energy Metering (NEM) and Self-Consumption for Solar Photovoltaic Installation (SelCo) programs. The changes are aimed at promoting the use of photovoltaic (PV) solar systems in the country.

The UK government again delayed releasing a strategy to outline its vision for the role biomass will play in the country’s energy system. The biomass strategy — announced in November 2020 — was earlier due to be published late last year before being postponed until the second quarter of this year. It could now be delayed for up to another three weeks to as late as July 20, Climate Change Minister Graham Stuart said. The persistent delays in the release come as biomass is under increasing scrutiny as a power source in the UK.

The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Bill will be tabled in the next Parliament sitting this year, said Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad. He said the bill was aimed at ensuring energy efficiency and regulating conservation practices. “This will also, crucially, assist consumers to adopt more efficient equipment and appliances and better manage their energy consumption to reduce wastage,” he said.

Strong synergy with stakeholders is crucial in paving the way towards energy transitions, said Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) Energy chief executive officer Robert Hardin. He said this is because the New Energy Economy is based on the strengths and resources that Sarawak has and the design may not work in other states or countries with a different set of resources and strengths.

 The National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR) and Hydrogen Economy and Technology Roadmap (HETR) targeted for rollout later this year could pave the way for Malaysia to become a main export hub for green hydrogen by 2027, says an expert. Prof Chong Meng Nan of Monash University Malaysia’s Chemical Engineering Department said he also foresaw both roadmaps being important for Malaysia’s development.“It will certainly be beneficial for leading experts, scientists and industry practitioners.

GSPARX Sdn Bhd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) is offering affordable and accessible solar installation packages for residential customers. At zero upfront cost, the rooftop solar offerings are tailored for residential customers looking for long-term savings on their electricity bills.

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).