KUALA LUMPUR
16 OCTOBER 2024

Sarawak Energy contributed to regional energy transition discussions at Enlit Asia 2024, held from 8 to 10 October at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre. As the Malaysia Partner for this annual conference, Sarawak Energy shared its experience in sustainable hydropower development and regional interconnections, working towards the vision of an interconnected ASEAN Power Grid.

Themed ‘Enabling a Multidimensional Energy Transition in ASEAN’, this year’s conference focused on Malaysia’s National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR), highlighting the country’s role in shaping the regional energy transition. The event, organised by Clarion Energy, gathered key industry stakeholders to explore strategies for a sustainable energy future.

The Honourable Haji Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir, Deputy Minister for the Ministry for Energy Transition and Water Transformation (PETRA) officiated the event on behalf of The Right Honourable Dato Sri Haji Fadillah Haji Yusof, Malaysia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of PETRA.

In his officiating speech, Akmal reiterated Malaysia’s commitment to building a sustainable and reliable energy grid, citing the NETR and other key strategies aimed at realising this goal. He also stressed the importance of collaboration in addressing the region’s energy transition challenges.

Sarawak Energy Group Chief Executive Officer Datuk Sharbini Suhaili delivered the opening remarks during the plenary session ‘Shaping Regional Energy Transition – From Malaysia to Beyond’, where he highlighted Sarawak Energy’s experiences and ongoing efforts in renewable energy development. He noted how technological innovations, coupled with the  accelerating impact of climate change, have made energy transition an urgent priority over the past decade.

“The energy transition requires collective efforts, and we are committed to working with our partners for a greener and more sustainable future,” said Sharbini. He emphasised the critical role of decarbonising the power grid and called for greater public-private collaboration to drive this forward.

Hydropower, Sharbini said, is the backbone of Malaysia’s energy transition, acting as a ‘natural battery’ that complements the intermittency of solar and wind power. He also underlined the importance of grid interconnectivity to realise the ASEAN Power Grid, stating, “There is no transition without interconnections. The private sector must be ready to drive these efforts, supported by strong political will and enabling policies.”

Looking ahead, Sharbini addressed the growing role of electric vehicles (EVs) and the need for a ‘mobility revolution’ to green the grid and electrify the fleet of the future, noting that by 2040, more than 55% of global transportation is expected to be EV-based.

He also touched on Sarawak's potential to produce green hydrogen, leveraging the State’s abundant rainfall which supports significant hydropower generation. “This presents a promising opportunity to explore greening our gas turbines with hydrogen co-firing capability,” he noted while acknowledging the associated cost challenges.

Sharbini shared the stage alongside a panel of distinguished energy leaders, such as Datuk Ir. Megat Jalaluddin Megat Hassan, President & Chief Executive Officer for Tenaga Nasional Berhad; Anwar Syahrin Bin Abdul Ajib, Managing Director and CEO for Malakoff; Dato’ Ir. Ts. Razib Dawood, CEO for Energy Commission Malaysia’ and Ramesh Singaram President and CEO of Asia, Gas Power for GE Vernova. Narsingh Chaudhary, President of Asia Pacific and India for Black & Veatch, moderated the discussion.

Sarawak Energy’s participation in Enlit Asia 2024 reaffirms its commitment to advancing energy transition and fostering partnerships across ASEAN. Throughout the conference, the company’s senior leadership including Nick Wright, Senior Vice President for Business Development; Dr Chen Shiun, Senior Vice President for Strategy & Corporate Development; Alvin Lim, Chief Operating Officer for Sarawak Energy Resources and Head of Singapore Interconnection team; and Leslie Chai, Vice President for Commercial, engaged in several panel sessions at the conference where they underscored the importance of partnerships and political will in advancing the energy transition.

Enlit Asia 2024, formerly known as PowerGen Asia, brings together industry leaders and policymakers across the ASEAN region to exchange insights on building a sustainable and resilient energy future. Sarawak Energy has supported the event since PowerGen Asia in 2018 and continues to play an active role in shaping the region's energy future.

Sharbini shared Sarawak’s perspective on advancing the energy transition during the ‘Shaping Regional Energy Transition – From Malaysia to Beyond’ opening plenary session.

Sarawak Energy is the Malaysia Partner and an exhibitor at this annual conference.