COP29: TNB committed to driving Malaysia's energy transition goals

Chief grid officer Hasmarizal Hassan said the NETR, launched in August 2023, sets ambitious targets for Malaysia, including a gradual increase in renewable energy (RE) shares, targeting 40 per cent by 2035 and 70 per cent by 2050.

He added that through the NETR, TNB plans to strengthen grid infrastructure to meet electricity demand by 2050, supporting Malaysia's economic growth and job creation.

"In meeting the nation's net-zero aspiration by 2050, TNB has established an Energy Transition Plan. Under this plan, we have three major pillars: to accelerate generation decarbonisation, develop a flexible and cross-border grid, and facilitate and empower customer participation through digitalisation and electrification," he said.

He was speaking to Bernama today at the Malaysia Pavilion during the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of the Parties (COP29), held from Nov 11 to 22.

Hasmarizal said TNB's Energy Transition Plan is aligned with national goals, focusing on decarbonising generation, building a flexible grid, and promoting digitalisation and electrification to enhance customer involvement.

He emphasised that TNB plays a crucial role in unlocking regional potential by developing the ASEAN Power Grid (APG) to accelerate the NETR and aims to position Malaysia as the RE hub for ASEAN through competitive tariffs, reliable power supply, and green investments.

"We have major projects in the pipeline, including the Malaysia-Thailand interconnection, Malaysia-Singapore interconnection--though the existing link has limited capacity--and projects in Vietnam, Sumatra (Indonesia), and Sarawak.

"So, in a nutshell, the main purpose of the APG is to accelerate RE penetration by 2050 because if we were to rely only on RE asset building in Peninsular Malaysia without any assistance from the APG, I think we cannot deliver 70 per cent by 2050," he said.

Hasmarizal said that to achieve the ambitious targets of net-zero emissions by 2050, Malaysia has initiated 10 flagship projects, and TNB is at the forefront of advancing the nation's energy transition aspiration through three flagship projects outlined in the NETR.

He said the three projects directly managed by TNB are the 2,500 megawatt (MW) high-rate floating solar power project, the development of five RE zones, each with a capacity of 100 MW, and the establishment of co-firing of hydrogen and ammonia.

Hasmarizal said that by leveraging TNB's expertise and the APG, Malaysia not only aims to meet its domestic targets but also to support ASEAN nations in their net-zero journey, enhancing regional energy security and sustainability.

He also highlighted Malaysia's strategic position at the heart of ASEAN, making it an ideal hub for the APG. Strong political will further supports TNB's vision as the APG's focal point.

In addition, he noted that Malaysia's abundant land provides significant potential for expanding RE capacity, positioning both Malaysia and TNB as leaders in APG development.

-- BERNAMA