ALOR STAR: Kedah is working closely with the federal agencies to achieve European's Renewable Energy (RE) requirement by 2030.

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor said the matter was being given top priority by his administration through collaboration with the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) and the International Trade Ministry (MITI).

"Yes, there is a requirement for products manufacturers to comply to RE usage to enter the European market by 2030 and this matter is being focused by the state government together with MIDA and MITI.

"We will make sure that manufacturing plants in Kedah comply with the RE requirements," he told reporters after opening Mölnlycke new surgical gloves plant at Kulim Hi-Tech Park (KHTP) here today. 

Present were Swedish ambassador to Malaysia Dr Joachim Bergstrom, Mölnlycke, chief executive officer Zlatko Rihter and MIDA chief executive officer Datuk Arham Abdul Rahman.

Sanusi said as for KHTP, the state government has asked Nur Power, the energy supplier of the industrial park to invest in RE for manufacturing plants in the area.

He added that this was in line with a tremendous interest among high-tech investors to set up their manufacturing plants in KHTP.

"There is very high demand among high-tech investors to invest in KHTP and we are working on the expansion of Phase 4A and Phase 5.

"I strongly belief that KHTP will become the biggest industrial area in the Peninsular," he said.

Meanwhile, Mölnlycke gloves executive vice-president Katriina Oberg said the Swedish-based company, a world leading medical product solutions company, had invested RM233 million for plant.

"The core of this new plant is sustainability. It was built so that we use less energy as possible, and creating a pleasant working environment for our employees with solar energy will be next step.

"We have set a very tough goal by 2030 we will reduce the production of greenhouse emission by 50 per cent," she said.

She added that the company's focus now was to achieve sustainability goals from a broader perspective, including from raw material procurement all the way to transportation to achieve fossil free energy by 2024.

Mölnlycke global operations vice-president Jean-Christophe Guillou said the new plant, which created 400 jobs for local talents, was constructed in partnership with global sustainability solutions providers, ENGIE and Veolia Water Technologies. "Veolia will assist in improving the plant's wastewater management, effectively recycling water, and further improving the discharge quality.

"With Veolia's digitalised system, water consumption is expected to be reduced to 50 per cent.

"Moreover, ENGIE will supply the plant with its energy source by installing solar panels to power the manufacturing production and operations," he said.

He added that in the long run, Mölnlycke was turning its commitment to net zero Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions by 2050 into reality by running its operations in a less resource intensive way.