KUALA LUMPUR: Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) is actively seeking collaborations with governments, investors and key stakeholders to drive sustainable development initiatives in the Asean region. The utility giant looks to accelerate a responsible energy transition (ET) while addressing the energy trilemma.

To-date, TNB has signed 29 Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) with local and international partners in various ET fields such as solar parks, integration of hydrogen and ammonia in power plants, interconnection, and electric vehicles. "TNB believes that a collaborative approach, along with supportive policies, technology advancements, and adequate funding, is crucial for a successful ET while addressing the energy trilemma," he said.

TNB's president and chief executive officer Datuk Seri Ir Baharin Din highlighted the need for a responsible ET to address the rapidly increasing demand for electricity, and emphasised TNB's commitment to meet this demand while reducing emissions.

"Within the Asean region, the goal is to source 3,000 GigaWatt (GW) of capacity from clean energy. "Currently, Asean has installed 95GW of thermal fuel and 188GW of renewable energy (RE). By 2050, the region aims to reach over 2,700GW of RE," he said in a statement on his recent address at the ENLIT ASIA 2023 conference.

At the conference, Baharin said policy, green technology, and funding are key enablers of a successful ET, adding that substantial investment is required to achieve Asean's Net Zero goals by 2050. He expressed optimism in the shifting landscape where governments are actively setting policies to support the growth of low-carbon businesses.

"Collaborative partnerships with regional counterparts through platforms like Heads of Asean Power Utilities/Authorities (HAPUA), Senior Officials Meeting on Energy (SOME), and Asean Ministers on Energy Meeting (AMEM) have expedited progress towards sustainable energy objectives," he said.

Malaysia is bolstering its transmission infrastructure to strengthen regional cooperation and support the interconnection of energy systems across borders through the Asean Power Grid (APG).

Baharin noted that at present, TNB can support an extra 12GW of new solar plants and battery storage at specified nodal points in our domestic infrastructure, in addition to the existing 4GW of RE.

"We are proactively identifying more nodal points to match our national goal of reaching 70 per cent renewable energy capacity by 2050 and fulfilling the energy demands of neighbouring countries when necessary," he said.

https://www.nst.com.my/business/corporate/2023/11/980167/tnb-seeks-boost-energy-transition