Even a most unexpected country is pushing for renewable energy as seen in this SANA article:
Syrian-Spanish Cooperation in Electricity Generation (SANA)
Malaysia should do more to encourage renewable energy production in the forms of wind, solar or wave energies. There are some incentives to this regard, but not many are aware and efforts are still wanting. Hopefully, more RE will be developed in coming years as normal fossil-fuel depletes.
And some updates of the latest on the electricity industry in Malaysia.. the peak energy demand was above 15,000MW somewhere last week - the highest ever. The reserve margin has dropped and with gas supply remaining uncertain, coal plants are running full steam ahead more often than ever.
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Saturday, May 8, 2010
More power plants needed
More power plants needed (The Star)
After years of talking about over supply of power, high reserve margin of more than 40%, finally Malaysia realizes that our power generation capacity is not as high as earlier thought. In fact, our reserve margin will dip below 20% in a couple of years time, particularly when the first generation IPPs have their PPAs coming to an end.
There is no doubt, that planting up of new plants would be a necessity soon. But given the high cost (we are talking about billions), the planning required, issues of subsidy and the messy power industry setup, I wonder how long will it take for new plants to come online. That gas supply in Malaysia is insufficient is another cause of concern. Gas curtailments are almost becoming a normal affair - ask anyone who's familiar the gas industry especially in the southern region. And it all stems from the government's poor response to the gas subsidy issues and prolonged artificial suppression of the real cost of generating electricity. This has put Malaysians in a precarious situation and put TNB in a fix. We are simply not selling electricity at the real cost of producing it! On the other hand, with Malaysia caught in the 'middle income trap' (I'd rather call it low-income trap), how can the real cost be passed through without a political backlash?
So I think, the government has to really think about how it wants to restructure the energy industry for the long-term sustainability of it. Enough of politicking, short-term solutions and vote-buying tactics. If the government doesn't act soon, the reserve margin will drop to 20% and below. And in case you don't know what that means... revisit the days of nationwide black-outs in the 1990s! And I don't know where I'm going to hide if that happens again cause I've been quite confidently telling people that the days of national blackout is quite over coz TNB has in place a much more sophisticated system to handle such emergencies! Lets see....
After years of talking about over supply of power, high reserve margin of more than 40%, finally Malaysia realizes that our power generation capacity is not as high as earlier thought. In fact, our reserve margin will dip below 20% in a couple of years time, particularly when the first generation IPPs have their PPAs coming to an end.
There is no doubt, that planting up of new plants would be a necessity soon. But given the high cost (we are talking about billions), the planning required, issues of subsidy and the messy power industry setup, I wonder how long will it take for new plants to come online. That gas supply in Malaysia is insufficient is another cause of concern. Gas curtailments are almost becoming a normal affair - ask anyone who's familiar the gas industry especially in the southern region. And it all stems from the government's poor response to the gas subsidy issues and prolonged artificial suppression of the real cost of generating electricity. This has put Malaysians in a precarious situation and put TNB in a fix. We are simply not selling electricity at the real cost of producing it! On the other hand, with Malaysia caught in the 'middle income trap' (I'd rather call it low-income trap), how can the real cost be passed through without a political backlash?
So I think, the government has to really think about how it wants to restructure the energy industry for the long-term sustainability of it. Enough of politicking, short-term solutions and vote-buying tactics. If the government doesn't act soon, the reserve margin will drop to 20% and below. And in case you don't know what that means... revisit the days of nationwide black-outs in the 1990s! And I don't know where I'm going to hide if that happens again cause I've been quite confidently telling people that the days of national blackout is quite over coz TNB has in place a much more sophisticated system to handle such emergencies! Lets see....
Crappy Charts
Some crappy charts you find in a Siemens site office, deep in the interior of Syria...
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Govt gives go-ahead for nuclear power plant by 2021
Govt gives go-ahead for nuclear power plant by 2021 (The Star)
Saw this interesting news just a moment ago. I could imagine the sound of protest that would be coming from the opposition and environmentalist.
Personally, I quite like this. Malaysia's power generation industry is in a mess mainly due to political reasons. Natural gas is running out and soon we'll need to buy gas from the open market at market price. Coal is imported. With price of oil looks set to increase, the cost of generating electricity will have to go up. And although the rakyat doesn't like it, the cost of electricity delivered to our homes will also have to increase sooner or later. It's simply economics. You can't expect TNB to swallow all the bitter pill, while you keep your A/C running 24/7!
Having said that, nuclear energy is not really so unsafe as what most people think. The reliability and safety standards of nuclear plants are quite high (well maybe not in Iran or North Korea). The biggest problem is how the nuclear waste would be dealt with. Nobody has yet have any concrete solutions for a sustainable method to handle the waste. And nuclear fuel is not renewable, i.e. it will also deplete like oil at some point of time. I've read somewhere that in fact, nuclear fuel available nowadays are less rich and not of the best quality. So I don't really know how long this industry can last. Nevertheless, I look forward to a nuclear power plant in Malaysia. Looks kinda interesting.
Saw this interesting news just a moment ago. I could imagine the sound of protest that would be coming from the opposition and environmentalist.
Personally, I quite like this. Malaysia's power generation industry is in a mess mainly due to political reasons. Natural gas is running out and soon we'll need to buy gas from the open market at market price. Coal is imported. With price of oil looks set to increase, the cost of generating electricity will have to go up. And although the rakyat doesn't like it, the cost of electricity delivered to our homes will also have to increase sooner or later. It's simply economics. You can't expect TNB to swallow all the bitter pill, while you keep your A/C running 24/7!
Having said that, nuclear energy is not really so unsafe as what most people think. The reliability and safety standards of nuclear plants are quite high (well maybe not in Iran or North Korea). The biggest problem is how the nuclear waste would be dealt with. Nobody has yet have any concrete solutions for a sustainable method to handle the waste. And nuclear fuel is not renewable, i.e. it will also deplete like oil at some point of time. I've read somewhere that in fact, nuclear fuel available nowadays are less rich and not of the best quality. So I don't really know how long this industry can last. Nevertheless, I look forward to a nuclear power plant in Malaysia. Looks kinda interesting.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
我的回忆不是我的 (My memory ain't mine)
There are a few scenes in the MTV which have transmission lines in it... maybe that's the reason for my liking of this song!
伤心的总会任性
灰心的总会用气力
将最好的过去 将最多的细碎
锁到属于你的眼睛
失恋的不够耐性
失恋的不信是注定
于最黑的世界 于最光的刹那
感到属于你的气息
即使很多一起过的
想起的通通你的
为着是浪漫的爱情
通通都可再见
但承诺可再听
什么可不变色
Oh baby
当晚与你记住蒲公英
今晚偏偏想起风的清劲
回忆不再受制于我 我承认
回忆也许你的
当晚与你记住流水声
今晚站在大地自己倾听
难道送别你 回头总是虔诚
谁能怪我 总是太感性
失恋的都有惰性
失恋的都记住约定
当理想的世界 当理想的刹那
因爱 无分你的我的
即使很多一起过的
想起的通通你的
为着是浪漫的爱情
通通都可再见
但承诺可再听
什么可不变色
Oh baby
当晚与你记住蒲公英
今晚偏偏想起风的清劲
回忆不再受制于我 我承认
回忆也许你的
当晚与你记住流水声
今晚站在大地自己倾听
难道送别你 回头总是虔诚
谁能怪我 总是太感性
当晚与你记住蒲公英
今晚偏偏想起风的清劲
回忆不再受制于我 我承认
回忆也许你的
当晚与你记住流水声
今晚站在大地自己倾听
难道送别你 回头总是虔诚
谁能怪我 总是太感性
伤心的总会任性
灰心的总会用气力
将最好的过去 将最多的细碎
锁到属于你的眼睛
失恋的不够耐性
失恋的不信是注定
于最黑的世界 于最光的刹那
感到属于你的气息
即使很多一起过的
想起的通通你的
为着是浪漫的爱情
通通都可再见
但承诺可再听
什么可不变色
Oh baby
当晚与你记住蒲公英
今晚偏偏想起风的清劲
回忆不再受制于我 我承认
回忆也许你的
当晚与你记住流水声
今晚站在大地自己倾听
难道送别你 回头总是虔诚
谁能怪我 总是太感性
失恋的都有惰性
失恋的都记住约定
当理想的世界 当理想的刹那
因爱 无分你的我的
即使很多一起过的
想起的通通你的
为着是浪漫的爱情
通通都可再见
但承诺可再听
什么可不变色
Oh baby
当晚与你记住蒲公英
今晚偏偏想起风的清劲
回忆不再受制于我 我承认
回忆也许你的
当晚与你记住流水声
今晚站在大地自己倾听
难道送别你 回头总是虔诚
谁能怪我 总是太感性
当晚与你记住蒲公英
今晚偏偏想起风的清劲
回忆不再受制于我 我承认
回忆也许你的
当晚与你记住流水声
今晚站在大地自己倾听
难道送别你 回头总是虔诚
谁能怪我 总是太感性
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Cloud Seeding in Johor
After weeks of dry and hot weather, the Johor government has resorted to cloud-seeding to induce rain and save our otherwise emptying dams. So for the past few days, it has been raining almost non-stop. Perhaps, now the dams will fill-up with water and the pitiful folks at Kluang will finally get some water supply. The rain is definitely a welcome respite from the teribble heat of the past weeks. But it does have its fair share of negatives - flash floods, traffic snarls and cancellation of outdoor activities.
The Scientist & Wicker Park
"The Scientist" by Coldplay - one of my favorite songs featured in the film "Wicker Park", which is also one of my favorite movies.
Come up to meet you, tell you I'm sorry
You don't know how lovely you are
I had to find you
Tell you I need you
Tell you I've set you apart
Tell me your secrets
And ask me your questions
Oh, let's go back to the start
Running in circles
Coming up tails
Heads on the science apart
Nobody said it was easy
It's such a shame for us to part
Nobody said it was easy
No one ever said it would be this hard
Oh take me back to the start
I was just guessing
At numbers and figures
Pulling the puzzles apart
Questions of science
Science and progress
Do not speak as loud as my heart
Oh tell me you love me
Come back and haunt me
Oh and I rush to the start
Running in circles
Chasing our tails
Coming back as we are
Nobody said it was easy
Oh, it's such a shame for us to part
Nobody said it was easy
No one ever said it would be so hard
I’m going back to the start
Oh ooh ooh ooh ooh
Ah ooh ooh ooh ooh
Oh ooh ooh ooh ooh
Oh ooh ooh ooh ooh
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Johor Burning
It is burning everywhere in Johor. The air smells of smoke from forest fires. It is suffocating, the distant seems hazy and the weather super hot. It's reaching 40degC, reminding me of the days in the Middle East. The blazing sun is burning the skin. Rain, which is sparse seems to be erratic and short further exacerbating the heat wave. There also seems to be tendence for rain to fall in segments, like only half the road is raining while the other half perfectly dry.
The world climate is definitely going crazy. There's no doubt about that. It suddenly rained heavily this evening. But after that, it still feels hot and the smell of smoke reemerges.
The world climate is definitely going crazy. There's no doubt about that. It suddenly rained heavily this evening. But after that, it still feels hot and the smell of smoke reemerges.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Chingay Day 2
The night procession starting off from the shrine at Jln Ulu Ayer Molek.
And the following video (actually from 2009) captures the spirit and enthusiasm of the devotees as the Hokkien deity arrives at City Square:
And the following video (actually from 2009) captures the spirit and enthusiasm of the devotees as the Hokkien deity arrives at City Square: