Singapore, China, Japan eyeing biomass ops in Sarawak, says deputy minister

KUCHING, May 8 — Singapore, China and Japan have shown interests in setting up biomass plants in Sarawak, Deputy Minister of International Trade, Industry and Investment Datuk Dr Malcolm Mussen Lamoh told the state assembly today.

He said these potential investors have proposed to develop biomass plants from waste to energy through conversion of agriculture wastes, such as oil palm empty fruit bunches and kernels, wood and municipal wastes as feedstock.

“Biomass is one of the promoted industries that can be developed for green energy by the state government,” he said during a question and answer session.

He said Sarawak is well positioned with huge potential to further develop biomass industries with feedstock from planted forest, agriculture and municipal wastes.

Advertisement

Mussen said currently Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation (STIDC) and the private sector have initiated biomass projects to produce wood pellets by utilising material from planted forests.

“These wood pellets are exported to Japan, South Korea and Europe,” he added.

He said STIDC will continue to carry out research on other raw materials as feedstock such as bamboo, sago trunk, oil palm trunk, napier grass (hybrid tropical grasa) and algae.

Advertisement

Mussen was answering questions from Tamin State Lawmaker Christopher Gira who wanted to know if there was interest abroad to set up biomass plants in Sarawak as another source of clean energy.