KUCHING: Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB) is embarking on a partnership with Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) to provide an alternative solar scheme to three turtle conservation areas which are remotely situated and not connected to the existing State Grid.

SEB Group chief executive officer Datuk Torstein Dale Sjotveit said this was part of SEB’s ongoing effort to support the corporation’s turtle conservation programme.

“We are building on this partnership in conservation initiative by working together on the provision of green energy to light up Pulau Talang-Talang Kechil, Pulau Talang-Talang Besar and Tanjung Datu National Park.

“Through our corporate social responsibility (CSR) electrification programme, we will provide electricity to these three nature conservation areas through the use of an alternative energy source, solar power,” he said at the handing-over ceremony of turtle adoption certificates from SFC to SEB’s top management team at Menara Sarawak Energy here yesterday.

Pulau Talang-Talang Kechil, Pulau Talang-Talang Besar and Tanjung Datu National Park, renowned for turtle conservation activities internationally, currently use diesel generators with restricted hours of operation which entail high maintenance costs.

SEB is engaging in this project to promote the use of renewable energy and support the management of turtle hatcheries in the area.

Sjotveit pointed out that SEB’s CSR efforts also focused on environmental conservation.

“Through this project, we use environment friendly technology and eliminate carbon emission from the existing diesel generators. This project, estimated at a cost of RM2 million, will reduce the high costs of energy generated via diesel generators as well as logistical challenges to transport diesel to these remote areas,” he explained, adding that the project will also eliminate the loud noises from the diesel generators which disrupt turtle activities in the areas.

During the ceremony, a briefing on the implementation of the project was presented by SEB Research and Development (R&D) general manager Dr Chen Shiun, who noted that the R&D team had conducted extensive studies and concluded that all sites were suitable for the implementation of the solar scheme.

“The solar scheme will be able to provide SFC staff with sufficient electricity requirement that they can use for various appliances they would like to use in the three turtle conservation areas without compromising the environment or operations of SFC’s functions there,” he remarked.

The project, which is expected to be completed by Sept next year, will also launch SEB’s staff volunteerism drive, building upon the momentum of previous collaborations.

Engineers from SEB’s R&D Department volunteered to initiate this solar scheme in the three areas, taking it upon themselves to do the ground work, source for funding and execute the project in an effort to cultivate a mindset of being a socially responsible citizen and volunteerism within the organisation.

Meanwhile, SFC chief executive officer Wong Ting Chung expressed his appreciation to SEB for its commitment and continuous support towards the corporation’s nature conservation initiatives.

“The company has been a significant partner in the implementation of various conservation programmes. We look forward to more collaborations with SEB and other corporate partners to ensure sustainable development in the state.

“Through these collaborations, we hope to achieve more in terms of biodiversity conservation,” said Wong, who was on hand to present the turtle adoption certificates to SEB Group executive committee members who made personal commitments to support turtle conservation by sponsoring the conservation of turtles through SFC’s turtles adoption programme.

Previously, SEB has collaborated with SFC in environmental conservation on a Wildlife Monitoring and Rescue (WiMOR) operation which has been designed to conserve wildlife, flora and fauna within the Murum Hydroelectric Project area.

Another collaboration with SFC was on the Murum Tagang system, a system designed to protect the fish species in the Murum area. These initiatives are part of SEB’s broader sustainability agenda for hydropower development, particularly in terms of managing its impact to the aquatic and terrestrial ecosystem in the project-affected area and in ensuring that biodiversity impacts arising from the project activities are managed responsibly.

Source:
courtesy of THE BORNEO POST

by Marilyn Ten

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