Sabah announced a 17-year energy roadmap with the goal of meeting its immediate power needs by 2030 while transitioning to a carbon-neutral state.
The Sabah Energy Roadmap and Master Plan 2040 (or SE-RAMP 2040) aims to immediately ensure energy security for the state through short-term plans to diversify its energy sources, as the state is currently heavily reliant on natural gas.
The roadmap also addresses the development of renewable energy in order to meet the country’s carbon neutrality targets by 2050.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said at the launch of the roadmap at Menara Kinabalu here on Tuesday (Sept 19) that SE-RAMP 2040 would address near-term needs while strengthening the energy industry’s long-term resilience.
We are aware that the power supply issue in Sabah has been plaguing the people for a long time
– Hajiji Noor
It outlines the state’s direction and strategic initiatives as the state government prepares to take over regulatory powers for electricity and renewable energy supply from the federal government in January.
“The state government is committed to ensuring that SE-RAMP 2040 is implemented systematically and effectively,” said Hajiji.
The Chief Minister will chair a Sabah Energy Council, which will monitor, support, and provide guidance on the implementation of the planned short-, medium-, and long-term initiatives, according to the masterplan.
The goals of SE-RAMP 2040 include ensuring dependable power supply, equal access, and comprehensive coverage at an affordable price.
“It is also to complement the National Energy Policy, which was launched last year, and the National Energy Transition Roadmap 2050 (NETR), which was launched in August of this year,” Hajiji added.
He stated that the Energy Commission of Sabah’s (ECoS) SE-RAMP 2040 covers various strategies and initiatives to balance the energy “trilemma” of security, affordability, and environmental sustainability.
“We are aware that the power supply issue in Sabah has been plaguing the people for a long time.” The government is determined to address this legacy issue and find a solution.
“Furthermore, the Hala Tuju Sabah Maju Jaya investor-friendly policy prioritises basic infrastructure needs such as electricity and water supply.”
“This plan paves the way for us to ramp up electricity supply to meet industry needs,” he said.
The state government, according to the Chief Minister, has attracted several high-impact investors, including copper coil manufacturer SK Nexilis, solar glass manufacturer Kibing, Linaco coconut integrated processing mill, and green steel project Esteel.
With the implementation of SE-RAMP 2040, Sabah hopes to attract more investors in order to promote economic growth, create economic spillover, and provide job opportunities for locals, he added.
SE-RAMP 2040, according to ECoS CEO Datuk Abdul Nasser Abdul Wahid, will employ 16 strategies to address the issues of energy security, accessibility, and sustainability.
Having a sufficient reserve margin in energy generation, using a diverse fuel mix, and deploying new energy sources and technologies are among the strategies.
Info source – The Star