ABB Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Atlas Copco (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Daikin Malaysia Sales & Service Sdn Bhd, and Business Sweden signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Malaysian Green Technology and Climate Change Corporation (MGTC) to formalise their collaboration and cooperation to boost energy efficiency.
The agreement is timely given the Government’s renewed commitment and target of achieving an average of 21% energy savings by 2040 under the National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR). With its cost efficiency and optimisation of resources, energy efficiency has been recognized as the most important lever in the NETR. Underpinning the value ofurgent action in this area, as much as RM6 billion worth of investments from now to 2040 is expected, with smart device installation and government building retrofits being prioritized.
The MoU was signed by R Narayanan, Director, ABB Malaysia Sdn Bhd and Group Senior Vice President, ABB Motion, Asia; Khalid Shaikh, General Manager, Atlas Copco (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd; Chan Hon Leong, General Manager, Daikin Malaysia Sales and Service Sdn Bhd; Emma Broms, Trade Commissioner, Business Sweden and Ts. Shamsul Bahar Mohd Nor, Group Chief Executive Officer, MGTC, at the 1st National Conference on Energy Efficiency held in conjunction with the International Greentech & Eco Products Exhibition & Conference Malaysia (IGEM). On hand to witness the signing was YB Tuan Nik Nazmi bin Nik Ahmad, Minister of Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change.
“Being far more energy efficient than we are today is a must for Malaysia. We have come a long way, but more needs to be done to enhance our energy affordability and security, without compromising on our climate goals,” said YB Tuan Nik Nazmi bin Nik Ahmad at the event. “Energy plays an important role in Malaysia’s sustainable growth. We rely on energy to fuel everything from transportation to communication, to cities and industries. The evolving landscape requires us to re-evaluate how we consume energy and the imperative to act quickly on energy efficiency has never been stronger, “he added.
Immediate mitigation measures are required to address climate change. The International Energy Agency, states that energy efficiency as ‘the first fuel’ represents the cleanest and, in most cases, cheapest way to meet energy needs. There is no plausible pathway to Net Zero without using our energy resources much more efficiently.
“MGTC has been involved in and driving the energy efficiency agenda since our establishment as Pusat Tenaga Malaysia 25 years ago. As we evolve over the years, we will continue to work closely with all relevant stakeholders to achieve various national energy efficiency goals, such as an 8% reduction in electricity consumption by 2025 under the National Energy Efficiency Action Plan (NEEAP), and 11% reduction in industrial and commercial energy consumption by 2040 under the National Energy Policy 2022-2040 to name a few,” said Ts. Shamsul Bahar Mohd Nor, Group Chief Executive Officer, MGTC.
“We strive to achieve these goals through programmes such as the Energy Management Gold Standard (EMGS) certification under the ASEAN Energy Management Scheme (AEMAS), MyHijau Mark, Low Carbon Operating System, and Green Incentives. In our pursuit of becoming a net-zero emissions country, we must acknowledge that achieving it would be impossible without urgent action on energy efficiency,” he added.
The MoU covers the following areas:
- Advocacy for improvement of minimum energy efficiency standards for industry equipment and systems;
- Sharing of best practices and innovative technologies to accelerate retrofitting of public
and government buildings;
- Engaging key stakeholders including energy providers, regulators, users and influencers in
knowledge sharing dialogues on energy efficiency; and
- Establishing knowledge partners to expand the collaboration and to help industries identify technology and solutions that deliver the greatest value
“The NEEC is aligned with the global Energy Efficiency Movement founded by ABB to galvanize actions for an energy efficient, regenerative and adaptive world, which is now over 400 members strong. Globally, enhanced efficiency-related measures can provide one third of the emissions reductions needed for Net Zero. In Malaysia, there is enormous untapped potential for efficiency improvements in every sector of the economy. Through our cooperation with friends and peers from the industry, we hope to forge ahead to shape a sustainable and resource-efficient future for Malaysia,” said R.Narayanan.
“According to some energy experts, between 35% to 50% of the global energy consumption comes from industrial activities. In some of the more industrialised developing countries, the contribution of industry could be upwards of 50%. Energy conservation and gaining efficiency therefore become more of a compulsion than a choice. At Atlas Copco, we believe one of the best ways of conserving energy is through recovering and recycling energy. Atlas Copco, together with its industrial partners present in Malaysia can support local industries in not only meeting but exceeding the goals set in the National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR),” said Khalid Shaikh.
“Everything we use goes through a life cycle, and each stage of the life cycle has an environmental impact. At Daikin, our leading innovation has consistently pushed the boundaries of HVAC technology, and our focus has always been beyond selling. We prioritize decarbonization to ensure the efficiency of our products during their entire life cycle. By becoming part of the NEEC today, we look forward to bringing this aspect into focus to move the needle on Malaysia’s energy transition,” said Chan Hon Leong.
“Business Sweden is thrilled to continue the collaboration between Malaysia and Sweden, enhancing the green transition. Our shared commitment to a more sustainable future has opened doors for innovation, knowledge exchange, and partnerships, which this MoU is a testament to. Sweden is a well-known sustainability leader and has energy efficiency as one of its main priorities and a central instrument to achieve our targets. The Swedish businesses in Malaysia are no exception and are accelerating the development together with their Malaysian partners and customers”, Emma Broms concluded.
