KUALA LUMPUR: Indah Water Konsortium Sdn Bhd (IWK) is going green by installing solar photovoltaic (PV) system in 53 of its Sewage Treatment Plants (STP) nation from next month.
IWK chief executive officer Narendran Maniam said the company is looking at saving about RM20 million in operating costs for the next 15 years.
He said the company is currently operating beyond conventional means into contemporary trends in reducing expenditure through green technology adoption.
Narendran said energy cost is one of the major operating expenditure components of plants operations and one strategy that has been identified to reduce this cost is by exploring potential solar energy.
"These initiatives will help in reducing carbon footprint and create a sustainable environment for wastewater utility," he said in a statement, today.
The solar system installation will be done in stages, in which Phase 1 works are expected to immediately begin in 19 STPs nationwide next month, and the remaining 34 STPs subsequently.
"The projected total installation capacity is 6,950kWp with energy generation of 8,890kWh per year.
"We will also adopt a self-consumption model in the solar PV project.
"In which, the solar-generated will cover up to 20 per cent of the electricity needs by the 19 STPs to operate, with projected savings for the next 15 years is close to RM14 million".
IWK, Narendran said, will continue to search for project proponents to implement this project, for the addition of approximately 500 new potential sites under Phase 2.
He said these green technology initiatives would also cushion the impact from the annual rising energy cost.
"With the additional takeover of STPs, our electric charges have ballooned up from RM22.53 million in the year 2000 to RM256.30 million last year".
IWK has inked a solar Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with MFP Solar Sdn. Bhd, which is an affiliate company of Pekat Group Berhad and Timeless Green Sdn. Bhd to purchase solar output from their solar PV system for Phase 1.
Solar PV projects are part of our commitment to contributing towards Malaysia's Renewable Energy Roadmap as the world faces climate crisis, as well as the renewable energy initiatives for transitioning towards zero carbon.
"We expect the 53 STPs sites will contribute to greenhouse gas reduction (GHG) of 125,000 ton of carbon dioxide (equivalent) in the next 15 years.
"We are committed to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals through this green-technology adoption.
"Our hallmark regional STP, which is the Pantai 2 STP is the largest underground plant in the Asia Pacific, that can be set as the primary example of IWK's STP that employs green technology.
"The plant maximises green energy utilisation through the installation of solar panels, biogas utilisation, rainwater harvesting and final bio-effluent reused for non-potable use.
"The technology adoption contributes around RM6.5 million in our annual savings".