Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water is planning to set up a biomass refinery at a major city in Sarawak.
Without going into full details, its minister Datuk Seri Peter Chin said the refinery would be used to recycle used cooking oil into biodiesel.
“Recycling used cooking oil into biodiesel is now a popular practice in Peninsular Malaysia. It is because at the moment, we only have one such facility, which belongs to Sime Darby,” he said at a press conference after officiating the ‘1Green 1Community’ and the launching of Green Technology Road Tour at Mega Hotel here yesterday.
As a start, Chin suggested that the Local Agenda 21 (LA21) committee under Miri City Council (MCC) implement the project.
“LA21 is the unit dealing with any recycling projects and perhaps, we can work closely with them for a start.”
On recycling used cooking oil into biodiesel, he said there was no charge for sending the used cooking oil for recycling purpose.
According to him, a litre of biodiesel costs RM0.60, and can power a vehicle for a distance of up to 9 kilometres.
Touching on the Green Technology Road Tour, he said the programme was aimed at imparting knowledge and awareness on Green Technology and Energy Efficiency to the communities and school children.
He revealed that Miri was the first station for the road tour before going to others divisions in the state.
“This programme is in collaboration with the State Education Department, District Education Office and Centre for Education and Training in Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (Cetree).
He said the tour is based on the ‘solar on wheel’ concept and will travel cover all schools around Miri from June 20 until July 18 this year.
The exhibition will begin at 8am and end after school hours.
Besides getting first-hand experience, students will also get the opportunity to make and design solar cars and solar boats.
The mobile exhibition unit uses 100 per cent cooking oil as fuel, and is the first of its kind in Malaysia.
Also present were Chin’s deputy Datuk Noriah Kasnon, Senator Lihan Jok and Miri mayor Lawrence Lai.
