Shell volunteers and members of the Buayan and Tiku community during the ground breaking.
KOTA KINABALU: As per the agreement signed between Sabah Shell Petroleum Company Ltd (SSPC) and Sabahan NGOs – Tonibung and PACOS Trust, in December 2018, the work to develop Sabah’s first renewable energy grid has just begun.
This grid features a new micro hydro turbine to be placed in the Kobulu river to generate an expected, additional 20kW of electricity for the benefit of the inhabitants of Kampung Buayan and Kampung Tiku. This turbine will feed into the two-existing micro hydro turbine systems between these villages.
The new turbine is meant to rejuvenate the existing infrastructure to collectively meet the energy needs of both these growing communities. This grid also allows for more efficient use of the renewable energy through the sharing of electricity between these villages. It will also enable the ability to load shed excess electricity when the usage in either one of the villages is lower.
“We’re proud to have the opportunity to be involved in a project that benefits the communities through our partnership with Tonibung and PACOS Trust. Through the Access To Energy programme (A2E), we are providing cleaner and more efficient energy solutions to the communities that need it most, whilst empowering them socio-economically to be more resilient,” shared Prithipal Singh, General Manager of Sabah Shell Petroleum Company, at the A2E programme’s ground-breaking ceremony.
This initiative will complement the socio-economic development activities that will be based on the communities’ interests, which could lead to eco-tourism or food processing industries for both these villages. These developments are expected to only take place once the installation of the renewable energy grid is completed.
“The work being pioneered by the A2E team here today will hopefully be an example of a working model for electricity generation and distribution for communities within hard-to-reach areas. I’m glad that through partnerships between private and civil societies, longer term benefits such as starting a small business, or running a homestay are now within reach,” said Jenifer Lasimbang, the assemblywoman for the Moyog constituency and Assistant Minister of Education and Innovation.
Also present at the A2E ground-breaking ceremony was senator Adrian Lasimbang.