TNB ready to facilitate Malaysia's transition into low-carbon mobility

KUALA LUMPUR 19 July - Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) is primed to lead Malaysia’s transition into low-carbon mobility especially via Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV), through collaborative efforts with various stakeholders in the country.

TNB Chief Strategy and Ventures Officer, Datuk Fazlur Rahman Zainuddin said, while it was crucial that the energy sector is gradually decarbonised, other sectors, including the transportation sector must also see similar decarbonisation effort to ensure a holistic approach to the nation’s decarbonisation pathway.

“While TNB continues its efforts to decarbonise our own operations, we are also prepared to lead this transition for the transportation sector, not only as the infrastructure provider, but to drive a collaborative approach with a coalition of stakeholders to realise this important step towards decarbonisation,” he said in his keynote address during the CEO Action Network (CAN) Energy Sector Round Table #2 on the topic of Low Carbon Mobility.

During the virtual round table session which was also attended by Deputy Secretary-General (Policy) from the Ministry of Transport, Normah Osman, Fazlur highlighted TNB’s efforts to drive up the foundational support for electric vehicle (EV) adoption in Malaysia.

“In line with the Government’s low-carbon agenda, we are keen to work with any private-sector party that wants to transition to electric mobility, and at the same time, step up on multi-ministerial engagements to flesh out Malaysia’s low-carbon mobility plans. Decarbonisation must take an all-of-government and all-of-society approach to work,” said Fazlur.

In 2020, TNB together with Malaysian Green Technology and Climate Change Centre (MGTC) have installed 73 EV charging stations in 31 locations.

TNB’s recent Memorandum of Understanding with DHL Express Malaysia which entails the utility company installing EV charging stations along DHL’s key service routes, will help the logistics company advance the electrification of its fleet in the future.

Both collaborations underline the various ways that synergies between companies can help the transition to electric vehicles to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG).

Based on the numbers obtained from Malaysia’s 3rd Biennial Update Report to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), transportation contributed around 55,188 Giga grams CO2, which accounts for around 21% of Malaysia’s total CO2 emissions in 2016.

“We also believe that electrification of mobility is an economic game changer for the country as new technology will stimulate higher-value economic activity within our eco-system,” Fazlur added.

“TNB is ever willing to provide the necessary EV infrastructure across the nation, and we are very serious on the EV front.  To this end, we have set up a Project Management Office to drive the EV agenda, and look forward to making strong strides forward, along with our partners on this path,” he said. - DagangNews.com