UITM, Thai University To 'Steam Up' New Energy From Tree

By Jamaluddin Muhammad BANGKOK, April 27 (Bernama) -- In what is believed to be the first of its kind ever, Malaysia's Mara University of Technology (UiTM) and a Thai university will 'steam up' energy from a tree species. UiTM Rector (Pahang campus) Associate Prof Dr Hilmi Ab Rahman said UiTM would soon collaborate with the Kasetsart University of Thailand to explore the new renewable energy source from "energy plantations". He said, wood from the Luceana tree could be burnt to produce steam which in turn, could be turned into new energy which could be an alternative to the current prominent sources of energy such as oil, gas, coal and hydro. "It is a green technology and renewable energy as the Luceana tree can be harvested in just 18 months, as compared to thousands of years for fossil fuel to develop," he told Bernama here. Currently, he said, no country had produced energy based on Luceana wood. The Luceana species is also known as Petai Belalang in Malaysia, and Ipil-Ipil, specifically in Sabah, an East Malaysia state. Dr Hilmi said the new renewable energy could offer cheaper solution to the depleting fossil fuel and higher crude oil price which hit about US$120 per barrel currently. "Furthermore, investors are keen to look at the source of energy as they move towards green technology now," he added. He said Kasetsart University had the expertise and technology in the utilisation of the energy plantation as they had carried out research on the matter for 40 years. UiTM had also engaged in the research of energy plantation, and together with Kasetsart University, both could further enhance their research, especially in the genetic engineering of Luceana tree in ensuring the sustainable supply of the tree, he noted. The Malaysian university, he said, had planted the Luceana species at 5,000 hectares plantation in Merchang, Dungun, which is located between Dungun and Kuala Terengganu, as its pilot project. He said the new renewable energy had vast potential, not only for Malaysia and Thailand but also for the Asean region and worldwide. "We need to change the mindset of the policy makers and industries that tree plantation is not merely for producing woods for furniture," he said. In Malaysia, the Luceana tree could be found scattered in forests, while in Thailand, the tree was used to prevent soil erosion, and its leaves, for animal feed, added Dr Hilmi. "It is a crazy idea about energy plantation but it is doable," said Dr Wan Mohd Nazri Wan Abdul Rahman, a scientist from UiTM Pahang. He said the new renewable energy had been proven to produce 1 Megawatt of electricity in generating a diesel engine in Sabah. "We used two combustions with 80 per cent consisting of this new renewable energy, and 20 per cent diesel in generating the diesel engine," he said. Dr Wan Mohd Nazri said further research and modification were needed if 100 per cent of the new renewable energy was used for the diesel engine, adding that its plantation pilot project was currently supplying energy for a timber factory in Kertih. Off hand, he could not provide the comparative cost for generating electricity using this new renewable energy against fossil fuels but assured it was far cheaper with the new finding. Dr Wan Mohd Nazri defended the new renewable energy as a green technology as it involved tree plantation and the burning of the wood in generating energy was done in an environment-friendly manner. -- BERNAMA