Sustainable Energy

What is it?

It means

• Saving energy through better utilization and consumption. In other words trying to achieve maximum energy efficiency for any task
• Using renewable energy instead of that from fossil fuels so that finite resources are not depleted and Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) generation is reduced
• Optimising the match between primary energy sources and final end-use with minimal wastages & adverse environmental impacts.

By providing sustainable energy, we will improve the environment by reducing the emissions of greenhouse gases, maintain natural resources by using renewable sources energy such as solar, biomass, wind and wave. Technologies using renewable energy are available and cost-effective in delivering power.

Demonstration & Documentation Center (DDC) for Sustainable Energy Solutions for Urban Households

CETDEM, which always promotes the sustainable use of energy and energy efficiency, has proposed a project "Demonstration and Documentation Center for Sustainable Energy Solutions for Urban Households". The aim of this project is to enhance public awareness on this issue by sharing information and demonstrating sustainable energy solutions. The main target group is the urban households who are planning to have comfortable houses with air-conditioning and hot water supply.

This project can educate Malaysians to contribute to sustainable development by promoting renewable energy as a "fifth fuel" and to increase awareness among urban households about sustainable - energy solutions. Funding for the project is still to be confirmed.

Increasing Awareness & Building Capacity (ABC) of Urban Malaysians on Sustainable Energy Options

As the third largest per capita greenhouse gas emitter among the ten ASEAN nations, Malaysia has a responsibility to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions from all sectors, including urban households. As a move towards this, CETDEM is currently running a new project funded by the UNDP/Global Environmental Facility (GEF). This project, which began on the 1st of April 2003, aims to build upon a previous project on Public Awareness on Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy in 1999 as well as its ongoing Mobilising Malaysians on Climate Change Project run by CETDEM also.

The purpose of this project is to make urban Malaysians aware of the potential for sustainable energy usage and to act to reduce their ecological footprints in terms of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, through renewable energy and energy efficiency. Through this project, Malaysians will be exposed to the potential for sustainable energy usage and will be guided to act to reduce their energy consumption. A system will also be developed to allow the local community to assess their progress towards sustainable energy usage and conservation.

Six towns involved are Klang, Georgetown, Kuantan, Johor Bahru, Kuching and Kota Kinabalu. A minimum of one hundred participants from each town will participate in the capacity building briefings. At these briefings, there will be 2 speakers, one from the Government/academia and the project leader/staff. Workshops will also be held in KL/PJ to sensitize the mass media and CBO/NGO representatives to energy issues and motivate them to write/produce materials on sustainable energy usage (SEU) and conservation, and a facilitators training workshop to be held for 20 facilitators from the six towns.

This project hopes to contribute to Malaysia's commitment to making renewable energy the 5th fuel by promoting, for one, the demand for solar photovoltaics (PV) and in doing so, increasing its demand in urban households which will then lead to a drop in their unit price making it more affordable to ordinary Malaysians. Urban Malaysians will also be better informed and better equipped with the information and the tools to play their part in reducing their adverse impacts on climate change and unsustainable energy usage. This site will be updated for up coming events and the results of those events.

This project is due to for completion on 28th February 2006.