Green Lagoon Technology Biogas Plants

Green Lagoon Technology is a leading biogas power plant company in Malaysia. These four power plants are located in Trong, Perak; Nibong Tebal, Penang; Muadzam Shah, Pahang; and Banting, Selangor.
FACTS
Location

Malaysia

Technology

Biogas

Attributes

Environmental impact, Local impact, New plant

Producing electricity since

2017, 2021, 2022

Developer/owner

Green Lagoon Technology

Estimated annual generation

37.138 GWh

Total capacity

5.5 MW

Green Lagoon Technology is a leading biogas power plant company in Malaysia. Of these four GLT plants, one is located in Trong, Perak, at the Topaz Emas Palm Oil Mill; another in Nibong Tebal, Penang, at the United Oil Palm Oil Mill; the third in Muadzam Shah, Pahang, at the Rompin Palm Oil Mill; and the fourth in Banting, Selangor at the Seri Morib Palm Oil Mill. With a combined installed capacity of 5.5 MW, they generate 37 138 MWh per year.

The plants are made up of an anaerobic pond, cooling pond, bio-digester lagoon, mixing pit, gas treatment area, Biogasclean scrubber, dehumidifier and gas engine.

The biological process of microbial biodegradation release various gases, e.g. methane (CH4), carbon dioxide (CO2), hydrogren sulphide (H2S) and ammonia (NH3). Methane is the main gas which is used as fuel for gas engine to generate electricity.

Currently, electricity produced at GLT plants is exported to the TNB grid. In the future, GLT plans to upgrade the engine capacity of at least one of the plants in order to better respond to energy demands.

The palm oil mills have opted to participate in this renewable energy project in order to affirm their commitment to complying with environmental quality regulations.

Environmental and Socio-Economic Impact

The GLT power plants not only work to improve the local and wider environment, they are also dedicated to raising the quality of life in the local area.

The plants contribute to improving air and water source quality, on top of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

In addition, constructing, maintaining and operating the plants serves to create job opportunities for the local population.

On a larger scale, the plants contribute to boosting the renewable energy market, increasing awareness about the importance of sustainability, and encouraging the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

These biogas plants thus have an important environmental and socio-economic impact, both locally and further afield.

Renewable Energy in Malaysia

The development of the GLT biogas plants can be viewed in the context of a push for renewables in Malaysia. Driving this push are Malaysia’s goal of net-zero  by 2050 as well as carbon taxing initiatives.

Shorter-term goals include achieving a 31% share of renewable energy in national installed capacity by 2025. Furthermore, by 2030, Malaysia wants to have reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 45% compared to 2005, with a further reduction of 60% in the five years after that.

These endeavours are particularly important when viewed in the context of significant increases in energy consumption in Malaysia over the past few years. Indeed, total energy consumption has almost doubled since 2000.

Renewable energy will therefore have an increasingly crucial role to play.

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