S’wak considering replanting degraded forest, says Premier

SIBU: Sarawak is considering replanting its degraded forest with fast-growing tree species that can be used to produce renewable energy through biomass pellets.

“We can replant our degraded forest areas with new fast-growing species; that will become feedstock to produce pellets for us to produce power as an additional source for our grid,” said Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg on Sunday (Sept 17) night.

“If there is an excess, we can sell the wood pellets as an export item,” he added.

Speaking at the Sarawak Central Chiang Hsia Huang Clan Association’s 63rd anniversary celebration, he added that in doing so, the state would no longer just cut wood and sell it but plant the trees, take the waste and turn it into energy.

Abang Johari also mentioned that this would create an environmental cycle whereby Sarawak would replant its degraded forests to produce oxygen while the biomass pellet production would serve as an additional source of energy.

“During my working visit overseas, I learnt that a factory in Norway turns dust from timber waste into wood pellets while the largest wood pellet station in London, England produces about 2,500 megawatts (MW) of energy,” he stressed.

Amongst those present were Deputy Minister of Public Health, Housing and Local Government Michael Tiang Ming Tee; Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Kuching, Xing Weiping.