Project Clean Energy Solutions for Borneo

Abstract:

Rapid eco­nomic growth sus­tained in South­east Asia through­out the new mil­len­nium has led to a surge in large-​​scale infra­struc­ture projects to facil­i­tate indus­trial pro­duc­tiv­ity and con­sump­tion. The state of Sarawak, located along the north­ern coast of the island of Bor­neo, is the poor­est and most rural state in Malaysia but has long been a focal point for the devel­op­ment of large-​​scale hydro­elec­tric power. At least six dams are sched­uled to be com­pleted in Sarawak by 2020 as part of a high hydro-​​potential cor­ri­dor in cen­tral Sarawak. These forests have undis­puted global and local sig­nif­i­cance eco­log­i­cally, bio­log­i­cally and culturally.

In col­lab­o­ra­tion with local grass-​​roots renew­able project devel­op­ers and river pro­tec­tion groups we have explored the poten­tial for clean energy alter­na­tives in the state through an inte­gra­tion of mod­el­ing tools: (a) mod­el­ing long-​​term util­ity scale elec­tric­ity gen­er­a­tion alter­na­tives in East Malaysia to deter­mine trade-​​offs across dif­fer­ent tech­nolo­gies; (b) explor­ing the poten­tial for rural com­mu­ni­ties in dam-​​affected areas to sat­isfy energy access needs using local resources; © demon­strat­ing a rapid assess­ment method for esti­mat­ing the impact of mega-​​projects on bio­di­ver­sity. Each of these stud­ies pro­vides infor­ma­tion use­ful to the dis­cus­sion of alter­na­tives and fur­thers the analy­sis of green econ­omy costs and ben­e­fits. Our pub­lished find­ings have influ­enced pol­icy dis­cus­sions at the Min­is­te­r­ial level and a mora­to­rium against the Baram Dam was announced in 2015.

 

Media cov­er­age of our research and the Baram Dam Moratorium: 

The Bor­neo Project, March 21, 2016 — Fan­tas­tic new video on “Devel­op­ment with­out destruc­tion” in Sarawak.

Mongabay, Octo­ber 20, 2015 — Indige­nous anti-​​dam activists con­verge in Sarawak from around the globe

Sarawak Report, Sep­tem­ber 25, 2015 — BMF Press State­ment: Vic­tory, Mora­to­rium on the Baram Dam in Malaysia

The Bor­neo Post, Sep­tem­ber 27, 2015 — Small is Beau­ti­ful: The Peo­ple Matter

 

Media cov­er­age of our June 28, 2015 press con­fer­ence in Kuch­ing, Sarawak:

The Bor­neo Post, August 11, 2015 - Ade­nan wants SEB to light up the rural areas

The Malaysian Insider, July 31, 2015 - Ade­nan puts Baram dam on hold, agrees to lis­ten to natives’ grouses

Radio Free Sarawak, July 15, 2015 - “Sjotveit should be out”, say Sarawakians

The Malaysian Insider, July 14, 2015 - Stop Baleh dam ten­der until envi­ron­men­tal study scru­ti­nised, says Sarawak PKR

Mongabay​.com, July 8, 2015 - Sarawak can meet energy needs with­out mega-​​dams: report

BFM 89.9 — The Busi­ness Sta­tion (www​.bfm​.my), Radio and online inter­view, July 3, 2015, Clean energy options in East Malaysia

The Daily Express — East Malaysia, June 30, 2015 - Sarawak Mega Dam Project Study

The Bor­neo Post, June 29, 2015 - Bor­neo May See the End of Mega-​​Dams

The Malaysian Insider, June 29, 2015 - Activists say Ade­nan rethink­ing mega dams pol­icy in Sarawak

Free Malaysia Today, June 29, 2015 - Ade­nan May Drop Mega Dam Projects

The May­lay Mail, June 29, 2015 - CM pulls the brakes on Baram dam until he goes through detailed stud­ies, group claims

Inter­na­tional Rivers (2014). Bet­ter Solu­tions Than Megadams for Pow­er­ing Sarawak, Study Finds. World Rivers Review Vol 29. No 2. Page 5.

Ear­lier media cov­er­age of this work on energy alter­na­tives to coal and mega-​​hydropower projects includes this report in TIME Mag­a­zine:

Feb­ru­ary 22, 2011 — Bor­neo says no to dirty energy

Recent dis­cus­sions of the rela­tion­ship between mega-​​dams and earth­quakes has also been receiv­ing local cov­er­age in Bor­neo: http://​www​.the​bor​neo​post​.com/​2​0​1​5​/​0​6​/​2​8​/​d​a​m​s​-​f​a​u​l​t​-​l​i​n​e​s​-​a​n​d​-​q​u​a​k​es/