Brunei can get energy from sun, water and wind, say experts

CONSULTANTS from Canada arrived on Sunday for a week long working visit to further investigate possibilities on various ways of generating alternative energy.

The consultants under Powertech, who are experts in several fields of alternative energy sources, such as wind, hydroelectricity, solar, biomass as well as nuclear energy were hired by the Centre for Strategic and Policy Studies (CSPS) last year in May to conduct a nationwide feasibility study for alternative energy sources.

Keith Lee, the project manager for the study, told The Brunei Times in an interview, during an informal Alternative Energy Networking session hosted by the Canadian Embassy, that the studies they have done so far is based or gathered from information taken via satellites and by survey data from locally based sources.

"We can study oceanic waves and solar information from the data gathered from the satellites." said Keith. "We also take land use data from various ministries, to identify places that have been set aside for parks or nature reserves so we do not do anything detrimental for the environment."

He said that they would have discussions with various stakeholders to see what is available and what is needed. "There is no magic answer to deal with energy supply," he said. "What we would like to do at the end of the project is to be able to provide options that stakeholders could chose from".

He said that when it comes to alternative energy, it is best to have multiple sources. He highlighted that alternative energy is dependent on the environment. "When it is raining, there is no sun, thus no solar energy, but at least there is wind," he said.

Ronald John Monk, the project contract lead and an expert in hydroelectricity said that they have been objectively studying all viable sources of alternative energy. He said that one potential area where they could apply hydroelectricity was that in Temburong.

"Of course, we have to take into account of the impact on the environment and culture."

When asked about the possible impacts of building hydroelectric stations in the country, he highlighted that Temburong, where environmental conservation was a concern, "small hydro" power sources was an option.

"Recently in British Colombia, a 10 megawatt hydrostation which uses a natural lake about a few hundred metres across and about one kilometre wide was completed," he said, highlighting that small hydro could be done in a modest area with much less flooding compared to a larger project.

He also pointed out that developmental projects would have an environmental impact regardless of the size. "Powerlines would have to be built in order to connect the power source to the community. In order to do that, you will have to build roads, which will make remote areas more accessible."

This would in turn lead to people going to places that were previously difficult to access, creating an impact all by itself. He added that it was up to the stakeholders to weigh the benefits that the development would provide over the cost.

Another option besides hydroelectricity or solar energy was wind energy.

"We are exploring both offshore and onshore possibilities," said Martin Ince, one of the project engineers for an alternative source of energy based on wind. The Brunei Times