ID :
24476
Tue, 10/14/2008 - 18:30
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/24476
The shortlink copeid
M'SIA: MINISTRY CONTINUES FUNDING FOR ALTERNATIVE ENERGY RESEARCH
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 14 (Bernama) -- The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation has always provided funds for research and development to develop alternative energy sources like hydrofuels, said its minister Dr Maximus Ongkili.
"The ministry also cooperated with The Standard and Industrial Research
Institute of Malaysia (SIRIM) and companies as well as other government agencies
for the development of alternative energy sources.
"Presently, the local alternative energy source industry has shown
development," Ongkili said when answering a question by Baharum Mohamed
during the question and answer session in Parliament Tuesday.
As example, he said the Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had
on July 18 launched an initiative for the use of hydrofuel by 30 taxis and
limousines in the Klang Valley initiated by Hydrofuel Sdn Bhd.
Earlier when answering Baharum's original question on how widespread
was
the use of hydrofuel, Ongkili said it was presently confined to the automotive
sector only.
"Several issues need to be addressed before hydrofuel use can be
commercialised," said.
Among them were its storage; the production and distribution technolgy;
standards and infrastructure for hydrofuel vehicles; and the electric propulsion
system that could be used by both fuel cells and hybrid vehicles.
Ongkili said his ministry thorough Sirim Berhad was actively researching
production of electricity from hydrogen for "Hydrogen powered engines",
"Hydrogen generation" and "Diesel engine efficiency enhancement" that focussed
on a storage system for hydrogen and oxygen for automotive electrical
generation.
When replying a supplementary question by M. Kulasegaran, an opposition
member of Parliament, who asked why other alternatives like solar energy were
not picked for development being cheaper, Ongkili said solar energy was in the
ministry's research field for development.
"Technology for using solar energy is still expensive from the
acquring
aspect. The ministry supports research by both the government and private
sectors to come up with cheaper solar cells. We also support getting energy from
wind, waves and bio-mass," he said.
"The ministry also cooperated with The Standard and Industrial Research
Institute of Malaysia (SIRIM) and companies as well as other government agencies
for the development of alternative energy sources.
"Presently, the local alternative energy source industry has shown
development," Ongkili said when answering a question by Baharum Mohamed
during the question and answer session in Parliament Tuesday.
As example, he said the Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had
on July 18 launched an initiative for the use of hydrofuel by 30 taxis and
limousines in the Klang Valley initiated by Hydrofuel Sdn Bhd.
Earlier when answering Baharum's original question on how widespread
was
the use of hydrofuel, Ongkili said it was presently confined to the automotive
sector only.
"Several issues need to be addressed before hydrofuel use can be
commercialised," said.
Among them were its storage; the production and distribution technolgy;
standards and infrastructure for hydrofuel vehicles; and the electric propulsion
system that could be used by both fuel cells and hybrid vehicles.
Ongkili said his ministry thorough Sirim Berhad was actively researching
production of electricity from hydrogen for "Hydrogen powered engines",
"Hydrogen generation" and "Diesel engine efficiency enhancement" that focussed
on a storage system for hydrogen and oxygen for automotive electrical
generation.
When replying a supplementary question by M. Kulasegaran, an opposition
member of Parliament, who asked why other alternatives like solar energy were
not picked for development being cheaper, Ongkili said solar energy was in the
ministry's research field for development.
"Technology for using solar energy is still expensive from the
acquring
aspect. The ministry supports research by both the government and private
sectors to come up with cheaper solar cells. We also support getting energy from
wind, waves and bio-mass," he said.
