Universiti Kuala Lumpur

Malaysian Institute of Chemical and Bio-Engineering Technology

Introduction to Renewable Energy

NKB 40202

Name : Arina Hazirah Binti Zulkefli

ID Number : 55220116087
Submission Date: 25 October 2019
 Conventional energy is defined sources which commonly being used for a long time and
accepted to produce electricity, light, heat and food. Conventional energy is commonly refer as
non-renewable energy. This kind of source need for about 300 million years to form this source
(National geography,2013). Examples of conventional energy are coal, petroleum and natural
gas which come from the fossil fuel which the main element is carbon. Nuclear power is
categorized as non-renewable energy as raw material for nuclear power is come from uranium.

Using conventional energy can lead to many issues. This issue began on 1973 as
petroleum supplies decline and make the price of oil increase from 3 dollars per barrel to 12
dollars per barrel (Terry Macalister,2011). When price of oil increase instantaneously, price for
transportation also will be increase. It is mentioned in parliament “Malaysia's oil and gas
reserves are expected to be depleted by 2029 based on its current output, according to the
Economic Affairs Ministry” (Malaysia Kini,2019). It is stated cost of production will increase from
70% until 80% due to the complexity and risk faced by Petronas to explore more depther
compared to usual. In Malaysia, the amount of petroleum left is for about 6.7 billion barrel of oil
with Peninsular Malaysia having 2.2 billion barrel of oil, while Sabah have 1.7 billion barrel of oil
and Sarawak have 2.8 billion barrel of oil.

Petroleum will give adverse effect to the marine life if the oil spills in bodies of water.
Thousands of animal death each year like fish and shrimp. On 2018, an incidents occur at
George Town. For about six tonnes of diesel and hundred litres of oil floated from Penang seas
towards Perak when a ship sank, threatening fish and shrimp farms and the coastal
environment along several kilometres of northern Perak’s coast (R.Sekaran, 2018). Another
incidents is occur at Miri on 2008 which a leakage of 13 km pipeline that lays between an oil
platform in the South China Sea and inshore Miri Crude Oil Terminal (Stpehen Then, 2008).
Presence of oil on fish can clog blowholes of marine mammal and makes them impossible to
breathe properly and disturb their capability to communicate (Larry West, 2019). Hypothermia is
potentially dangerous drop in marine mammal body temperature when oil coat fur of seals or
otters.
Figure 1: A ship sank in George Town and the oil spill is heading towards Perak. Retrieved from
https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/oil-spill-off-penang-threatens-perak-coast

Extraction of coal and combustion will lead to environmental hazardous impact.

There are many side effects of coal mining. One of the side effects is high level of greenhouse
gases are released to the air like methane and carbon dioxide which can contribute to the
depletion of ozone layer. As the ozone layer gradually thinning from time to time, the amount of
ultraviolet (UV) radiation to the earth’s surface increases (Danny Webbles, 2018). Radiation of
ultraviolet would give effect to human life like eye cataracts, skin cancer and immune system
damage. The earth also has potential to have global warming on destruction of ozone layer
which affect arctic ice sheet are melting faster.

The environment will get radioactive contamination as the coal contains of element like
uranium and radium released to the air. Even though the amount of this elemental element is
small, but it is significantly can produce dangerous levels of radioactive waste (Kevin
Hinton,n.d.). Another side effect of mining activities are air pollution and water pollution. Air
pollution is coming from the coal dust which is dangerous if the person inhaled for a long period.
Possibility to have “Black lung disease” is so risky which can lead to heart failure, lung cancer
and pulmonary tuberculosis. Regarding on coal mining issue at Sabah, the temperature rises for
about 1.5°C due to high amount of green house gases release to the atmosphere. For about
60% of carbon dioxide trapped in wood thus take the global warming slowly (Premilla Mohanlall,
2018)
 Next, industry of coal mining can effect loss of wildlife in surrounding areas. This process
is beginning with deforestation. Most all mining companies are literally want to access of mineral
wealth by destroying the entire forest. When deforestation happen, animal which live in the
forest will lose their shelter, home and food (Pegasus, 2017). Then, they will disturb the nearest
villages to find their own food or else they will be starving until death. This can lead to extinction
and endangerment of the entire species (Kevin Hinton, n.d.). The illegal deforestation also can
effect fauna in the forest which can harm population of special species in the forest.

Water loss also can be another of side effect of this industry. Water commonly exudes
into the area which contain valuable products. Water need to pump out of the mines so the
miner can do work inside it (Pegasus, 2017). This process can make water loss in the ground. It
is mentioned in (Pegasus, 2017) “some mines need to collect for use as a dust suppressant
which put more strain on local water supply”. Nearby residents that depends water supply from
well need to drill deeper to obtain the water supply and make them to have shortage supply of
water.

In order to solve this problem, using renewable energy is the best option for generating
electricity. Potential renewable energy in Malaysia is by using solar energy. Solar energy works
by capturing sun’s energy and turning it into electricity (Sunpower,n.d.). Sun directly emit 1.36
kW of energy per square meter to the earth (Kenneth J. Skipka et al, 2014). The sun released
photon which is tiny packets of energy which take a journey for about 93 million miles from sun
to the earth for about 0.142 hour. From the figure below, it show Malaysia receive amount of
energy for about 1700-1800 kWh/m2.
Figure 2: World Solar PV Energy Potential Maps. Retrieved from
https://britishbusinessenergy.co.uk/world-solar-map/

Figure 3: Schematic diagram of solar energy from by using principle of photovoltaic (PV).
Retrieved from http://sunfireplumbing.com/solar-thermal-vs-solar-photovoltaic/

Source of energy can be taken naturally without needs any reactor. Solar energy can
produce electricity by using principle of photovoltaic (PV) effect. When photon strikes to a panel
called semi-conductor, it will release electron. Once these electrons are created, there must be
an electric field which can produce electricity. From diagram above, PV solar panel generate
direct current electricity (Sunpower,n.d). and then flow through the inverter to let the electron
flow in one direction around the circuit. In the presence of alternating current (AC) will let the
electron are pushed and pulled, periodically reversing direction, much like the cylinder of a car’s
engine (Sunpower, n.d.).

In Malaysia, solar farm had been created to produce enough electricity for thousands of
homes and business (Solarvest, 2018). This solar farm usually selling the electricity to the grid
by approval of Sustainable Energy Development Authority (SEDA). The most resource efficient
solar farm in the world is in Ayer Keroh which can generate power approximately to 1800
houses every day. Another solar farm is at Gambang, Pahang that is the biggest solar farm in
Malasyia with area for about 116 hectares that can produce 50 MW and can generate power
approximately to 22000 houses (Fairuz Mohd Shahar, 2018). This solar farm will be operated
commercially on November 2019.
 Solar energy will give a lot of advantage and at the same time will have some of
disadvantage.
Advantage
Pollution free
Reduce consumption of fossil fuel
The renewable energy is available for
everyday
Return on investment
Virtually no maintenance for 30 years
Virtually no maintenance
Can be installed virtually anywhere
Safer than traditional electric current
Disadvantage
High initial costs for material
Needs lots of space as efficiency is not
100% yet
No solar power at night which needed a
large battery bank
Lower production in the winter months
Cloudy days do not produce much energy
Cloudy days do not produce much energy
Reference

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Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2011/mar/03/1970s-oil-price-
shock
2. National Geographic. (2013, 21 February). Non-renewable energy. Retrieved from
https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/non-renewable-energy/
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explained. Retrieved from https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/oil-and-petroleum-
products/prices-and-outlook.php
4. R.Sekaran. (2018, 27 July). Major oil spill heading towards Perak. Retrieved from
https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2018/07/27/major-oil-spill-heading-towards-
perak-states-fish-and-shrimp-farms-at-risk-as-fuel-floats-from-sunke
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oil-spill-off-miri#VxP8dLREI67UzSxU.99
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from https://www.thoughtco.com/environmental-consequences-of-oil-spills-1204088
7. Donald Webbles. (2011, 19 January). Ozone Depletion. Retrieved from
https://www.britannica.com/science/ozone-depletion
8. Premilla Mohanlall. (2018, 28 October). Coal? Think Again. Retrieved from
https://www.nst.com.my/opinion/columnists/2018/10/425775/coal-think-again
9. Kevin Hinton. (n.d.). 12 Environmental Effects of Coal Mining. Retrieved from
http://www.environment911.org/12_Environmental_Effects_of_Coal_Mining
10. Pegasus. (2017, 9 March). Effects of Mining on the Environment and Wildlife. Retrieved
from https://www.pegasusfoundation.org/effects-of-mining-environment-wildlife/
11. Kenneth J. Skipka, Louis Theodore. (2014). Energy Resources: Availability,
Management, and Environmental Impacts. New York: CRC Press
12. Gary. (2018, 20 April). Solar Thermal vs Solar Photovoltaic Technology. Retrieved from
http://sunfireplumbing.com/solar-thermal-vs-solar-photovoltaic/
13. Fairuz Mohd Shahar. (2018, 18 April). UiTM's solar photovoltaic plant in Gambang will
generate over RM650m revenue over 21 years. Retrieved from
 https://www.nst.com.my/business/2018/04/358836/uitms-solar-photovoltaic-plant-
gambang-will-generate-over-rm650m-revenue
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