KUCHING, May 20: Unpredictable weather patterns, which can significantly affect the growth cycle of microalgae, are among the key challenges facing the development of the plant project in Sarawak.
Sarawak Deputy Minister of Energy and Environmental Sustainability Datuk Dr Hazland Abang Hipni said such unpredictable weather patterns require continuous observation and monitoring to ensure an effective microalgae growth cycle.
“In addition, the project requires significant investment in technology, such as AI sensors, to replace manual labour in operating the process of producing high-quality microalgae,” he said in his reply to a question from Friday Belik (GPS-Krian) during the State Legislative Assembly sitting today.
He added that another challenge is to increase production to meet the world’s demand for bio-feedstock.
Responding to Friday’s supplementary question, Dr Hazland said Sarawak companies and individuals can participate in the microalgae industry by investing in its cultivation and harvesting.
He added that local companies and entrepreneurs could also explore opportunities in producing crude algal oil, alongside developing algal biomass for various uses such as animal feed, nutraceuticals, and pharmaceutical products.
“However, it must be emphasised that the project must be undertaken at an appropriate scale to ensure its viability and sustainability,” he added.
Apart from microalgae, he said the Sarawak Economic Development Corporation’s (SEDC) subsidiary, SEDC Energy Sdn Bhd, also plans to explore other sources for producing sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
“Among the potential sources are used cooking oil, seaweed, agricultural waste, and biomass,” he added. – TVS
