Kuala Lumpur: National utility company Tenaga Nasional Bhd has committed RM43 billion to upgrade the national grid infrastructure, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. He announced that the upgrade will incorporate artificial intelligence and battery energy storage systems to build greater resilience and flexibility for the future.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Anwar emphasized the need to invest in improving efficiency and reducing emissions within existing energy systems, noting that fossil fuels still account for nearly 80 percent of the global supply. He underscored that the transition must be anchored in equity to prevent deepening inequality, especially among the poor and vulnerable.
On the ASEAN front, Anwar highlighted the ASEAN Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Deployment Framework and Roadmap, which aims to streamline policies and facilitate the flow of capital and carbon across borders. Malaysia is contributing to this effort, having passed the Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage Bill 2025 to provide a regulatory foundation for the emerging sector.
Petronas is at the forefront, with plans to develop three CCS hubs in offshore waters, serving not only the oil and gas sector but also other industries. Malaysia’s CCS initiatives involve more than 10 international partners, including countries like Japan and South Korea and global energy firms such as Total and Shell. Petronas is also collaborating with ENEOS Corporation, Mitsubishi, and JX Nippon to explore carbon dioxide transportation and storage from the Tokyo Bay area to Malaysia. This positions CCS as a vital decarbonisation tool and a promising revenue stream for the region.
The Energy Asia 2025 conference, themed ‘Delivering Asia’s Energy Transition’, is taking place from June 16 to 18. It serves as an opportune moment for Malaysia and the region to review progress towards energy transition objectives and reinforce commitments to achieving net-zero goals. The conference is timely, occurring at a critical juncture in economic diversification and sustainable development as nations transition from traditional oil to renewable energy and embrace new technologies such as hydrogen and carbon capture.