The illustration that you will see is based on artistic impression for educational purpose only. Below is the video about the Art of War on Covid-19.

Let’s know our enemy

Our enemy is a virus named SARS-CoV-2, which is a shorten form of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2. It is ready known as Covid-19, or Coronavirus disease 2019.

It is not alone. It has a big family of Coronaviridae, in which covid-19 is in the group of Beta Coronavirus. The close notable relatives are the SARS-CoV of 2003 and MERS-CoV of 2012.

The current global pandemic is also known as Covid-19. It is first identified in December 2019 in Wuhan, China. Subsequently declared as global health emergency in 30th January 2020 by WHO. On 11 March 2020, WHO declares Covid-19 a global pandemic.

The common Skill effects by this virus is fever, dry cough, tiredness, aches and pains, sore throat, diarrhea, conjunctivitis, headache, loss of taste or smell and skin rashes.

It has remarkable damage achievement globally and locally.

Why you spread so fast one?

Once upon a time when the grass was green and the ground was relatively flat, the green bugs jump happily across the land. Every place it visited, there is more and more of its kind been jumping around.

When humans realize that it doesn’t bring happiness to the land, new question raised.

What strategy to prevent the spread?

Like a game, when the level was low, it is easy to pass a level. Those are time when humans don’t know anything about the green bug yet.

Human realized that it takes a specific path when it moves around. A new strategy of war is raised.

When it is still far …

Humans realized that by keeping a distance away from it will prevent it from passing on easily.

Introducing distance strategy.

Social distancing is one of the known distance strategies. If you can keep 1 meter apart from each other, the infection rate drops drastically. The more the distance, the lower the chance it can pass to the next level.

When it is getting closer …

Now it is in front of you. Humans realized that by setting up a barrier will prevent it from passing on easily.

Introducing barrier strategy.

Face mask, face shield is one of the known barrier strategies. If you keep on your face mask and/or face shield when meeting each other, the infection rate drops drastically.

When it is at your door step …

Now it is on you, but haven’t gets into your body. Humans realized that by cleaning frequently will prevent it from passing on easily.

Introducing clean strategy.

Hand wash, bath is one of the known cleaning strategies. If you clean your hands before and after meeting each other, or before and after touching any shared objects, the infection rate drops.

These three strategies are what formed the basic of standard operating procedure.

Barrier, Distance and Clean.

Face mask, social distancing and hand wash.

Sounds familiar?

But as usual, social distancing is not always done. The bug found a way to pass on.

Barrier is not always used correctly. The bug found a way to pass on.

Hand washing is not always practiced. The bug found a way to pass on.

This is when a new strategy been added. This strategy is now only possible. Barrier, Distance, Clean and Immunity.

Yes Immunity.

When it is already in your body …

Human realized that when the enemy is already in the body, let there be a battle royale.

Introducing immunity.

The army will have to fight the enemy, and that is immunity.

No one can use only one strategy to prevent the invasion. All four strategy must be used at the same time, and the invasion will be delayed or stopped.

What is immunity?

When any intruder come into human body, at first no one will recognize each other.

The enemy will say “hi”.

The guard will say “hi”.

And the master will say “he is clean”.

The enemy passed the guard unharmed.

After some time, more and more similar enemy appears.

This time the enemy creates significant damages.

The enemy will still say “hi”. The guard will say “hi” in alert. And the master is suspicious of the enemy identity.

The more the damage, the alert is built up and now a black listing message and authorizing attack is released by the masters. When the enemy come again and say “hi”, this time the guard already authorized for the attack. And the enemy shall not pass. No, cannot.

These are body immunity. There is the one who guard and attack, and there is the one who remember and call for attack. Both works together to protect the body.

Any of it should not be slept off or not doing their job. No guard means no attack. No memory means no attack. Both works together.

How to get immunity?

The first choice is to be a Covid-19 survivor.

The second choice is to be vaccinated against Covid-19.

The third choice is to be part of the herd immunity.

Let’s talk about becoming a Covid-19 Survivor.

They can only survive Covid-19 if their body already have the immunity against the Covid-19.

How they get the immunity is what we had discussed just now. Get infected, cause damages, body realized the enemy, authorize the attack, remember the enemy and counter attack any similar enemy in the future.

Be a covid-19 survivor is the hardest way. Provided you survived it, and it makes you stronger. Many survived it, and many not survived it.

What if we can shorten the body responds to the enemy when they encounter?

Be vaccinated against Covid-19.

One classical way vaccine worked is by introducing the body inactivated form of the enemy. Or dead enemy.

It is a learning lesson for the body immunity.

They detect, they recognize, they form the basic memory, and they remember what they had seen. Until next time they meet the real enemy, they already know the enemy and fight back early.

Some of the vaccines don’t work the same. They worked by introducing part of the virus into the body.

Part of the virus that don’t do harm but enough to recognize the enemy. It can in the form of message that makes the parts, or actual parts of the virus. These parts don’t have ability to grow active virus.

Something easy to recognize like a birth mark or in this case, the hand or legs of the virus.

Once the body recognize the part of the enemy, now the body will fight back once the mark of the invaders is detected in the upcoming enemy.

Be vaccinated against Covid-19 is the easier way, but provided you agree for it and fit for it.

You cannot be vaccinated if you are fit for it but not agree for it.

You cannot be vaccinated if you are agreed for it but not fit for it.

Covid-19 vaccination is once coming soon but now is available.

Been vaccinated is a privilege. There are always some people not fit for vaccination or need further consideration prior to receive the vaccine.

Hence Herd immunity is the next big thing. Be part of the Herd immunity.

Herd immunity and umbrella analogy

A simple analogy, if a group of people in the open field and no one have an umbrella, when rains come, all will be wet.

If only very few have umbrella, most of the people will still be wet.

If most of the people have umbrella, all will be safe, even some don’t have any.

Not everyone will have umbrella in any event, but with most of the people having umbrella, most If not all will have benefit of been protected.
This is herd immunity.

When herd immunity is achieved, the spread can be delay or limited.

The green is those who are having the immunity, while yellow is those who doesn’t have the immunity yet. The green form an invisible barrier protecting others.

When herd immunity is not achieved, the virus will still spread between the gap reaching potential people who don’t have the immunity.

So, be part of the herd immunity. The final aim, provided most if not all have immunity. Together we form an invisible barrier for those who are not fit for vaccine.

We vaccine our self so that we can protect others who are not fit for vaccine. We work together in the war on Covid-19, no one is left behind.

Which vaccine is the best?

It is the first vaccine you can get to inject. Together we reach a herd immunity faster.

So, after vaccine no need Standard Operation Procedure?

The straight answer is still, no!

It is a continuous process, until a day the virus is eliminated. Yup the 4 strategy still applies, Barrier, Distance, Clean and Immunity.

This is the Art of War on Covid-19.

The simplicity of solar power had made it easy to implement in small and large scale power generation project. The prerequisite of having a Solar PV farm is to have a space that have a good contact with sunlight, which including any open space from open desert, open field , on top of buildings and vehicles, with currently includes the Open body of water (river and sea).

Recently the Sarawak Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg has thrown a proposal to the LONGi Group of China (first integrated photovoltaic manufacturing base in a single location producing Mono Crystalline silicon ingots, wafers, cells and modules) to explore the possibility of developing floating solar parks at dams and rivers in the state.

Electricity is the technology and sector that is too big to fail in this modern world as we are dependent on electricity to run most part of our cities utility, transportation, daily routines and personal gadget. Lets find out how floating solar farms can be the next alternative in our quest for greener energy.

The Global Movement into floating Solar Farms

Floating Solar Farms is also known as Floating Solar Array,  Floating Solar Systems or Floatovoltaics.

Floating solar farm is not a new idea either. However due to its benefit of Floating Solar PV in compare with other placement of Solar PV (which will be discussed below), it had slowly gain popularity in China, India, the United Kingdom, and Japan, where there is limited roof and/or ground space available for installations.

Prior to 2014, there is only three floating solar farms that had gone online, however in past three years the number of successful installation and capacity are raising around the globe with more than 100 plants are going online. Approximately 80% of the top 70 floating solar farms are located in Japan.

China is actively involve in floating solar farms installation, with the world’s Top 3 largest floating solar is all belongs to China (as of early 2018). Currently the Largest Floating solar farm is 40 MW massive floating solar farm on top of an abandoned coal mine in China (Anhui province near the city of Huainan), with larger floating solar farm is still in construction.

Floating solar farm is still currently much dwaft in comparison to the even larger Land Based solar farm. The world largest land based solar farm falls to Tengger Desert Solar Park in China with 1,547 MW installed capacity on a 43 Kilometer square of land.

With the dropping of the price of silicon photovoltaics cells, the cost of ownership of a Solar Power facility is going to drop and become more affordable, in some area of the world, the cost to generate power from Solar had been drop to a level similar to the cost to generate power from traditional fossil fuels. It is a matter of time before the question of where to place a Solar Farm becomes more relevant than the question of will Solar Power cheaper than fossil fuel.

The Basic of Solar PV Power Generation

Before having another lengthy post of the Basic of Solar PV power generation, please look at our another article : A Quick Look in things to know before going Solar

The concept of Solar PV power generation is very simple. A light source with a sufficient energy hitting on a Photovoltaic material (solar cell) will cause the movement of electron, which adequate number of Solar Cells will work together to generate enough voltage to run a load, inverter or other devices.

To ensure a good solar to electricity efficiency, the solar cells must face the light source (the sun) if possible all times without issues of shading. There will be gain in efficiency if the solar cells is cool down.

The concept of cooling down solar cells during power generation have led to development of floating solar farms as  the evaporation and condensation of water from the water body can have significant cooling effects on the solar cells.

Solar PV installations – Ground or Water type ?

Ground based solar PV installations had been the tradition in solar PV installations, as it is easily scaled up as long as there is ground to spare.  In most habitable places, towns and cities, the land value will be too much to spend for solar farm building. Currently massive solar farms are located in the desert with miles and miles of vast inhabited land and a good source of sunlight. However desert storms can be unpredictable, which can up root solar panels and cover the panels with thick sand dust that reduces its efficiency. In some country, unused golf course and plains is used for solar panel installations, but when land is getting more scares and limited, those land will still be reclaimed for city expansion later.

With solar tariffs available to homes and buildings installation of solar panel, including the net metering and Feed In Tariff, the installation of roof top solar panels and building integrated solar panels are also on the raise. However due to other issues like limited optimal installation place, and expensive up front cost of installation, there is still many roofs are spared from solar panels. In ever growing cities, you will never know when will be the next sky scrapper project around your neighborhood that will shade your panels in the future.

Hence the new kind of solar farms are raising slowly, the floating solar farms. The concept is to build the space consuming solar farm on water body like river, reservoirs, lakes and sea. These water body are wide un-shaded area which is un-habited (as of now, very minority people will build houses and quarters on or in the water body). It is perfect for floating solar farm, but with a cache – solar panels don’t float on water, you will still need a long lasting flotation device below the panels to hold them.

Building a Floating Solar Farm

Building a floating solar farm is as easy as it may sound – A solar farms that floats – but the technical aspects can be complex in sense that the floating solar farms must kept afloat for decades without the costly panels sinking into the bottom of the lake or river.

You still can have a personal floating solar farm build with solar panels strap to a wooden raft, or anything that floats – not limited to logs, empty barrels, polystyrene boards etc. But in a utility scale solar farm construction, the manager will have a peace of mind if the method used to floats thousands of solar panels can stay safely afloat for at least 25-40 years, as the average lifespan of the panels are more than 25 years. Given that some reputable solar panels have power production warranty of 80% of its original power after 25 years of service, and many of the early generation solar panels manufactured 40 years ago are still in service.

In this section we will focus into the concept of flotation system rather than solar power generation as a whole. Generally the solar PV system of Ground or Floating types are the same. You still have the solar panels, wiring, circuit breakers, inverters etc.

To have floating solar farms, the flotation system need to have several of the following properties:

1. It must float. The flotation system will need to be able to hold the weight of the panels, frameworks, wiring and other associated inverter modules. The same technology used to build floating barge and ships can be used, not limited to ballast tank systems build from metal, composite, polymer, fiber glass, plastics etc.
2. It must stay afloat for decades. The material choose must withstand years of water damage and sun scorching. A material with long decay lifespan and possibly can be reused for other purpose.
3. It must not corrode or leak chemicals. It is important issue as corroding or materials that leech into the waters may cause environmental hazards and pollution risk to the drinking water or aquaculture it contains.
4. It must be easily secured. Anything that floats may adrift on water when there is water and air movement. Like ships have anchor to hold themselves in position in waters, these floating solar farms will need to have a specific anchoring mechanism that not only secure themselves in place, but also prevent frequent contact or knocking in between devices to prevent early material failure. It also must endure the raise and drop of water levels over time.
5. It must be modular. Modularity is one of the key concept in building a system with many identical units. It allows easy and fast manufacturing, quicker transportation and easy installation and easy swapping of faulty units.
6. It must be cost effective. Cost is a sensitive issue in all aspect. If the cost of the material to build a floating solar farm is many magnitude higher than the cost to purchase a land and build a ground based solar farm, the return from the project will be negligible, and will drive cost up for the end user.
7. Optionally it must be green. If you have a whole system that had a purpose towards green energy generation, but using a supporting system and materials that is harmful to the environment, it will be a contradicting approach.
8. Optionally it must have other usage. Like the old saying – kill two birds with one stone. A floating solar farms can have other functions to justify its cost. In some country, the floating solar farms are also seaweed farms and aquaculture farms. With sensor systems, it can act as a water quality control unit and climate study unit like a buoy in the sea. It also can used to mark out dangerous and shallow area of the rivers and lakes and prevent damage to the passing by ship hauls. Some of it will be discussed in the further section below.

Hence in the end, it will be a system that floats like a ship, tough like a tank, long lasting like a bottle in the sea, fix like a LEGO bricks … it is not impossible and we can had many technology borrowed from naval ship building, floating houses, floating seaweed farms, floating aquaculture etc.

The Benefits of Floating Solar Farms

There is many benefits of Floating Solar Farms that can be placed on rivers and lakes. Following are some of the benefits:

1. Acting as a barrier to prevent excessive evaporation of water (evaporation loss) . Although most of the Earth surface is covered with water, but humans and many other species only survive on freshwater only. These freshwater can be found in lakes, rivers, reservoirs, ice and permafrost.  Since freshwater is a limited resource, which is threaten by overpopulation, deforestation, agriculture, pollution, desertification etc, it is wise to protect these waters as much as we can. With accelerated global warming, more and more freshwater are evaporated from the fresh water body. With bigger dams and reservoir, there is increase in water surface area (reservoir area) exposed to the hot sun, which translate to an increase in water evaporation during day time. These substantial loss can amount to a lesser amount of water being hold in the reservoir and which also reduce the hydroelectric output potential over time. Traditionally other method such are plastic balls been release into the reservoir to prevent evaporation loss but it is not without a environmental consequences. Alternatively if we can built a floating solar farms across at least 50% of the reservoir surface, we can cut down the direct sunlight exposure induced evaporation loss in those area.

   

2. Cutting down habitable land usage. Land  price are constantly on the raise when the habitable land mass suitable for development are getting lesser and lesser. With much pressure from environmental conservation group and treaty, many Forest are slowly being protected and restricted from development. Building solar farms on habitable land (excluding solar farms that build in desert, but they also face other problems like sandstorms and excessive heat), sooner or later building a ground solar farms will be more expensive in cost, as these land are more suitable for city development and expansion. Hence nowadays, solar farms are moving towards inhabitable land , which includes deserts and water body (oceans, sea, river, lakes and reservoir) . With many massive hydroelectric dams and drinking water reservoir been build to meet the demand of the expansion of city population, many habitable land had also drowned under the water and being able to make them useful again is our priority. Massive reservoir created by these dams provide a static and calm water body for safe placement of floating solar panels.

   

3. Cutting down Algae and Water Weeds in reservoirs. When there is a large open surface water body with good sunlight exposure and enough micro nutrient in the water, it will be a good place for Algae and Water Weeds to grow. The good thing about these weeds is they provide ample food for aquaculture to feed on. However at places with runoffs from nearby agriculture land, excess of nutrients such as phosphates will cause Algae Bloom where the water will be rapid overgrowth with Algae in a short time. These Algae may die off after a short while causing a high concentration of dead organic matter that starts to decay and consumes dissolved oxygen in water which lead to large number of fish and marine animals dead. Some may even release toxin into the water. The algae population can be controlled and reduced by blocking sun light to the water body. The floating solar farm can offer a substantial blocking of sun lights to the waters.
4. Increase Solar Cell efficiency through passive cooling. Most solar cell perform much less efficiency under real life usage due to light condition and temperature. The higher the temperature, the output voltage will drop, translate to a drop in efficiency. Hence even you have a clear mid day sun light shining on your panels, but when the panels are heated up by the sun, it output efficiency will still be less than a cooled solar panel. Active cooling may be overkill, but passive cooling are also as efficacious. Some have claimed significant improvement of efficiency by 19% (up to 50%) with solar panel placed over water. Under heat of the day time sun, some amount of water will takes in the heat, and some of the water is evaporated to cool down the water. Water have to property to hold large amount of heat energy before it can raise its temperature (high specific heat capacity), in compare to metals, sand and other natural substances. The bigger the water body, the more resistance to temperature change. Since water is in close proximity with the back of the solar panel, hence the temperature can be better regulate with the properties of water body, in compare to solar panel placement in deserts and roof tops.

   

   

Floating solar farms in every water body ?

There is 78% of the world is covered with water, lets build floating solar farms in all of them ? can we ?

Before we jump into the hype of building floating solar farms in every water body on earth, let’s divide the water on earth. 96.5% of the water of earth is ocean, and only 2.5% is fresh water, in which 1.2% of the fresh water is surface water, in which 20.9% of the surface water are in lakes.

Can we build floating solar farms on ocean and seasides ? yes we can, but it is not without a threat. Saline water or salt water have corrosive properties on metal structure that use to hold the solar panels in place. Normal Aluminum frame solar panels will corrode if placed above saline water body. Special coating and composite materials will be needed. Nevertheless, massive saline water body like the seas and ocean is never without waves and turmoils. A sea storm or a Tsunami will destroy any floating solar farms. This will increase the cost of maintenance of the system over time. Not impossible but less feasible.

Rivers can be a place to install a floating solar, however most river systems and routes are important routes for water transport for passenger boats can cargo ships. Busy river might have a limited safety areas for floating solar construction.

Then it comes down to the remaining free water body – fresh water lakes , either forms naturally as a basin of water , or man made lakes for drinking water reservoir, hydroelectric dams and flood control & irrigation dams. These water body are contributed to < 1% of the earth's water surface. Water by any means can cause corrosive issue over a long time but fresh water is less corrosive than Saline water. There is less issues of waves and turmoils in a lake, which makes floating solar farm suitable in this water body. In the current existing reservoirs and lakes, there are already been used for many purpose, including flood control, recreation and aquaculture purpose, adding a floating solar farm will increase its wise utilization of existing resources. However if a lake or reservoir is designated as a tourist attraction, recreational purpose and major water transportation route, the adding of floating solar farm may have significant negative impact on existing activity. Hence it is impossible to place floating solar farms on every single water body.

Floating Solar Farms, a possible redemption of the damages done by Hydroelectric

Sarawak have two largest Hydroelectric dams (Bakun and Murum Dam) in Malaysia. The two dams are at the top of the list of Hydroelectric dams in Malaysia, which have the combined power generation capacity more that the total power generated from the others dams in Malaysia combined.

More information about the Hydroelectric dams in Sarawak, Please read our other article : The Two Dams – Bakun VS Murum – and Beyond.

With the completion of another massive dam – Baleh Dam – in Sarawak, it is undeniable that Sarawak is the specialist in Hydroelectric in the region, however it also signify that many precious land mass and forest resource is under water.

The massive reservoir creates opportunity for fresh water fish and prawn aquaculture, however many still unsatisfying with the amount of land under water which can’t be used.

A floating Solar farm can be an alternative answer to the massive reservoir issue. Solar Farm can be build across the larger section of the massive reservoir and forms an alternative power supply to the region or near by villages.

It is part of the quest of greener energy generation where multiple sources are combined to generate a sustainable energy to the region. The sun heats the ground and create raising vapor that forms the cloud. The cloud then cast a rainfall to the natural basin that collects all rain water into the reservoir that forms the potential energy that runs the Hydroelectric turbine. Similarly, the sun light can power up the photovoltaic cells to generate electricity.

Both the Hydroelectric and the Photovoltaic will supply the two different demands of the day. At Daytime, the photovoltaic will function as a power source to meet the Day demand, while at night, the dam reservoir that acts like a battery will supply the electricity at night. Photovoltaic can also be optimised to power up close by village and towns while Hydroelectric will responsible for cities and area further away.

A side note: There is no limitation on tapping on the third source of power from the same place – Methane emission power. Although it is not as green as it is, however Methane gas emission from the biological rich yet oxygen deprivation deep waters of tropical dams have 20 times more green house effect than carbon dioxide alone. Burning off Methane will produce carbon dioxide which is less harmful to environment.

Diversifying Energy Profiles

Electricity is a technology too great to fail. Every time a blackout strikes a city, the whole city will grounded to a halt. Communications fails, transport grounded, Utilities halted, Industrial and Commercial activity ceases, Millions of dollars vaporized and panic starts.

Most of our electrical utility grid is a complex backbone network of energy backups. In Sarawak, we have electricity generated from multiple source, mainly Hydroelectric, Diesel power stations, Combined cycle and open cycle Natural Gas power stations and Coal power plant. However having a Floating Solar Farm will adds into the electricity security of the region.

Beyond the Floating Solar Potentials

Floating Solar Farms, not only been capable to produce clean electrical energy, but also have the potential to combine with other floating technology to expand its capability.

It is all up to your creativity on how to innovate it. The creation is endless.

Some of the ideas are as follows:

1. Floating Solar Farm with Aquaculture Farm. The floating solar farm can form a floating structure to hold and enclose your floating fish farm too.
2. Floating Solar Farm with artificial coral reefs. Attaching a hollow framework act as a artificial coral reefs below the floating solar farm can allow safe breeding of fishery.
3. Floating Solar Farm with seaweed farming. Seaweed farm can be attached to a floating solar farm and why not.
4. Floating Solar Farm with advance sensory device. Attaching sensory device across the Floating Solar Farm allows data collection from water temperature, atmospheric pressure changes, water level, water quality and conductivity etc. These data collected from large area across the reservoir will allow complex simulations to predict weather patterns, reservoir volume and even life dynamics in the reservoir.
5. Floating Solar Farm with Crypto Mining Rig. It is not impossible to have a underwater crypto currency mining rig, since the large water body can cool down these heat producing machines effectively and the Solar powered will produce unlimited power during day time. Well, this idea don’t benefit those who seek for profit as it will not run during sun down and the high upfront cost don’t provide good return of investment.

The Conclusion

Floating Solar Farms is a viable technology to be apply in our Hydroelectric Dam Reservoir and Lakes. However there is still many hurdle to pass and many research need to be done to make it an actual implementations in our region.

We are also looking forward for more great green movements around the globe, pioneer by great country such as China, Japan, India, German, and Americans.

The younger generations can take this as a challenge in their quest for green sustainable renewable energy.

So how you going to start a solar PV system ? What you should know before you even install them. Lets find out in our General Guide on Solar Photovoltaic.

Table of Content:

• Introduction
• Chapter 1: Know your Sun
• Chapter 2: Know your Earth
• Chapter 3: Know the sun’s movements
• Chapter 4: Know where to face your solar PV panels
• Chapter 5 : Know Your Sun Hours
• Chapter 6 : Know Your Solar PV System
• Chapter 7 : Know Your Load
• Chapter 8 : Know Your Solar PV Cells and Panels
• Chapter 9 : Know Your Solar PV Cells performance under the heat
• Chapter 10 : Know the effect of partial shading
• Chapter 11 : Know Your Solar PV Panels Mounts and Supports
• Chapter 12 : Know Your Solar Wiring
• Chapter 13 : Know when to go series or parallel solar PV array
• Chapter 14 : Know Your Solar Charge Controller
• Chapter 15 : Know Your Battery
• Chapter 16 : Know Your Inverters
• Chapter 17 : Know how to monitor your Solar PV power output
• Chapter 18 : Know Your Solar PV lifespan and maintenance
• Chapter 19 : Know Your Local Feed In Tariff and Renewable Energy Incentives
• Chapter 20 : Know your local authority
• Chapter 21 : Consult the experts
• Solar Photovoltaic Resources in Malaysia

Related Article: Photovoltaic – Harvesting the Power of the Sun

Below is some of the infographic of our Solar Photovoltaic Guide. These general guide if for your referrences only on considerations that you may face or make when going Solar Powered ! Have fun and support our cause for green renewable power generation !

Going Solar Chapter 1: Know your Sun

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Going Solar Chapter 2: Know your Earth

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Going Solar Chapter 3: Know the sun’s movements

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Going Solar Chapter 4: Know where to face your solar PV panels

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Going Solar Chapter 5 : Know Your Sun Hours

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Going Solar Chapter 6 : Know Your Solar PV System

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Going Solar Chapter 7 : Know Your Load

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Going Solar Chapter 8 : Know Your Solar PV Cells and Panels

More information about each cell types can be found in our another article: Photovoltaic – Harvesting the Power of the Sun.

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Going Solar Chapter 9 : Know Your Solar PV Cells performance under the heat

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Going Solar Chapter 10 : Know the effect of partial shading

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Going Solar Chapter 11 : Know Your Solar PV Panels Mounts and Supports

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Going Solar Chapter 12 : Know Your Solar Wiring

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Going Solar Chapter 13 : Know when to go series or parallel solar PV array

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Going Solar Chapter 14 : Know Your Solar Charge Controller

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Going Solar Chapter 15 : Know Your Battery

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Congratulation if you had read until here. The list is non-exhaustive and more detail informations in the subsequent articles. Enjoy reading !

It had comes to the last day of the year 2017. An eventful year had comes to an end. The new year will be arrived when the midnight bell struck 12.

The year 2017 is allot of happenings in both local and internationally, which some are joys while others are hurts. Lost in great leaders, Lost of lifes, Local and Global conflicts, Politics and Financial turmoils, Fears of natural disasters, and the list goes on and on.

The 2018 will be a year full of hope, dreams and anticipation. There is great plans in mind and bucket list full of pending dreams to complete. Take a deep breath, make a new year wish, and it will be a better day tomorrow.

Public Holiday and School Holidays in Sarawak of year 2018

The Public holiday and School Holidays calendar had been out some time, have you had any plans ahead? We have a simple calendar below for your reference.

Great Destination ahead – Visit Miri Year 2018

Year 2018 is Visit Miri Year in Sarawak ! so plan early for your flight to Miri while seats are selling fast.

The tagline is ‘Discover Miri, Uniquely Borneo’. It will be a great spin-off towards local landmark and natural tourism, cultural, hotels and accommodation, and also food industry.

Many events will be taking place throughout the year 2018 in Miri Tourism City. The most spectacular is the Miri Mat Fest which will be taken place in month of May. Not to forget that the countdown event to the launching of Visit Miri Year 2018 at Marina Central Park on Dec 31 2017.

Some 30 events have been proposed for VMY 2018, including

• Opening Ceremony of Miri Handicraft Centre
• Sarawak Native Festival
• Miss Grand Miri Pageant
• Miri pet expo
• Miri Mural Art Exhibition
• Malaysia Dragon Temple Krokop 5 – 40th Anniversary
• International Confrence on Sustainable Building Asia (SBE2018)
• Southeast Asia Poet Convention
• Borneo Jazz Festival 2018
• Miri Color Rush Run 2018
• Afro Latin Confrence
• International Deep Sea Fishing Tournament
• 11th Miri City Day
• Miri International Marathon
• Miri Country Music Festival
• reunion events for Curtin University, Shell and Petronas

There is various daily flights available to Miri Tourism City with offers by Malaysian Airlines, Air Asia and Firefly Airline. Book your dates and flight now.

Not to forget that Miri App had been launched featuring comprehensive information on tourist attractions, eateries, accommodation and transportation facilities across the city and its surrounding areas.

Available in both Android and IOS

Download from google play store.

Download from Apple itunes store

Great Events ahead in the Year 2018

Wondering what events will be unfolding in the new year ahead in Sarawak ? Sarawak Tourism Board have a good list of events that you might interested.

• Kuching Heritage Race 2018 (January 27, 2018) @ Kuching ,Sarawak
• Miri AfroLatin Fiesta 2018(March 2, 2018 – March 4, 2018) @ Meritz Hotel, Bintang Megamall, Miri
• Miri Marathon 2018 (March 18, 2018) @ Miri
• World Harvest Festival 2018 (April 27, 2018 – April 29, 2018) @ Sarawak Cultural Village, Kuching
• Miri May Fest 2018 (May 1, 2018 – May 31, 2018) @ Miri
• Sibu Street Art Festival (May 5, 2018 – May 12, 2018) @ Sibu
• Miri City International Deep Sea Fishing Tournament 2018 (May 10, 2018 – May 13, 2018) @ Miri
• Borneo Jazz Festival 2018 (May 11, 2018 – May 12, 2018) @ Parkcity Everly Hotel, Miri
• Gawai Carnival Redeems 2018 (May 25, 2018 – May 26, 2018) @ Redeems Centre, Bau Kuching
• Lun Bawang Festival (Irau Aco) (June 1, 2018 – June 3, 2018) @ Dataran Bandar Lawas, Lawas
• Borneo Cultural Festival 2018 (July 19, 2018 – July 28, 2018) @ Sibu Town Square, Sibu
• Kuching Marathon 2018 (August 12, 2018) @ Padang Merdeka, Kuching

Great Movies ahead in the Year 2018

Year 2018 will be another year full of anticipation. Trailers of up coming movies makes us drool in excitements.

Some of the Great Anticipated movies for the year 2018 are:

• Maze Runner: The Death Cure (January 2018)
• Day of the Dead: Bloodline (January 2018)
• Insidious: The Last Key (January 2018)
• Black Panther (February 2018)
• Pacific Rim Uprising (March 2018)
• Tomb Raider (March 2018)
• Wreck-It Ralph 2 (March 2018)
• Avengers: Infinity War (April 2018)
• Deadpool 2 (May 2018)
• Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (June 2018)
• The Incredibles 2 (June 2018)
• Ocean’s 8 (June 2018)
• Mission: Impossible 6 (July 2018)
• Ant-Man and the Wasp (July 2018)
• Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (July 2018)
• Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation (July 2018)
• The Predator (August 2018)
• The Equalizer 2 (August 2018)
• X-Men: Dark Phoenix (November 2018)
• Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (December 2018)

Ready your popcorn and your tickets at your nearby cinemas available. For more information, stay tune on the listing at your nearest cinemas.

Notable Cinemas in Sarawak includes :

• Golden Screen Cinemas
  CityOne Mega Mall, Kuching
  Bintang Megamall, Miri
• TGV Cinemas
  Vivacity Megamall, Kuching
  Imperial City Mall, Miri
• MBO Cinemas
  Spring Mall, Kuching
• mmCineplexes
  Riverside Kuching, Kuching
  Summer Mall, Kuching

They are magical technology that convert the sunlight into electricity to store or power other devices including artificial lights. So whats wonderful about them ? How it works ? How it is made ? Lets find out.

Photovoltaic

“Photo” means lights, or photons or electromagnetic waves in the spectrum of persivable light. “Volt” means electrical potential diffrence, which cause the flow of electrons and generate current – electricity.

Photovoltaic means materials that can exhibit movement of electron when been hit by a light source (natural or artificial source with sufficient wavelength and energy).

The operation of a photovoltaic (PV) cell requires three basic attributes:

• The absorption of light, generating either electron-hole pairs or excitons.
• The separation of charge carriers of opposite types.
• The separate extraction of those carriers to an external circuit that complete the circulation of electrons.

In Photovoltaic Cells there two distinctive different group, namely single junction and multi junction cells.

Single junction solar cells have just one p-n (Positive-Negative) junction, while multi junction solar cells have more than one p-n junction. p-n junction are boundary between two semiconductor materials, where one of it is electron rich semiconductor (N-type) while the other one is electron depleted (P-type).

Single Junction and Multi Junction Photovoltaic Cell

Single junction Photovoltaic cells are found in most conventional solar cells available in the market. Crystalline Silicon solar cell (mono and poly) is one of the great example.

The pure silicon that is doped (add with trace amount of impurity) with Boron will form the P-Type semiconductor while the pure silicon that is doped with Phosphorus will form the N-Type Semiconductor.

When the photons in the sunlight hit the solar cell and removes an electron from the n-region (with high electron concentration), the dislodged electron escapes from this region, and through a circuit, reaches the p-region (low electron concentration). This flow of electrons constitutes the electricity.

The highest theoretical efficiency possible with a single junction solar cells is about 34% (Shockley Queisser Efficiency Limit). More information about the efficiency is at the next few chapter.

In quest for higher efficiency photovoltaics, multiple layer of p-n junction is created by stacking multiple layer of different p-type and n-type semiconductor. This allow a wider spectrum of light energy being able to be converted into electricity.

Different semiconductor material such as Gallium indium phosphide (GaInP), gallium indium arsenide (GaInAs), and germanium (Ge) are used. Each of these semiconductors uses a different wavelength range of sunlight to generate electricity.

Types of Solar Cell

The most common is the Crystalline Silicon (c-Si) type. As the name indicated, it is made from silicon crystals. It occupy nearly 90% of the current solar usage in the market. however there is many type of solar panel out in the market. It is all differ by its build material and forms.

First we look at the two most common Silicon Solar Photovoltaics – Monocrystalline and Polycrystaline Photovoltaics.

Mono-Crystalline Silicon Solar PV (Monocrystaline Solar Cells) – The most efficient Silicon based solar cells, which is made from wafer from a artificially grown single silicon crystal via Czochralski process. It have the highest purity, appears dark and uniform and usually have a distinct feature of cut edges as four sides are cut off from a crystal ingot (cylyndrical in nature) to form a uniform wafer. It performs better in warm temperature and low light, with efficiency ranging 15-22%. It is also more expensive that polycrystaline solar cells.

Poly-Crystalline Silicon Solar PV (Polycrystaline Solar Cells) – The most economical Silicon based solar cells. It is known as polysilicon (p-Si) and multi-crystalline silicon (mc-Si). The distinct patchy feature is due to multiple interlocking silicon crystals that a grown together. Czochralski process is not used, instead the molten silicon is poured into a square mold to form the crystal. Hence it is less purity and cheaper to produce. Slightly less efficient than monocrystaline, expecially in higher heat, and have efficiency of 13-18%. To make up for the slightly less efficiency, poly solar will have larger areas than mono for panels compared with same wattage. Moreover newer poly panels had efficiency that can compete with mono panels.

Next we look at other variance of solar cells in the market – Thin Film Solar Cells.

Thin-Film Solar Cells (TFSC) – Instead of using classical silicon crystals (crystals are thick, hard but brittle and will crack under bending pressure), photovoltaic materials is deposited very thinly on a backing substrate, making it more light and flexible. Thin-film panels simple to manufacture, appear homogeneous and looks appealing, and flexible. Efficiency variable depends on photovoltaic materials. Thin-film panels can be constructed from a variety of materials, with the main options being amorphous silicon (a-Si), the most prevalent type, cadmium telluride (CdTe) and copper indium gallium selenide (CIS/CIGS).

• Amorphous Silicon (a-Si) Solar Cells – Instead of Silicon crystals, Silicon is deposited very thinly (very little ammount of silicon – around 1%) on a backing substrate (e.g glass and plastics) . However it is less efficient at around 7% – 9% (best reserarch cell efficiency 13.4%). It can be found in small consumer electronics like the solar powered calculator.
• Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) Solar Cells – a cheaper alternative. It had surpassed the cost-efficiency of crystalline silicon solar panels. The efficiency of solar panels based on cadmium telluride usually operates in the range 9-11% (best reserarch cell efficiency 19.0%). However due to its cost-efficiency, It is being used in multi-kilowatt systems, if land area is not an issue. It occupy 43% of the thin film market shares. Anyway,  Cadmium is highly toxic.
• Copper Indium Gallium Selenide (CIS/CIGS) Solar Cells – It can use substrate like glass or other flexible substrate. The efficiency rates for CIGS solar panels typically operate in the range 10-12 % (best reserarch cell efficiency 20.4%). It have the highest efficency of the thin films categrory but it is most expensive of the three.

Building-Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) is another upcoming solar technology. It is more like a hybrid or intergration (either crystaline silicon or thin film or both) of solar technology into parts of a building instead of a stand alone solar panel. Facades, roofs, windows, walls and many other things which have contact with sunlight can be combined with photovoltaic material. They are like power generating ninjas, not totally stealthy but more appealing than traditional approach.

How a solar cell is made ?

Wondering how the solar cells are made ? It is a complex and yet wonderful concept. We take an example of how to make a Monocrystalline Solar Cell. Althought silicon is abdundant on earth (most common element in the universe), and sand is mainly silicon, but obviously you can’t make solar at home. It all back to how to artificially grow a crystal via Czochralski Process.

Czochralski process is a method of crystal growth used to obtain single crystals (semiconductors, metals and gemstones). High purity polysilicon (only a few parts per million of impurities – formed after reduction and purification of silicon dioxide quartz) is melted in a high purity vacumme crucible around 1500 degrees Celsius.

During this time dopant impurity can be added to the molten silicon to dope (modify its electrical properties of the material) the silicon. A common dopant for n-type silicon (electron concentration more than hole concentration) is Phosphorus. A common dopant for p-type silicon (hole concentration more than electron concentration) is Boron.

A pure silicon rod at the end of a shaft act as a seed crystal will be dipped into the molten silicon and slowly pull up while rotating anticlockwise. The silicon crystal will slowly grow on the seed via uniform deposition of silicon, forming a large cylindrical crystal (or called Boule or Silicon Ingot) below which may weight 200-700kg. The rate of pull, rotation and cooling (temperature gradient) will determine the quality and the size of the crystal formed. This process can takes weeks to months, and accounts for one third of the cost of the monocrystalline solar cell production.

The silicon ingot is later been ground to a specific diameter and sliced with a diamond saw into specific configuration. 125 mm by 125 mm wafers produced from ingots that are approximately 150 mm in diameter, and 156 mm by 156 mm wafers  produced from ingots that are approximately 200 mm in diameter. The odd shape of Monocrystaline solar cells with cut edges is mainly because the maximum usable squared surface is determined from a circle to minimize excessive silicon loss.

Later the silicon ingot is sliced to form silicon wafer by wire saw. It is called wafering. It gone through various process to make a solar cell from a wafer.

1. precheck and pretreatment :- to select good wafer with specified geometric shape and thickness conformity.
2. Texturing :- Random pyramid texture is etched on the surface to reduce reflective loss of incident light.
3. Acid cleaning :- to remove post texturing particle remains from the surface.
4. Diffusion :- adding dopant to the silicon wafer to make it electrically conductive. For example a pre-doped p-type boron wafer is given a negative (n-type) surface by diffusing them with a phosphorous source at high temperature, creating the positive-negative (p-n) junction.
5. Etching & Edge Isolation :- to remove undesired electrical path formed by n-type phosphorus diffuses around wafer edge and the back.
6. Post-Etching washing :- remove all particle residues from the etching.
7. Anti-Reflective coating deposition :- to reduce surface reflection and increase amount of light absorbed.
8. Contact printing and Drying :- Metal inlines are printed on both side of the wafer to create ohmic contacts. Sintering furnance is used to solidify the dry metal paste on the wafer. After drying the wafer can be called solar cells.
9. Testing & Cell sorting :- The solar cells is tested under simulation lights and sorted out according to efficiency and grades.

In a polycrytalline solar cell manufacturing, it also underwent the similiar process above, but without Czochralski Process. The high purity polisilicon is crushed and melted, directly cast into square multicrystalline ingots. Without Czochralski Process, the process is much faster and cuts down 20-30% of the cost comparing polycrystalline and monocrystalline.

The Photovoltaic Growth

The United States is the inventor and pioneers of modern solar photovoltaics. It had being the major lead in 1954-1996. American engineer Russell Ohl at Bell Labs patented the first modern solar cell in 1946. The first practical crystalline silicon cell was developed in 1954. Since then the cell efficiency was improved.

Subsequently Japan took the lead as the world’s largest producer of PV electricity in 1997-2004.

Germany took the lead in 2005-2014. The introduction of the Renewable Energy Act in 2000 making renewable energy being piriotise on the grid. Many had invest in the renewable technology causing raise in PV instalations. In 2016 Germany’s installed PV capacity was over the 40 GW mark.

China start to involve in the PV solar industry in the early 2010. China surpassed Germany’s capacity by the end of 2015, becoming the world’s largest producer of photovoltaic power until today and continue growing.

Due to global demand of Photovoltaic increase, maturing of silicon wafer manufacturing, and increasing in number of silicon wafer production plants, the Photovoltaic is become more and more consumer affordable.

The myth behind solar efficiency

The Earth receives 174 petawatts (PW) of incoming solar radiation at the upper atmosphere. Approximately 30% is reflected back to space while the rest is absorbed by molecules in the atmosphere such as Ozone, Oxygen, and Water, before the sun light reach the sea level.

Solar efficiency basically tells how much rate of the energy of the light been captured and converted to electricity in a square meter.

However there is a limitation of how much photon that a photovoltaic semiconductor material can actually absorbed and turn into electrical energy. Photons which have lower energy (longer wavelength) will not be absorbed. Only photons with energy higher than the bandgap energy can knock off the electrons by creating electron-hole pair in a photovoltaic material and generate electricity, however excess energy from the photon will be converted to heat.

This put to a theoretical maximum efficiency limit of a solar cell with a single p-n junction is able to collect. It is known as Shockley Queisser Efficiency Limit or SQ Limit. The limit places maximum solar conversion efficiency around 33.7% assuming a single p-n junction with a band gap of 1.34 eV (using an AM 1.5 solar spectrum).

AM 1.5 solar spectrum is commonly used as major solar installations and industry lie in temperate latitudes (Europe, China, Japan, the United States of America, northern India, southern Africa and Australia.)

To increase the efficiency of a solar cell beyond the SQ Limit, usually multiple junction solar cells is needed. Others innovation including solar concentrator and quantum dots are used but comes with a higher cost.

Concentrated photovoltaic with multi junction solar cells had reach a solar cell efficiency of more than 44 per cent. However due to cost and complexity, it is still out of reach for normal consumer market.

After we understand that monocrystalline is better efficiency than polycrystalline and thin film, does that means lets go and all buy mono crystalline panels and forget the rest ? The answer is no.

A 100watt rated poly crystalline panel produced the nearly the same amount of power output in comparison to a 100watt rated mono crystalline panel, but the poly crystalline panel will be bigger in surface compared to the mono crystalline panel to output the same amount of power. Thin film panel will be even bigger in surface to gain the same power output (depends on the photovoltaic materials used).

The decision on which panel to choose will depends on where are we putting the panels. In a small house with a small roof, it will wise to get a very high efficiency solar panel to get the most out of it. Obviously it come with a higher price tag. However if you have a whole grass land to spare for your solar project, you can easily get the same output with very cheap very low efficiency solar panel, but a coverage of more areas.

Tidal Bore is a Nature Wonder. Not all coast have a tidal bore, lets find out how this tidal bore is unique and how it is formed.

Anyway the Tidal Bore festival is just around the corner, welcome to the humble town of Sri Aman to witness the grand festival on November 3rd to 5th 2017.

The Sun, The Moon, The Earth and The Tide

All around the world the sea level rises and falls every day with the tides. It can vary from time to time, and usually affected by various factors such as the gravitational pull from the significant planet body like the sun and the moon, the atmospheric pressure systems, the current direction of the ocean, the underlying bathymetry of the ocean floor and the rotation of the earth itself.

In different places, sea level changes differently. In the Mediterranean the tides are small. Along parts of the Atlantic and Pacific coasts their rise and fall can be extreme.

Tides are mainly caused by the combining gravitational pull of the sun and the moon in relation to forces created by the spin of the earth. This creates a predictable “time table” for a raising tide or receding tide.

It is important to understand that water is actually a “loose” body and it flows freely in response to a force. Like a bowl of round beads, tilting the bowl will make the free moving beads to responds and move towards a greater force acting on it – the gravity.

Every object with mass will exist a gravity interaction with nearby mass. The Sun is the largest and heaviest planet in the solar system, it have its gravitational pull on all the other planets and asteroids so that all move steadily around it. However due to its distance from the Earth, and the Earth have its own gravitational pull which is closer and stronger in relative to the sun, the Earth water is not pull into the sun.

Earth have a moon which also have gravitational pull on the earth water which acts similarly.

The relative location of the Sun, the Moon and the Earth will cause the water to raise and fall accordingly. The sea level will be the highest (spring tides) when the pull of the moon and the sun are in line (at new and full moon)

The spin of the earth makes earth a oblate spheroid with flatter poles and bulging equator. This effect on land mass also affects the sea level. The sea level is highest at the equator than the poles due to earth rotation.

Tidal Bore

A tidal bore is a rare natural phenomenon in which an incoming tide creates a wave of water that travels up along a river or a narrow bay causing water to flow against the river’s current. It is seen as a rapid rise in tide with advancing water forms a abrupt front.

All famous tidal around the world have their unique names:

• aegir (Trent River, England)
• benak (Batang River, Malaysia)
• mascaret (Seine River, France)
• pororoca (Amazon River, Brazil)
• silver dragon (Qiantang River, China)

Tidal Bore are less predictable than Sea Tides.  Some tidal bores happens everyday, e.g. Benak at Batang Lupar Sarawak; while others happens during spring tides (Tides are strongest during new moons and full moons), e.g. Pororoca of Amazon River.

The world’s largest tidal bore occurs along the Qiantang River in Hangzhou, China, where tides reach up to 30 feet and travel at up to 40 kilometers per hour. The tidal bore happens during the spring tide with every full moon, strongest in the fall.

Tidal Bore in Asia

There are few rivers in Asia that tidal bore known to exist.

• Ganges–Brahmaputra, India and Bangladesh
• Indus River, Pakistan
• Sittaung River, Burma
• Qiantang River, China
• Batang Lupar or Lupar River, near Sri Aman, Malaysia.
• Batang Sadong or Sadong River, Sarawak, Malaysia.
• Bono, Kampar River, at Meranti Bay, Pelalawan, Indonesia.
• Styx River, Queensland
• Daly River, Northern Territory

The formation of Tidal Bore

The development of tidal bores depends on a number of factors:

• Wind direction – The tidal bore will be smaller is it is flowing against a strong wind due to the effect of air pressure on the water.
• Depth of the river – the river must be shallow, the estuary (place where the freshwater river meets the saltwater sea) must be wide and flat.
• Tidal range – the difference between high and low tides must at least 6 meters (about 20 feet).
• Funneling effect – the wider and shallow estuary act as a inlet of the funnel, channeling water into the narrower river, where the water rises to compensate for the influx of volume, which effectively increase the tidal range. The funnel effect decrease the duration of the flood tide, causing a appearance of sudden increase in the water level.
• Human activities – It can change or even remove tidal bores. mascaret of France is one of the famous example. It was eliminated via river management (canals, dams, irrigation, dredging) as it was seen as a disaster, causing loss of ships and destroy docks.

A tidal bore is a surge of tidal origin, which means there is abrupt changes in flow depth. A abrupt increase in flow depth is called a positive surge , which leads to the formation of a tidal bore. A positive surge looks like a moving hydraulic jump. More about hydraulic jump are explained below.

Once the tidal bore is formed at the estuary, the positive surge will be stable and self perpetuating, and able to travel long distance upstream depending on the appropriate boundary conditions.

Types of tidal bore

A tidal bore may take on two basic forms:

1. a single breaking wavefront with a roller, somewhat like a hydraulic jump. This usually happens in shallow water with smooth and gentle slope which creates a faster flow of the river current towards the sea. The fast flow is abruptly slowed (rapid deceleration) at the intense turbulent shock-wave-like front, creating an increase in height of water after the jump.

   

2. Undular bores which comprising a smooth wavefront followed by a train of secondary wave (whelps). Usually appears like a propagating ripple. It is happen in waters that is relatively deep and the change of elevation is small.

   

The shape of the bore is a function of the surge Froude number. For Froude numbers between 1 and 1.3 to 1.5, the bore exhibits an undular profile. For larger Froude numbers, the surge has a breaking front. The energy is usually dissipated as a roller at the front.

The Roar of Tidal Bore

The tidal bore is usually associated with a roar of aggressive tidal wave, which can be heard from minutes to hours before the tidal bore appears (Sound travel faster than water waves) and even hours after the tidal bore. The low frequency roar rumble can travel far away. The roar is caused by the turbulence in the bore front and whelps and the sound of wave hiting against obstacles along the way.

The above video is an example showing the Roar of Benak. It is recorded with a stereo microphone at a fix volume. If you have a good pair of stereos, you might even hear the roar from far, and hear it sweep below your feet.

Tidal Bore of Sarawak – Benak

The Tidal Bore occurrence of Sarawak is greatly due to its geographic feature along the cost. At the Southern part of Sarawak, there is a huge funnel shaped coast between Kuching and Sibu.

The tidal waves is greatly influenced by the funnel shaped coast, causing a great tidal range at the three rivers near the apex of the funnel. The three rivers are Batang Sadong, Batang Lupar and Kuala Saribas.

Out of the three, the Tidal bore occurance is known to occur at Batang Sadong and Batang Lupar due to its wide shallow river. The Batang Lupar tidal bore being the famous for frequent tidal bore ocurrance, in fact two times a day during higher tide peaks, with two peaks a month during Full Moon and New Moon.

The bathymetry (topography of the underwater land mass) is unique, allowing the great tidal force transmitted all the way deep into the inland river. It is wide, mostly straight and shallow all the way to pulau seduku, a lone island in the center of the Batang Lupar river.

The Sri Aman Tidal Bore – Benak, usually start to appear at Pulau Seduku, Bakong and travel up to 45 km passing Sri Aman Town till it ended somewhere at Berangan. Some local also believe the movement of the bore ended as far as Engkelili, 47 km from Sri Aman Town.

The Taman Panorama Benak or the Tidal Bore Park by the River in Sri Aman is designed specifically for visitors to have a good view of the incoming Tidal Bore at an angle or near 45 degrees from your left. It is located at the Historic Fort Alice ( built by Charles Brooke in 1864) site. The park also won an international honour at the Arcasia Award for Architecture for its unique spiral walkways designs. The Architect, Mike Boon says the spiral form of the walkways resembling the midin or paku (local wild fern), which wind down a seven meters slop gracefully, with a sunken courtyard allowing natural light, cross-ventilation and a sweeping view of the Batang Lupar river. This landmark building is the home of the Anual Tidal Bore Festival – Pesta Benak.

Pesta Benak – The Annual Tidal Bore Festival of Sri Aman

Every year, in the peaceful town of Sri Aman, there is a festival that is Sarawak’s Iconic events celebrated on a grand scale. It is the Pesta Benak or the Annual Tidal Bore Festival, that celebrated along the Batang Lupar riverfront of Sri Aman.

The dates of the festival is not fixed but rather according to the almanac calendar. The dates will fall on the month where the tidal range is the widest and will anticipating a perfect Tidal Bore occurrence. It is usually at the second half of the year.

During this three day event, people from near and far came and gather around the riverfront for celebrating the festival. Usually hotels and accommodations are fully booked months before the event.

The major events consists of the Food and Cultural Bazaar, Performance Main Stage and Ragata (Water Sports).

The Food and Cultural Bazaar is located along the riverfront and streets around the downtown area where various local foods and handicraft stall booths are setup.

The performance stage will be location where the opening ceremony, cultural dance and performance takes place. Occasional local and national renowned artist come and perform on the stage. Mr Benak title will be given to the best body building contet while Ms Benak is awarded to the best in beauty pageant contest.

The highlight of the Benak Festival is nevertheless the Water Sports event, which known as Ragata. Participants from local an international come and compete in the water sports including Long Boat padding competition, Jet ski and pump ski races, Tidal Bore Surfing. The peak of the events is when comes to Tidal Bore Surfing where participants are arrange in rows and awaiting to catch the Benak. The one who manage to catch and surf perfectly with the Tidal Bore to the finish line will be the winner.

A snapshot of videos on the Pesta Benak 2016.

More Photos on the Last Pesta Benak Event in 2016 at : https://360tour.asia/pesta-benak-sri-aman-2016-the-tidal-bore-festival/

This year Pesta Benak will be held on November 3, 2017 – November 5, 2017. Stay tuned and book your seats early to witness this natural phenomena with many others around the world.

According to tide-forecast.com the tide level for the three days are as follows.

November 3, 2017 (Friday)

• Low Tide, November 2, 2017 10:04 PM : 1.60 meters
• High Tide, November 3, 2017 3:48 AM : 4.96 metres
• Low Tide, November 3, 2017 10:31 AM : 1.26 metres
• High Tide, November 3, 2017 4:20 PM : 5.01 metres

November 4, 2017 (Saturday) – Full Moon

• Low Tide, November 3, 2017 10:52 PM : 1.49 meters
• High Tide, November 4, 2017 4:26 AM : 5.11 metres
• Low Tide, November 4, 2017 11:13 AM : 0.87 metres
• High Tide, November 4, 2017 5:07 PM : 5.30 metres

November 5, 2017 (Sunday) 

• Low Tide, November 4, 2017 11:38 PM : 1.44 meters
• High Tide, November 5, 2017 5:04 AM : 5.22 metres
• Low Tide, November 5, 2017 11:54 AM : 0.55 metres
• High Tide, November 5, 2017 5:54 PM : 5.50 metres

It is based on a forecast from Kuching City nearby, the actual time for the Tidal Bore might slightly varies.So be there early.

The High Tide on the evening of November 4 and 5 will be the most anticipated Tidal Bore occurrence. The great tidal range will create a perfect tidal bore for Tidal Bore Surfing.

Although there is other High Tides where tidal bore can occur but it will be either small bore or it is dark and not safe to surf in the dark.

The Effects of Tidal Bore

Tidal bore not all are fun and love by many. Some bring benefit but some cause disasters.

The Benefit of Tidal Bore:

• Tidal bore furious bore formation have the power to crush material , stir and mix organic matters, create good aeration and wash nutrients upstream from the sea towards the deep inland. These tidal bores usually started from the estuary where the salty sea water meets the fresh river water where many marine lifeforms breed and flourish. It is essential to the survival of the unique ecosystem. The suspension of the muddy looking river can stay for a long time after the bore due to the ongoing current flow and underlying long lasting wave motion.
• Tidal Bore create an unique opportunity for water sports like Kayaking and Tidal Bore Surfing. It had known to promote ecotourism boost in areas with frequent Tidal Bores.
• Tidal Bore areas almost always happens in shallow rivers with wide tidal range is large. The shallow rivers was not suitable for larger boats and ships during low tides but are suitable when the tides was high. Tidal bore marks the changing of the tides and a usually low level river will be fill with waters after the tidal bore, allowing passage of bigger ships. This also allow upstream travel to deeper inland, connecting more river side village inland.
• Tidal bore will prevent stagnation of water at the river and wash away rubbish at the side of the river banks hence have its role to frequently destroy breeding grounds for vectors like mosquitoes.

The Problems with Tidal Bore:

• Tidal bores is also known to destroy ships and docks along the river banks. The force of a tidal bore can some equivalent to a surge of mini tsunami , uplifting non secure boats against the shore and trip over smaller boats. It can also cause erosion below the docks and destroy their foundation. It also affects the shipping and navigation of boats at the estuary and river.
• Loss of life is not uncommon in places with massive destructive tidal bore, especially to the unsuspecting on looker at the side of the banks. Tidal bores wash away victims with their vigorous current and turbulence flow.
• Some tidal bore occurrence is not predictable, which increase risk of unawareness among user of the river.
• Soil erosion is not uncommon in along the areas of tidal bore. Trees are seen up rooted by the tidal bore.

Tidal bore is a natural wonder. Its only happens if certain criteria are met. It can bring benefit and also destruction at the same time. Better understanding of the formation of the tidal bore allow us to predict its occurrence more accurately and we can be aware of the safety concern of shipping and people lives at stake at the Tidal Bore prone rivers.

The Tidal Bore festival is just a few days away. Lets surf the Benak !

Tolls in general

Tolls means fees paying. A toll road will have a toll plaza or a toll booth located across a road. It is also known as Premium Roads. There are also toll bridges and toll tunnel.

Toll roads, bridge and tunnel exist for various reasons:

1. To collect funds to cover up the incurred construction cost and maintenance cost of the road. All these “premium” infrastructure are almost always branded as premiums as involving higher quality build materials for increase speed limits and longevity of the structure. These translated to a higher cost of building and maintenance than normal infrastructure. The maintenance is usually very tight. Failure of maintenance will cost serious consequences like collapsed bridge and tunnels, accidents and dangerous pot holes on highway.
2. To collect revenue for the state. It is obvious that the state will gain some form of revenue from the tolls. These revenue will be used for upgrading other facilities and value added services.
3. To control traffic and usage. Toll infrastructure always exist along with non-toll infrastructure. When come to the concept of premiums, it will be accompany with a fee. User can use a faster connection using premium facilities but with a fee, or use free facilities with a longer commute and far indirect connections. Some country place toll in order to reduce individual vehicles on roads as to reduce the city traffic volume (and air pollution) and encourage the use of pooled vehicles and public transport.

Tolls can be collected either via cash counters or Digital prepaid cards. Digital or smart cards are preferred as it will shorten the queue for transaction.

Maintenance of toll plaza and toll booths was also not free. It involves man power and maintenance of building structures, automation devices and computer systems. The maintenance of toll plazas and booth occasionally cost a significant lost to the revenue gain from tolls.

Many are skeptical about existence of toll roads as some are considered regressive taxation and have burden to the lower income population rather than higher income populations.

Malaysian Expressway System

The Malaysian Expressway System forms the backbone networks of nation controlled roads and highways in Malaysia.

They were 30 expressways in the country and the total length is 1,821 kilometers. The well known expressway are the North–South Expressway which passes through all the major cities (Penang, Ipoh, the Klang Valley and Johor Bahru) in Peninsular Malaysia.

The major reason behind building the Expressway in Malaysia is because of increasing traffic volume in the existing Federal Route. These increase in traffic volume is due increase of population in major cities and towns, increase connectivity with bigger ports and airports, and increasing affordability of private transport vehicles. The building of Expressways accelerate the development of surrounding areas and reduce the connection time between cities.

Toll Expressway in Malaysia

All Malaysian toll expressways are controlled-access highway and managed in the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) system.

Controlled-access highway are also known as freeway or motorway, with the main purpose of unhindered flow of traffic (road vehicles), which it have no traffic signals, intersections, pedestrian paths, railways or property access directly to the Expressway. The only entrance and exit from the expressway is via specific interchanges to the collector roads. There are also feature of pedestrian footbridge, underpass or overpass for other roads and railroads, which do not directly connected with the highway.

Build–operate–transfer (BOT) usually applicable to various infrastructure projects including roads, railways and mass transit. It is a model that allows public-private partnership. To relieve the burden on the public finance alone (government), these infrastructure is usually designed, financed, build by private sector via a agreement or contract. After the construction of the infrastructure, the private sector have the ownership and rights to collect back revenue to recover the initial cost of building and maintenance for a certain period of time as per contract. However the infrastructure will be transferred back to the public administration once the contract expired.

Toll expressways in Malaysia are classify into Open tolls, close tolls and mixed (Open and Closed) tolls.

Open tolls will incur a fix payment to the user on the particular section of the expressway. While Closed Tolls require a ticket or PLUStransit cards during the entrance of the expressway and payment according to how much had been traveled at the exit of the expressway. When it involves a whole stretch of road like the north-south Expressway, it will become a mix variety.

The Open Tolls in Malaysia:

• Federal Highway (2)
• Second Link Expressway (E3)
• Shah Alam Expressway (E5)
• Cheras-Kajang Highway (E7)
• Kuala Lumpur-Karak Expressway (E8)
• Sungai Besi Expressway (E9)
• New Pantai Expressway (E10)
• Damansara-Puchong Expressway (E11)
• Ampang-Kuala Lumpur Elevated Highway (E12)
• Butterworth-Kulim Expressway (E15)
• Butterworth Outer Ring Road (E17)
• Kajang Dispersal Link Expressway (E18)
• Maju Expressway (E20)
• Western KL Traffic Dispersal System (E23)
• Tun Salahuddin Bridge (E24)
• Kuala Lumpur-Kuala Selangor Expressway (E25)
• Seramban-Port Dickson Highway (E29)
• New North Klang Straits Bypass (E30)
• Duta-Ulu Klang Expressway (E33)
• Guthrie Corridor Expressway (E35)
• Penang Bridge (E36)
• Stormwater Management and Road Tunnel (E38)

The Closed Tolls in Malaysia :

• New Klang Valley Expressway (E1)
• North-South Expressway, Central Link (E6)
• East Coast Expressway (E8)
• Senai-Desaru Expressway (E22)
• South Klang Valley Expressway (E26)

The Mixed Tolls in Malaysia:

• North-South Expressway, Northern Route (E1)
• North-South Expressway, Southern Route (E2)
• Kajang-Seremban Highway (E21)
• Penang Second Bridge (E28)

The Toll scenarios of Sarawak

We know that Peninsular Malaysia have many toll expressways. What about the Toll scenarios in Sarawak ?

The Tun Salahuddin Bridge in Kuching is the first only toll expressway in East Malaysia. The 6-lane, dual-deck Tun Salahudin Bridge is an elegant, 339 meters long, 28 meters wide low-level bridge over the Sarawak River. The bridge is completed on September 2003 and toll concession started on October 2003. However it was declared toll free after the ending of the 12 years toll concession in 1st January 2016.

The Sibu’s Lanang Bridge is a 1220 meter bridge constructed in 2003 across the Batang Rajang river. It comprises dual carriageway, four balanced cantilever spans and eight equal spans of 40 meters length at each side of the cantilever spans. It replace the former river ferry service that allow connection between Sibu and Sarikei (part of the Pan Borneo Highway at the Sarikei-Sibu section). The bridge is opened to public on 11 April 2006. Lanang Bridge is the lifeline of the people of Rajang River Basin, the initial toll had cause many criticism and burden to the locals. Although it meant to be a toll bridge for 22 years, however following a discussion between Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem, Wong and Shin Yang Group of Companies chief executive officer Tan Sri Datuk Ling Chiong Hoe (the builder of the RM180 million bridge), Lanang Bridge becomes a toll free bridge staring 24 May 2015.

The Batang Baram Bridge or ASEAN Bridge is a 1040 meters bridge with 19 spans, crossing the Batang Baram river. It is located approximately 35km north of Miri City, 2km upstream of the New Miri Port Complex. It allows direct road access between Sarawak and Brunei with one of the end connecting the immigration Checkpoint at Sungai Tujuh. The Asean Bridge replacing the previously ferry service across Batang Baram. The Bridge completed in August 2003. The Asean Bridge was rated the most expensive toll bridge in Sarawak for the short distance traveled, quoting RM10 per use for a normal car. It creates much burden to the frequent travelers and daily commute between Miri and Brunei. Beginning 1st June 2015, the toll collection at the Asean Bridge in Miri was abolished.

The toll-free Sarawak policy was announced by Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem in April 2015.

Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, when launching the upgrading of construction works of the Pan Borneo Highway near Bintulu in April 2015, promised that the highway throughout Sarawak would be toll-free. The reasons being as this was the only highway linking the cities and towns of this vast state.

During the December Sarawak Legislative Assembly sitting in 2015, Adenan also reiterated that the state’s portion of the Pan Borneo Highway would be toll-free.

The prerequisite for implementing Tolls

There is few prerequisite for a toll roads or bridge.

• Toll infrastructure is also view as a “premium access” infrastructure. It will be a value added infrastructure that is different from preexisting infrastructure. These infrastructure is usually with higher quality, complexity and better maintenance service.
• Toll infrastructure usually co-exist with non-toll infrastructure for a competitive advantage. For example to connect a same destination, people can choose between a choice of toll expressway for faster and smoother access but with a fee, or a choice of a free country road which is longer and congested. However if it is the only road that connect the destinations, it would not be rational for toll implementation as it will directly affecting the lifeline of connectivity.
• Toll infrastructure is usually very objective specific. For example All Toll Expressway in Malaysia are controlled-access highway. Vehicles can only enter or exit via specific interchanges to the collector roads. All controlled-access Highway prevents pedestrians and bicyclists from using the expressway, some are off limit to industrial and construction vehicles.
• Toll infrastructure is usually strategically located where affordability is not an issue. If the expenses of using is much higher than what the local population can afford, it reduce the demand of its use and diminish the reason for its existence in the first place.

The imminent upgrade to the life line of Sarawak

Vision 2020 is near and our nation is in need to achieve to be a high income nation by year 2020. However at current stage, there is still a gap between high income states and low income states, which postponed the vision of high income status to 2030. In dire needs of accelerating socio economic growth, many game changing strategies must take place.

The paradigm shift had been taken place via 11th Malaysian Plan in 2016, in keeping with New Development Model, together with Sarawak Socioeconomic Transformation Plan (SETP) and Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE).

The Pan Borneo Highway project is launch under Sarawak Socioeconomic Transformation Plan with objective not only to raise the income of the many rural areas connected by the highway, but also accelerate the socioeconomic growth along the 1,089 km long highway in Sarawak side, creating new opportunity and efficient connection between many towns and cities.

The limitations for a toll expressway in current Sarawak

Much had worried initially about to toll issues prior to year 2015. There is many limitations in implementing the toll in Pan Borneo Highway.

• The Pan Borneo Highway is currently the only direct road access that connects most major cities and towns in Sarawak. It is a major lifeline of the socioeconomic of Sarawak. Unlike Peninsular Malaysia which have extensive network of peripheral and secondary roads to all important sectors, cities and town. The current Pan Borneo Highway project involves upgrading 779km of preexisting road from single carriageway to double carriageway. Toll implementation in this highway will severely impaired the potential of a expected accelerated socioeconomic growth.
• The current highway not only travel by private motor vehicles, it also travel by timber lorries, palm oil trucks, tractors and trailers, vehicle transport trailers, oil trucks and many industry and commercial vehicles. Toll implementation will raise the transportation cost within Sarawak, which indirectly will increase the price for retail goods (Sarawak already have higher price for retail goods in compared to the same goods sold in Peninsular Malaysia)
• Many user of the roads are middle and low income population from the rural areas. Toll implementation will burden the local folks who need to travel from village to town daily for selling of their harvest like fish, vegetable and fruits.
• The current highway roads is innervated with many side junctions and intersections, connecting many long houses and road side village. With some important infrastructure like clinics, schools and place of worship just beside the road. It is impractical to make the current road into an toll expressway as it will cost much more to relocate farms and properties, building and maintain toll booths with many intersection, and building overpass and underpass for cross road connectivity.

Sarawak- A toll free state

In the short term, the building of Pan Borneo Highway project is a heavy financial burden to the state, but looking forward to its untapped potential and exponential socioeconomic growth it brings to the local, the cost of building and maintaining the Pan Borneo Highway can be slowly offset by a higher income and revenue generated by the growth along the Highway in the long term.

Tolls is a double edge sword. The benefit of being able to recover the initial building cost and structural maintenance are sometimes causing negative impact on the socioeconomic growth of the locals, especially to areas with predominantly middle and low income groups.

In the race with time to meet the dateline for socioeconomic growth and achieving a high income state, the idea of tolls is been abolished, at least during this critical period of transformation of Sarawak.

That brings to a conclusion of Sarawak being a toll-free state in Malaysia.

Side note: At least those bicyclists who wish to cycle across the northern Borneo island from Kuching till Sabah can still do so via the Pan Borneo Highway (unless it is gazette as control-access highway one day).

Oxygen

There is oxygen in the air and that’s why we still survive today.

Back to the basics of science, we had been tought that Oxygen is symbolic by a letter “O” and it have a atomic number of 8. By mass, oxygen is the third-most abundant element in the universe, after hydrogen and helium.

It basically means oxygen is everywhere and near infinate matter of the universe.

Oxygen don’t really stays alone, it is highly oxidizing elements that always stay together with other elements to be stable. As compounds including oxides, the element makes up almost half of the Earth’s crust.

Oxygen cause materials to burn in flames, Oxygen required to run combustion engine in vehicle and generators, Oxygen cause metal to rust, Oxygen reaction is everywhere around us.

At standard temperature and pressure, two atoms of oxygen will bind together to form a much stable dioxygen (O₂) or atmospheric oxygen, which constitutes 20.8% of the Earth’s atmosphere.

Three oxygen atoms can forms ozone (O₃) , which is abundant at the higher atmospheric level that protect earth surface from high dose of UVB.

With so much oxygen around us, so whats the fuss about oxygen ? We can extract them anywhere. But is it so ? Lets find out how to efficiently extract oxygen from the environment to form the oxygen that we need for breathing and survive.

Evolution of Photosynthesis

Oxygenic Photosynthesis is the main process that produces the freely available oxygen in our earth atmosphere.

Back to the evolution of life on earth, it was speculate that >3500 million years ago the earth atmosphere have no free oxygen. The exact of duration of oxygenic photosynthesis evolved is still not known, but cyanobacteria (bacteria that can obtain their energy through photosynthesis) remain the principal oxygen producer 2500 million years ago. During these time the photosynthesis is not efficient and do not significantly increase the atmospheric oxygen level as O2 produced is mainly absorbed in oceans and seabed rock.

Around 1800 million years ago, Oxygen start to gas out of the oceans but absorb by land surfaces and formation of Ozone layer. Oxygen starts accumulate in the atmosphere since 850 million years ago.

The Great Oxygenation Event suggests that free atmospheric oxygen was first produced by prokaryotic and then later eukaryotic organisms that carried out oxygenic photosynthesis more efficiently.

Oxygen accumulate in the atmosphere, giving raise to opportunity for biological diversification. Aerobic (with oxygen) metabolism is more efficient than anaerobic (without oxygen) pathways. Complex life started nearly 540 millions ago.

Around 300 million years ago (Carboniferous), the atmospheric oxygen is suspected to be around 35%, which is much higher that today’s atmospheric oxygen concentration of 21%.

(Carboniferous means “coal-bearing”, as many coal beds are form during these time. It was found that Carboniferous trees made extensive use of insoluble lignin with very high bark to wood ratio, causing it to be less decomposition. The undegraded carbon built up by these buried dead plants in the soil forms an effective carbon sink, leading to an increase in oxygen levels of atmospheric oxygen. Major climatic events, Carboniferous Rainforest Collapse, glacial ice age, drop in sea level also happens during this Carboniferous period.)

Photosynthesis

Photosynthesis had comes a long way to fill the atmosphere with atmospheric oxygen. Currently the photosynthesis of plants is so efficient that the current atmospheric oxygen concentration can be produced in around 2000 years of photosynthesis.

At current photosynthesis, energy from light is absorbed by proteins called reaction centers inside chloroplasts that contain green chlorophyll pigments. This is what gives leaves their green color.

The photosynthesis process takes in 6 molecules of Carbon dioxide (CO₂) and 6 molecules of water (H₂O) to form 1 molecule of sugar (C₆H₁₂O₆) and 6 molecule of atmospheric oxygen (O₂).

Photosynthesis is a complex reaction that occurs in two stages – The Light Dependent Reactions and Light Independent Reactions.

Light dependent reactions occur in the thylakoid membrane of the chloroplast. This is the first stage of photosynthesis where light energy splits (photolysis) the Water molecule (H₂O) into Oxygen (O₂) and Hydrogen Ion (H⁺) in a photosystems (light dependent protein complex). Subsequent cascade of conversion within lead to the final output of ATP (chemical energy) and NADPH (reducing power).

Light Independent Reaction occur in the stroma of the chloroplast. In plants it is called a Calvin Cycle – a cyclical pathway that involves Carbon fixation, Reduction and Regeneration of Ribulose. The ATP and NADPH generated from the first stage of photosynthesis are required in the second stage of photosynthesis. It is also called the dark reactions as light is not needed. In this stage Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is converted into glucose and other products. These products further yield sucrose, starch and cellulose.

Photosynthetic organism converts around 100–115 thousand million metric tonnes of carbon into biomass per year.

Photosynthesis vs Cellular Respiration

Photosynthesis occurs in plants, Algae and Photosynthetic Bacteria. These are organism that can have Anabolic (building up) metabolic process where Carbon Dioxide, Water and Light energy is required to build storage energy such as glucose. It release Oxygen into the air.

Cellular Respiration however happens in all living organism, including humans, animals, bacteria and plants. This is a Catabolic (break down) metabolic process where Glucose and Oxygen is required to form energy currency in the cells (ATP, NADH and FADH₂). It release Carbon dioxide into the air.

Photosynthesis and cellular respiration are both part of a mutually beneficial relationship. It forms a complete cycle of energy in all carbon based lifeform. Taking one out of the system and both will not survive. Hence it stays in a delicate balance.

The green lungs

Green plants is one of the most efficient photosynthesis organism. They contributed to the atmospheric oxygen concentration around the world.

Green leaved trees are found in most tropical and temperate area. Tropical forests have been called the “Earth’s lungs” or the “green lungs”. Notable Tropical rainforest are Southeast Asia Rainforest (Myanmar, Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea), Congo Rainforest, Amazon Rainforest, Bosawás Biosphere Reserve, Australia and many of the Pacific Islands.

However these green lungs are receding in size, due to deforestation and expanding of cities and agriculture lands. Frequent forest fire also challenge the greens.

The Water and Oxygen

Water have a chemical formula of H₂O. It consist of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. In liquid form, it is the main constituent of Earth’s streams, lakes, ocean, and runs in body of most living organism. In solid form, it stay in snow, glaciers and ice. In gas form, it can be found in steam and atmospheric water vapor.

Water is one of the resources that most take for granted. Water covers 71% of the Earth surface. Of which, 96.5% of it lies in the seas and ocean, only 2.5% is freshwater. 70% of the freshwater used are going to agriculture.

Water is abundant on earth and easily accessible in most areas. With Oxygen able to dissolved in water (that sustain most aquatic life) and easy to split oxygen and hydrogen apart via electrosynthesis, water has been an alternative to harvest oxygen.

Although oxygen also found in compounds and oxides which makes up almost half of the earth’s crust, harvesting oxygen from these compounds are far more expensive and complex than electrosynthesis.

Photosynthesis VS Electrosynthesis

Both Photosynthesis and Electrosynthesis are a different process, however both of them have the same capability to split (or lysis) a water H₂O molecule to Oxygen and Hydrogen. Lets see how it is similar.

In a first step of photosynthesis, it involves photosystem II, the p680. Once the chlorophyll received one photon , it will liberate one electron to the next chain in their electron transport chain till it finally takes up by NADP to form NADPH. In response losing one electron, photolysis takes place to replace the electron lost. Photolysis will split water molecules into Oxygen and hydrogen ions. Oxygen is released to the atmosphere as waste product while hydrogen ion involves in creating a proton gradient that runs the subsequent steps to generate ATP.

The similar steps can be replicated using a combination of photovoltaic cell and electrosynthesis cell. Photovoltaic cells (usually seen in solar panel that build from semiconductors) have photoelectric properties as when a photon strikes the material with enough energy, it will cause a electric potential by shifting the electrons. The flow of electrons creates current or electricity as we know. When we connect the circuits with a electrosynthesis cell, we can split water to oxygen and hydrogen ions just as photosystem II in chlorophyll do.

In a photosynthesis cell, various combinations and solutions is available, variance including split cell with a membrane/bridge to allow certain ions to move across or a combine cell where solutions are freely mixed. For the purpose of this article we will be quoting the most simplest type of electrosynthesis by just using water (with some salt for increasing conductivity) and two graphite (carbon) electrodes. When the circuit is completed, the side where electron are removed – the anode – will gain back the electron by splitting water to oxygen gas and hydrogen ions. The hydrogen ions is subsequently moves to the cathode where electrons are piling up and will forms hydrogen gas.

In both systems, electron movement is the one that cause the splitting of water to forms oxygen and hydrogen.

As water is much abundant and easy accessible, it will be the next in line to mass produce of atmospheric oxygen in replacement of the loosing trees.  Do we need to resorting to artificial oxygen generation in the end ? In such stage we will end up paying for the oxygen we breathe.

The Alternative Explanation on Atmospheric Oxygen

Despite the school of thought that atmospheric oxygen is mainly formed through photosynthesis, however there are other school of thought regarding the formation of atmospheric oxygen. It was argue that despite recent extensive burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, and other extensive human activities, the atmospheric oxygen concentration doesn’t change by much. In biosphere2 experiment shown that the oxygen that are produced by photosynthesis are used up mostly by plants itself and other organism including bacteria, before it can actually replenish the oxygen in the atmosphere.

The most likely explanation is that water molecules that wandered to the outer edges of the atmosphere were breakdown by ultraviolet rays from the Sun. Lighter hydrogen atoms are escaped while heavier oxygen are bound to the earth atmosphere by gravity action, which explains the oxygen accumulation in our atmosphere.

Furthermore, with increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will encourage the exponential growth of plants and increase the biomass formation, which in turn return back the carbon to the biomass in a faster pace and release oxygen in the atmosphere. Over time it will still be balanced out.

Oxygen levels in a global trend

By looking at air trapped inside ancient polar ice sample, Scientist suggest that atmospheric oxygen levels have fallen by 0.7 percent over the past 800,000 years. A 0.7 percent decline in the atmospheric pressure of oxygen may ressemble its concentration at about 100 meters (330 feet) above sea level — that is, about the 30th floor of a tall building.

It may not have drop enough to trigger any major problems for life on earth in the new study. However it may or may not cause by deforestation or burning of fossil fuels as atmospheric carbon dioxide level have not, on average, changed over 800,00 years. Due to atmospheric oxygen level are controlled by complex global systems that tend to regulate and dampen the large swing of its concentration.

Other suggestion are when Ocean cools, the solubility of oxygen increased, storing more oxygen at colder temperature. Alternatively, global increase in erosion rates of pyrite and organic carbon can also led to a steady decline of atmospheric oxygen level. When trapped organic matter becomes exposed on land via deforestation and land erosion, it will react with atmospheric oxygen and lowering the oxygen level in the air.

Oxygen and the climatic effect

climate scientist Chris Poulsen had modify a climate model to test the oxygen and its global climate impact had found that oxygen concentration indeed have impact through series of feedbacks.

“Reducing oxygen levels thins the atmosphere, allowing more sunlight to reach Earth’s surface.”

When the oxygen concentration are higher, the atmosphere gets thicker and scatters more sunlight, and hence less water vapor (which can cause greenhouse effect) been evaporated to trap heat.

However in current day climatic change is not due to oxygen concentration but due to levels of other greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane are rising dramatically.

Oxygen levels are dropping today indeed are dropping at a very slow rate which approximately tens of parts per million per year, which is much too slow to effect climate change in the world. Unless we give the planet another million years that atmospheric oxygen concentration is of much difference that we need account for oxygen concentration level in the climate model.

Is Lack of oxygen, a myth ?

Although we generally says that the earth having an atmospheric oxygen concentration of 21%, however it is an average out value that do not compare areas of development where usage of oxygen is far from oxygen generation.

Professor Ervin Laszlo says studies shows a dip in atmospheric oxygen level to 19% in impacted areas and it is down to 12-17% over the major cities. These had impact for the human bodily function including organ and immunity system functioning. Long term oxygen deprivation will cause cerebral hypoxia, which leads to a reduced intelligence.

A further dip to 6-7% of atmospheric oxygen level will challenge the sustainability of oxygen dependent organism – humans.

With the lowering of atmospheric oxygen concentration levels in major cities with extensive fossil fuel combustion and lack of trees, it will have further impact on city lives as most city folks stays indoors, which is even more confined space where air is not easily exchanged. Hence, Lack of oxygen is not a myth.

Whats the next step ?

Will our near or far generation encounter a oxygen crisis ? It is a question that is hard to answer. Our atmospheric oxygen concentration is well buffered despite our current expanding human activities. However it is not a reason to harm the environment till the last leaf.

Urban trees and plants do used up precious land in a scenario of major cities as each pieced of wasted land will means millions lost in potential commercial and financial benefit from the land.

Urban trees in most developing cities are also at risk due to expansion of infrastructure, converting tree planting avenues to un-obscure highways for transportation, converting empty lots to parking lots and buildings.

There is a paradigm shift in current building architecture globally. More and more new buildings with incorporated greens are designed and constructed. Some of these comes with roof top gardens with palm trees and shrubs, or plant covering exteriors to reduce the heat.

Other effort by individuals including converting empty lots to public parks with trees will have a long term effects on the sustainability of the environment.

So whats are your green steps ?

Urbanization and deforestation had been threatened the environment for the fireflies.

The fireflies are slowly disappearing from our childhood, and soon enough the next generation won’t able to experience the magical moments with the natural lanterns that brighten the nights.

Lets find out where there had been, shall we ?

Fireflies

The fireflies are also known as lightning bugs or lantern bugs. Fireflies are in the Lampyridae family, in the winged beetle order Coleoptera. They are group of beetles that have bioluminescence capabilities at their lower abdomen. In fact there is more that 2000 species across the globe. They are found in temperate and tropical climates, concentrated at marshes and wet woodlands where their larvae thrives.

The bioluminescence capabilities are prominent even in their laviform stage. An adult firefly use the bioluminescence to attract prey and mates during twilight. It emits cold light of either yellow, green or pale red.

The larva of fireflies stay burrow underground feeding on other larvae, slugs, snails and worm. The adult beetles diet varies according to species as some are predators while others feed on plants and pollen.

The bioluminescence beetle

Bioluminescence had been the hallmark of spotting a fireflies in the dark. However not all species exhibit bright bioluminescence. The nocturnal (night-flying) species are known to have bioluminescence in compared to diurnal (day-flying) species.

Bioluminescence is due to the chemical reaction at the beetles specialized light-emitting organs at their lower abdomen.

The luciferase enzyme acts on the luciferin, in the presence of magnesium ions, ATP, and oxygen to produce light.

These lights not only use to attract mates and preys, but also stands as a warning for upcoming predators as some of these fireflies are distasteful and toxic.

Tropical fireflies like the one found in Malaysian jungle are capable of synchronized flashing within the large groups, creating blinking lanterns along the rivers and forests. It is called phase synchronization phenomenon.

Fun Facts about Fireflies

• Fireflies talk to each other with light, especially during mating. Oftentimes the male will fly, while females will wait in trees, shrubs and grasses. The female will signal the male when found a suitable male. Some species use pheromones (chemicals) rather than just lights.
• Fireflies produce “cold light” which is considered the most efficient lights source (nearly 100% efficiency) as it doesn’t produce heat and lights in the invisible spectrum like normal electrical lights do.
• Firefly eggs glow. In some species, the larvae and even the eggs emit light in response to stimulus such as gentle tapping or vibrations.
• In certain areas, some fireflies species have the ability to synchronize flash among all the fireflies within an area resulting in a stunning magical orchestra of lights. It can sometimes seen in southeast asian mangrove forest throughout the years. Other places do have seasonal displays such as in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Allegheny National Forest, Oak Ridge Wildlife Management Area, Congaree National Park and Cajon Bonito Arizona.
• Fireflies are primarily carnivorous and some may eat other fireflies. The genus photuris, can mimics flashes of female photinus, in order to deceive and attract the male of that species and then eat them.
• Fireflies have short lifespans. An adult firefly lives only long enough to mate and lay eggs which may range 3-4weeks, compared to the larvae stage that have a longer lifespan of 1-2 years.
• Fireflies are found on almost every continent which have tropical or temperate region except Antarctica.
• The two chemicals found in a firefly’s tail, luciferase and luciferin, can be used to study many diseases, from cancer to muscular dystrophy, as both chemical produce light in present of ATP (energy molecules). Abnormal cells will have different energy requirements and production compare to normal cells surrounding it. It might give out different in intensity patterns.

Catching Fireflies – the hallmark of eventful childhood in the older generation

When asking the older folks on matters of fireflies, they will always answer – they are everywhere in the night, in the backyard, in the forest, along the rivers …

Some of them tells stories on how they catch fireflies in a clear glass jugs and use as a night lantern during their childhood. They are always been amazed by all this light emitting magical creatures.

“You can have a bottle of these at the corner of the room and stare at it whole night – those days are when candles are considered luxury items.”

Obviously these experiences are from older generation that stay at country side and rural areas. Urbanization had reduced the occurrence of fireflies in these areas to nearly non existence.

The declining population of Fireflies

Although there is more than 2000 species of fireflies around the globe, but why we seldom seen them ? For the newer generations, some had never met or seen these magical night lantern bugs before.

It is a sad story for what we had left to tell to the next generations. The magic in the air is slowly disappearing from our lives.

Many attributes the disappearance of fireflies to extensive use of pesticides, pollution of water, urbanization and deforestation, light and sound pollution etc. All these factors are all man-made. Are all these avoidable ?

Fireflies are loosing their homes

As all species around the world, there is always a place to call home. Might it be a hole in a tree, a cave, a cavern, a forest, a swamp, a lake, a grassland .etc . All these are native habitats for some species to thrive, to grow and to repopulate.

Fireflies usually habitats in warm and humid areas in temperate and tropical areas. They loves trees and waters. They roam near rivers and lakes. They spend most of their lifetime as a larvae form and only live short while flying around as an adult. As a larvae, they will stay in rotten logs and underground where their food (snails and slugs) are plenty. It was a wonderful back then when the forest are green and the river are blue.

Over the decades and century, human population also grows. Humans expands their land and harvest the native forest. Cities grows and agricultural land grows. Something in fact not growing over time is the land for native forest. The world still have limited and finate land areas as before, unless humans planned to shift their homes to other places like the open sea. It creates a imminent outcomes – the shrinking of the land suitable for the biodiversity of the native species.

When trees are uprooted and forest floor are cleared, the fireflies will lost their habitats. Without a suitable habitat, the larvae can’t thrive and the fireflies population reduces. It is possible that fireflies are becoming endangered species and going extinct one day. The next generation will only enjoy the fantasy of artificial lights and not the magical moments of light bugs of the nature.

Pesticide Kills

With the advancement in agriculture, there is more and more pesticides and herbicides use to increase the yield of crops. Certain vegetables can be harvested within weeks. In Sarawak itself, many lands had been converted for agriculture purposes, not limiting to paddy, pepper, cocoa,  palm oil and vegetable plantations.

However using of chemicals in agriculture pest and weed control is not without side effects. These chemicals not only kills other bugs and worms, but also larvae of fireflies as well. It also polluting the underground and near by rivers as well.

Fireflies stay most of their time in larvae stage. Hence by frequent uses of chemicals, these larvae population is easily been wipe out but will need a longer time to replenish their population.

Overtime, less and less suitable breeding grounds are available for the fireflies and soon enough it will be slowly declining in population and becomes near extinct.

Light pollution

City lights is good for city folks but bad for fireflies.

Our civilization had been much advanced and developed, and our dependency on artificial lightings is never been a doubt. Having a artificial light to light up the dark is as simple as a flip of a switch. We can actually see the globe glowing with lights at night when seen from the satellite, especially big cities. It was not a case during the last few decades.

“Darkness is as essential to our biological welfare, to our internal clockwork, as light itself.” – Verlyn Klinkenborg, National Geographic, Nov. 2008

However too much light is also harmful to the nocturnal wildlife, environment and humans. Light pollution caused by inefficient use or unnecessary illumination from a artificial light source, which includes advertisement billboard lights, building surface flood lights and street lamps. Light pollution are seen as light trespass, over illumination, glare and sky glow.

Some of the fireflies using their light as a signal to attract a suitable mate. It is shown that when a male bug signals and a female bug feels the male is suitable, it will signal back. It is indeed lights of romance.

Similiar experiments had been shown that flashing a artificial lights on a group of flashing fireflies will cause the lighting display to be interrupted. A swipe of bright car headlights across a country road with fireflies will cause a moment of light silence and became out of sync.

Reverse the process by flashing light of certain wavelengths into a fireflies filled woods will make them try to response with synchronized flashes. They are just too sensitive to lights. They communicate by light.

If their communications in light are frequently interrupted by light pollution, their mating will be interrupted and hence their opportunity for repopulating.

The return of the fireflies ?

Many had been debate on whether to let this magical nocturnal creature to came back to our lives. But we all agree that we had lost much from our diversity of the natural wildlife directly due to human activities.

Sometimes it makes us sit back and think, are the native environment that was a gift from mother nature is not as important as development itself ?

They won’t be back if we don’t do anything about it and in the end it will become a lost memory of the past.

Many had suggested moves to prevent them from been extinct. Some of which can be easily practiced.

1. Switch off unnecessary artificial lighting such as unused pavement lights, structural lighting and exterior lights. It might save the energy and some bucks in the long term and reduce light pollution generally.
2. Reduce chemicals ussage in agriculture such as herbicide and pesticides. There are many organic alternatives available. Anyway fireflies and its larvae also eats other insects, which is a natural pest control.
3. Having natural ponds and lakes at your landscape can help to promote the repopulating of snails, slugs and other food that might sustain a growth of fireflies larvae population.
4. Plant trees and have natural decomposing woods and twigs will support the growth of the larvae of fireflies.
5. Local awareness is also as important. Remember to remind others about the diminishing fireflies and how we can do to prevent their extinction.

So your next move ?

You got it right, This two hydroelectric behemoth have a combined power generation capacity more than the total output of all the other 18 hydroelectric power plants in Malaysia combined. Lets find out more !

Hydroelectric Power

Hydroelectricity is electricity produced from hydro-power or the power of moving water. The water movement energy is captured into movement (kinetic) of a rotating turbine which in turn runs a generator that converts the movement into electric power.

There is many forms of hydroelectric power generation, most commonly found is the hydroelectric dams (conventional hydroelectric power station). The power is extracted from the potential energy generated from the dammed water behind the dams. The higher the difference between the height of the source (water reservoir in the dam) and the water outflow, the higher potential energy it can used to generate power.

To generate stable amounts of continuous energy, dam must be tall to generate adequate pressure difference to turn a water turbine, and enough reservoir to ensure continuous supply of water to run water turbine, even at times of less rainfall.

To reduce the cost of building large and long walls across an area to impound or store water, dams is usually build near mountain ridge with most of the height of the mountain used as a natural dam walls.

Pros and Cons of a hydroelectric dam

The benefit of a hydroelectric dams:

• Flexibility/Fast Response : being simple in power generation methodology, hydro turbines can be powered up or powered down just by controlling the flow of water into the turbines. It responds faster than starting other type of combustion engines that using steam or gas turbines. It is important as power demands can varies allot over a day, hydroelectric power plants can response to peak demand in a very short time.
• Cheaper Energy : Unlike fuel in a combustion generator, you don’t need to pay each cubic meter of water to generate the similar power. Water is abundant through rainfalls. Hence it is seen as low cost high value clean energy. Usually in 5-10 years of full electricity generation, it can cover the initial cost of construction.
• Low Maintenance : Most of the hydroelectric dams are automated and only require fewer personnel on the site during normal operation, which translated to a low operating labor cost.
• Suitable for Energy Intensive Industry : Some industry requires mass amount of electricity to be operated, for example is an aluminum electrolytic plants (to extract pure aluminum from its ore you need vast amount of electricity for electrolysis, which can translate into 20-40% of the cost of producing aluminum.)
• Natural Battery : The massive reservoirs behind the dams acts a a natural battery of potential energy storing for later uses. Which comparing to other renewable energy such as wind and solar that requires a separate physical battery to store energy to ensure continuity of electricity supply. This cuts down the comparative cost to store energy and reduce the need of physical battery which mostly using dangerous material and rare metals.

The disadvantages of a hydroelectric dams:

• Ecosystem damage : To build a large enough reservoir to impound enough water to sustain a effective power generation, large amount of land behind the dams are submerged under water. Lands are loss, wildlife and people are displaced due to massive flooding.
• Fluctuation in river flow : The downstream river flow will have wide fluctuation of water level over the day corresponding to the intermittent opening of the turbine gates during power generation. More gates will be open during times of high power demand.
• Siltation and sedimentation : River with high water flow can bring silt and suspended sediments from soil erosion far down to the down stream. Building a dam will reduce the effective flow of the water and hence build up sediments over dependent areas causing reduce in dam capacity over time.
  
• Methane emissions : Dams are considered clean energy by not producing CO2 emissions during energy production, displacing billions of tons of CO2 emissions across the globe in comparing to fossil fuel combustion power station. However, dams in tropical climate have different impact than those in temperate climate. Methane – a more potent green house gases than carbon dioxide – are produced from anaerobic decay of massive amounts of plant material flooded by the reservoir. To reduce methane production, forest of the flooded area need to be clear off.
• Failure risks : A dam failure may cause disaster and massive flood as more than a year worth of rain fall are released in a short time during a catastrophic failure. Newer dams are build with better safety features to reduce catastrophic failure, even in event of earth quakes and storm.

The Hydroelectric Power in Malaysia

Malaysia lies in a tropical climate region is blessed with whole years of abundance rainfall. With vast land, high hills and long river systems, it is nevertheless a suitable ground for dam building and hydroelectric power generation.

In peninsular Malaysia, majority of the dams are located at Sungai Perak and Cameron Highlands. In Sarawak,  Two dams located at Sungai Rajang tributaries and one dam located at Batang Ai river.

Below is the top 10 list of Hydroelectric Power Plants in Malaysia, ranked by install capacity (peak power generation).

1. 2400MW – Bakun Dam (Balui River, Sarawak)
2. 944MW – Murum Dam (Murum River, Sarawak)
3. 600MW – Pergau Dam (Sungai Pergau, Kelantan)
4. 400MW – Sultan Mahmud Power Station or Kenyir Dam (Sungai Terengganu, Terengganu)
5. 372MW – Ulu Jelai Power Station (Sungai Bertam, Cameron Highlands, Pahang)
6. 348MW – Temenggor Power Station or Temengor Dam (Sungai Perak, Perak)
7. 150MW – Sultan Idris II (Cameron Highlands, Pahang)
8. 120MW – Sultan Azlan Shah Kenering Power Station (Sungai Perak, Perak)
9. 100MW – Sultan Yusof Jor Power Station (Cameron Highlands, Pahang)
10. 100MW – Batang Ai Dam (Batang Ai River, Sarawak)

The top two dams have the combined power generation capacity more that the total power generated from the others dams in Malaysia combined.

The Hydroelectric Power in Sarawak

In Sarawak, hydroelectric is the most promising alternative renewable energy source due to abundance of water with an annual precipitation of about 4000mm.

Furthermore there is many suitable sites for hydroelectric dam building. There is many natural occuring basins in the mountaineous inlands of Sarawak. This basins forms a huge catchment areas suitable for building huge dam reservoirs. The notable basins are the various Rajang basins (which holds by the Bakun dam, Murum dam and the future Baleh dam) and other smaller basins like baram basins and limbang basins.

Basins are areas that are surrounded by higher grounds, forming a natural bowl like structure that water have limited outlet to escape. While the catchment area is area where all rainfall is collected, which corresponding to the draining rivers and tributaries. For example of Bakun Dam, it is located at the main outlet of water from the mountains (catchment area) via balui river. Due to its narrow outlet and large basin, it becomes a great potential to be a effective dam.

Dams in Sarawak is planned not only for power generation, but act as flood control, irrigation and supply of drinking water.

The first hydroelectric dam in Sarawak is the Batang Ai Hydroelectric Power Plant. The construction started in 1981 and completed in 1985, have a capacity of 108MW. After 30 years, it is  still contributing clean and reliable energy.

SCORE

Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE) was launched on 11 February 2008. It  is one of five economic development corridors created by the Federal Government of Malaysia as part of its ambitious plan to stimulate investment-led growth in traditionally rural areas.

The focus of the Corridor is to attracts investors to a designated developing area (spanning area of 70,000 square kilometers) with industry that gives the highest economic impact in Sarawak. The 10 priority industry is Oil-based, Aluminum, Steel, Tourism, Palm-oil, Timber-based, Livestock, Aquaculture, Marine Engineering and Glass Industry.

In the long term it will move the state economy up, achieve higher per-capita income, enhance quality of life, achieve balanced regional development and eradicate poverty.

Under the Sarawak SCORE development plan, the implementation of Hydroelectric Power Dams are given emphasis (focus on growing the energy sector) to cater for future domestic, commercial and industry electricity demands in Sarawak.

Murum Dam is the Sarawak Energy’s first hydropower facility launched under Sarawak SCORE initiative. The second hydropower plant under the same initiative is the Baleh Hydroelectric Project which planned to be commenced in October 2018. Other feasible hydropower projects includes Limbang 150MW hydroelectric Power and Barang 1,000MW hydroelectric power.

The Bakun Dam

The Bakun Dam is an embankment dam (dam shaped like a bank or hill) on the Balui River, a tributary of the Rajang River. The construction started in 1996 and operating in 2011.

With the height of 205m and length of 750m, it is the second tallest concrete-faced rockfill dam in the world. With 8 turbines (Francis turbine ) of of 300MW each, it can generate 2,400MW at full operation.

The reservoir have an estimated surface area of 695 km2, with a catchment area (area of land where water is collected and drained) of 14,750 km2.

The Murum Dam

The Murum Dam is a Roller-compacted concrete gravity dam on the Murum River, which is the uppermost part of Rajang River basin, 70Km from the Bakun dam downstream.

A Gravity dam is a dam utilizing the weight of the building material (concrete) to resist the horizontal pressure of water pushing against it.

The construction begins in 2008 and started operating in 2014. It had height of 141m and length of 473m. With 4 turbines (Francis turbine ) of of 236MW each, it can generate 944MW at full operation.

The reservoir have an estimated surface area of 245 km2, with a catchment area of 2,750 km2.

The Scale of the Reservoir at Bakun and Murum

The scale of the reservoir can be clearly seen from the satellite imagery. The area is flooded and initially creating a dark colored reservoir seen from the satellite due to dead and decaying plantation, however over time when silts and sediments sets in, it creates a pale looking lake from the satellite imagery.

It was a dense forest back then. The two rivers being the tributary of Majestic Rajang River which connects various native settlements of mainly Dayaks.

The Bakun dam started its construction in 1996.

During the constructing of the Bakun dam, a second dam is also started its construction over the upper Rajang Basin. The Murum Dam starts its construction in 2008.

The Bakun dam flooding started in 2010. In 2012, the reservoir grew to a significant size that can be spot from the satellite imagery.

The Murum dam starts to fill its reservoir in 2013 and starts its operation in 2014. The satellite imagery showing the color difference in both reservoir which corresponding to the submerged entities and sediments.

Both reservoir is still increasing in size over time.

The two dams may cause a lost of 1000km2 of rainforest land (nearly one and half of a land area of singapore) that is permanently submerged underwater. Over time soil erosion and siltation of the reservoir create much concern.

The Baleh Hydroelectric Project

The quest of clean renewable energy doesn’t stops with Batang Ai, Bakun and Murum. The next hydroelectric project is the Baleh Hydroelectric Project which impound a hydroelectric dam at the Baleh River, about 95 km from its confluence with the Rajang River in the Kapit Division. It is the third dam involving the tributary of Rajang River.

The Baleh Hydroelectric dam  is planned to includes a 188m high Concrete Faced Rockfill Dam, with total of 1,285MW installed capacity via 5 turbines. Once completed it will be second in installed capacity after Bakun dam.

The reservoir have an estimated surface area of 588 km2, with a catchment area of 5,625 km2. It is double the surface area and catchment area in compared to the Murum reservoir.

The project is estimated to be commenced in October 2018, with plan to be commission in 2025. It is also dub as “one of Sarawak’s largest infrastructure projects”.

There are many more dam project in the future in the quest for green energy in Sarawak. Whats their benefit or impact to the nature and socioeconomic ? lets stay tune!