Kuala Terengganu, 31 May 2023 – TDM Berhad ("TDM" or the "Group"), through its wholly owned subsidiary, TDM Plantation Sdn. Bhd. ("TDMP"), continues efforts to green its business operations by becoming a pioneer in the biogas power industry. The inauguration of the Biogas Power Plant, which is the result of a joint venture between TDM and Concord Group, was completed by His Royal Highness Sultan of Terengganu, Al-Wathiqu Billah Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin ibni Almarhum Sultan Mahmud Al-Muktafi Billah Shah, who was also accompanied by YBM Tengku Seri Bijaya Raja (Datuk Tengku Farok Hussin Bin Tengku Abdul Jalil), Terengganu State Secretary and Chairman of TDM, Haji Najman Kamaruddin, Executive Director of TDM, and Tan Sri Datuk Seri Mohd Hussin bin Abd Hamid, Executive Chairman of Concord Group.
Through the BOOT (Built, Operate, Own, Transfer) agreement signed in 2019, TDM, in collaboration with Concord, has developed, operated, and maintained renewable energy based power generation. This project, worth nearly RM50 million, consists of two biogas plants that use covered lagoon systems at TDM's Kemaman and Sungai Tong palm oil mills. The two plants have the potential to produce a total of 29,784,000 kWh of renewable energy each year. In March and June 2022, both TDM biogas power plants were fully operational and managed to generate 2 MW of power, which was then fed directly to Tenaga Nasional Berhad's grid.
The chairman of TDM, YBM Tengku Seri Bijaya Raja said, “TDM is committed to finding opportunities to improve the quality of business and, at the same time, strive to ensure the sustainability of the environment. Along with the company's mission of converting 'waste to wealth', we decided to use the opportunities and resources we have by utilising the waste mainly from our factories to generate renewable energy while supporting the government's efforts to reduce dependency on renewable energy. This is also the first investment for the development of a biogas power plant to benefit from the ECER Incentive Package, and I am confident that the collaboration between the Federal Government and the State Government will accelerate growth in Terengganu.”
The establishment of this biogas plant is one of TDM's strategies to optimise palm oil mill effluent treatment management, reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the oil palm mill effluent treatment system, and reduce the carbon footprint in the direction of driving sustainable development. The adoption of this green technology effort will be able to provide long-term environmental care while also helping to develop the existing treatment system of oil palm mills in order to avoid polluting the environment. Furthermore, this biogas facility would improve the output of renewable energy, ensuring the country's long-term energy supply. This project was also recognised by the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) and the East Coast Economic Regional Development Council (ECERDC).
“TDM recognises that this effort would not be possible without the collaboration of numerous parties, and we respectfully thank everyone involved, including Concord Group, MIDA, ECERDC, TDM staff, and everyone who contributed to the project. It is hoped that the step taken will inspire others to participate in greening business operations in order to maintain environmental sustainability.” added Haji Najman Kamaruddin, Executive Director of TDM.