(Second row, centre from left) Star Media Group client brand marketing general manager Simone Liong, SMK Georgetown acting principal Abdul Samad Ismail (wearing a tie), and Penang TNB retail head Norhizami Abu Hasan at the launch of the ‘Powering The Future’ school engagement series at SMK Georgetown in Penang on Oct 23. — ZHAFARAN NASIB/The Star
GEORGE TOWN: Electricity being an indispensable part of modern life need not be a costly utility if managed efficiently.
This key lesson was brought home by some 100 students of SMK Georgetown in Jelutong during the recent “Powering The Future” school engagement series in Penang, organised by Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), Malaysia’s premier electricity utility company.
The programme, which aims to raise awareness about energy consumption and promote sustainable energy practices, exposed Form Three and Form Four students to a variety of lessons and activities over the course of a four-hour session.
The students were given the fundamental understanding of electricity generation, distribution and consumption.
They were shown the importance of adopting efficient practices that can lead to significant energy savings, improved safety and less wastage for the future of energy sustainability.
SK Dato Kramat students participating in the interactive games during the ‘Powering The Future’ school engagement series.
Among the highlights of the session was a series of interactive games, where students were tasked with simulating the electricity usage of a typical household.
The students were given the opportunity to plan and allocate energy consumption across various appliances, using play money to cover the costs of their electricity bills.
They then had to come up with creative strategies to reduce usage without sacrificing comfort.
To the students’ surprise, they discovered that over half of the daily electricity consumption in an average home could be reduced simply by practising efficient energy management, thus underscoring the potential savings in both costs and environmental impact, which resonated strongly with the participants.
TNB Penang retail head Norhizami Abu Hasan, who joined the students, in his speech emphasised the importance of educating the younger generation on energy efficiency.
SK Jalan Hamilton students having a fun time during the ‘Powering The Future’ school engagement series in Penang.
“These activities are crucial in instilling knowledge among students about energy-saving practices that they can apply in their daily lives.
“We believe that schools are the best platform to reach out to future generations, who can be role models and advocates for sustainable energy use,” he said.
Norhizami noted that the benefits of efficient energy consumption extend far beyond mere financial savings.
“When electricity consumption is high, it increases demand, which in turn requires more burning of fossil fuels like coal. This contributes to environmental degradation.
“By conserving energy, we can reduce the need for such harmful practices, thereby helping to preserve the environment for future generations
“TNB has been steadily increasing its investments in renewable energy to ensure a cleaner, greener future for Malaysia.
“Our broader strategy is to transition from conventional power generation methods such as coal to more sustainable, renewable energy sources,” he said.
SMK Georgetown students engaging in the activities during the ‘Powering The Future’ programme.
The programme’s broader objective was not only to promote energy-saving but to instil in students a sense of responsibility towards environmental conservation.
The school’s acting principal Abdul Samad Ismail expressed hopes that the lessons learned through the initiative would have a lasting impact on students wherever they are in future.
“I hope the students will learn to conserve energy not just within the school but also at home.
“By fostering awareness of energy efficiency, we are not only helping students and their families reduce electricity costs but encouraging them to contribute to the larger goal of environmental protection.
“The school is fully committed to adopting energy-saving measures,” he said.
The other participating schools in Penang included SK Jelutong, SK Convent Pulau Tikus, SK Jalan Hamilton, SK Jalan Residensi, SK Dato Kramat, SK St Xavier, SMK (P) Methodist, SMK Bayan Lepas, SMK Abdullah Munshi and SMK (P) St George.
First introduced last year, the “Powering The Future” series has been an ambitious outreach initiative designed to educate students about the importance of energy efficiency and safety.
Last year, the programme engaged with 890 students across 10 schools in the Klang Valley.
Due to its success, the programme has expanded this year, targeting 60 schools across six states, including Penang.
Focusing on four key pillars – Awareness, Application, Advocate, and Adapt – it seeks to create future energy leaders who not only understand the importance of energy conservation but also advocate for sustainable practices in their communities.
Students at SK Convent Pulau Tikus enjoying themselves during the activities.
Through workshops and educational sessions to foster energy-efficient habits, the show-and-tell elements are incorporated to make the learning experience more engaging for younger students, while older students are encouraged to demonstrate their understanding by applying energy-saving tips to household simulations.
According to the Energy Commission, electricity consumption has risen almost 50% in the last 10 years from 2010 to 2020. In 2010, gross electricity consumption registered at 104,521 GWh.
In 2020, the total electricity consumption stood at 152,250 GWh, a reduction of 4.0% from the 2019 when all sectors except for residential showed a negative growth of electricity consumption due to premises closing and shut down their operations during the Covid-19 lockdown.
During that period, the residential sector showed an upward trend due to Work-From-Home (WFH) imposed by most employers during the period.
According to the Sustainable Energy Development Authority (SEDA), the Malaysia Renewable Energy Roadmap (MyRER) is projected to increase the share of renewable energy to 31% or 12.9 GW in 2025, and 40% or 18.0 GW in 2035.
