Sunday, June 13, 2010

When it comes to how effective we are in converting energy into dollars to drive the nation's economy, Brunei pays a much heftier price than her more industrialised counterparts. The deputy permanent secretary (Energy) at the Prime Minister's Office said yesterday that Brunei's energy intensity was about five times higher than Japan, and double that of neighbouring Singapore.

Energy intensity is a measure of energy efficiency of a country's economy and is calculated as units of energy per unit of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The higher the energy intensity of a country, the higher the cost or price of converting energy into GDP.

The United States Energy Information Administration (EIA) recorded in 2007 that Brunei's energy intensity was 25,453 Btu (British thermal units) per US$2,000.

"If we compare the standard of efficiency in energy usage in our country (with that) of countries that are developed, (it is found that) the energy intensity of Brunei Darussalam is about five times higher than Japan, (and) twice as high as Singapore," said Hj Ismail POKPS DP Hj Hashim.

"Considering that our country is not an industrial country, it shows that (our) energy usage is very high. At the same time, it also shows that the potential in energy conservation for our country is very large," he added.

The deputy permanent secretary was speaking at the launching of the inaugural Energy Camp 2010, at the Oil and Gas Discovery Centre in Seria, where he emphasised that it was the responsibility of "every layer of society" to practise smart, efficient and conservative use of energy.

"Without a change in attitude in using energy, our energy demand will continue to rise, whereas its supply and the impacts I have mentioned will become ever more challenging," he said.

Therefore, Hj Ismail stressed that public awareness and understanding was crucial for this change.

He advised that the public practise the energy-saving steps promoted during the government's e-saving SOS (Switch Off and Set) campaign on Energy Day, May 24. This includes switching off unnecessary lights, idle appliances and setting air conditioners to higher, more eco-friendly temperatures as well as urging the use of public transport.

He remarked that energy had a big influence on sustainable development from the economical, social and environmental aspects, and thus, energy will have an important role to play as the nation strives to achieve the objectives set in the Brunei Vision 2035.

The three-day, two-night Energy Camp, which saw the participation of more than 70 students from Energy Clubs or related associations established in schools across the nation, was a good opportunity to inculcate the energy-efficient culture within the leaders and decision-makers of tomorrow, he said. As "energy ambassadors", he underscored that it was their duty to spread the message to their peers, family members and the community at large.

A 13-year-old student taking part in the camp, when asked what she thought of Brunei's energy intensity, realised the significance of minimising energy wastage.

"We are very small country and we are not even fully developed like Japan and Singapore. This just tells us that we need to save energy now," Dk Siti Basyirah Pg Hj Husairi told The Brunei Times.

A past report citing statistics provided by the Energy Division of the Prime Minister's Office, said that in 2005, Brunei had one of the highest levels of energy intensity amongst Asean member states, with a level of 534 tonnes of oil equivalent (toe) produced per million US$2,000, compared to the regional average of roughly about 300 toe for the same year.

Indonesia was the highest ranked in Mean with 618 toe and Lao PDR the lowest with only 205 toe.

Ubaidillah Masli
Courtesy of The Brunei Times