It's 10.30 PM.
Bright lights at KL Sentral.
I am at KL Sentral Train Station right now about to board the intercity carriage up north the peninsular to the humble state of Kedah; where at about 4.40 AM a taxi will be picking me up to rest at the hotel for a couple of hours before taking me to the university where I will be presenting an introduction to blockchain and the potential it can do for the energy sector and the environment.
It will be my first time visiting Kedah.
When I think of Kedah, I imagine rice paddy fields that stretch for miles from its capital, Alor Setar, which I also imagine is a slow moving quiet town.
But from my research of the town, I look forward to have a renewed image of this town as I see it with my own eyes.
The State of Renewable Energy
Kedah is home to one of the largest solar panel manufacturers in Malaysia; First Solar.
First Solar has been around since 2008 and has done much for the state; namely we have to them thank for:
- building a 160-acre assembly plant which has the capacity to manufacture 12 million panels a year.
- provides over 4,000 high-tech jobs to the local state population here.
- building a 2,000 solar panel rooftop carpark which can essentially power 300 city homes.
- a recycling facility that collects discarded glass and electronic materials to create even more solar panels.
- donated a 144 solar panel energy system to energize a local religious landmark called the Al Fateh Mosque (seen above).
Given luck, I might be able to visit them all.
It will be a fresh experience.
I'm looking forward to it.
Buzz
Hi, my name is Jason aka @buzz.lightyear. I envision a future where renewable energy is our main source of electricity in this lifetime; reducing the largest contributor of carbon emissions by 90% and bringing our global temperatures back to its natural balance.
I believe that this is no easy task but it is achievable with your support.
I am developing an open blockchain that incentivises both producers and consumers of renewable energy and am looking to collaborate with brilliant minds who share this vision so that we can create a future where it just makes sense to go 100% renewable, visit your local store, buy some latest tech and generate energy for your own use and for others.
Photo Credits
Kedah: rizalis (malaysian macro team) on VisualHunt / CC BY-NC-ND