Month: April 2023

According to Knight Frank, Malaysia is the premier destination for data centre investment in Southeast Asia

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According to Knight Frank, Malaysia is the premier destination for data centre investment in Southeast Asia

Malaysia is the most attractive destination among Southeast Asian emerging markets for data centre investment, said independent real estate consultancy Knight Frank Malaysia.

The company today launched its white paper on data centres in Malaysia in partnership with DC Byte, highlighting the country’s attractiveness for data centre investment in Kuala Lumpur and Johor.

Knight Frank Asia Pacific Data Centre lead associate director Fred Fitzalan Howard said Malaysia is leading in the Knight Frank SEA-5 Data Centre Opportunity Index, which examines key markets within Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines and Thailand to understand how each country ranks against its peers in data centres.

“The white paper will shed some light about what is happening across two key markets for data centre investment in Malaysia. The first one, Kuala Lumpur, is seeing a huge cloud appetite with Western hyperscale providers announcing the launch of their cloud regions in the past 12 months.

“Secondly, we wanted to touch upon the growth opportunity in Johor, not only through spillovers from Singapore, but also as the upcoming regional hub for data centres for Western and Chinese hyperscale service providers,” he said after the launch here today.

Howard noted that Malaysia managed to take a leading position in the SEA-5 market due to its strong 8.7% gross domestic product and the newly announced cloud regions of Amazon Web Services and Google in the country.

He said the country’s relative growth against other tier-2 markets in Asia is proof that Malaysia, alongside Indonesia, is surging ahead as the largest provider of space and supply for data centre investment.

“In contrast, other rival nations are grappling with land ownership laws and telecommunications deregulation, hindering their growth potential.

“Over the last decade, a surge in cloud interest, government-backed initiatives and the Singapore data centre moratorium has contributed to Malaysia becoming one of the most dynamic data centre markets in the Asia Pacific region,” he added.

According to the white paper, data centres in Malaysia registered 113MW of take-up in 2022 – a four-fold increase over Thailand, the next highest market, which saw a respectable 25MW of take-up.

“Much of this take-up accounts for the growth in Johor, although Kuala Lumpur, which has also reported double digit take-up figures for the past three years, has also contributed to this,” it said.

Source: freemalaysiatoday.com

The Largest Display of Origami Hearts

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The Largest Display of Origami Hearts

3,917,805 Origami Hearts ❤️

The sun will cast a warm glow over the ancient walls of Angkor Wat on April 11, 2023, as history unfolds before the eyes of thousands. The world will witness an awe-inspiring display of one million origami hearts as Cambodia’s “BeyondTheGames” campaign attempts to break the Guinness World Record, currently held by the British with 53,704 origami hearts. This monumental event, however, is more than just a record-breaking attempt – it symbolizes the unconditional love, motivation, and support of Cambodians, united in their quest to uplift their athletes and their nation.

#BeyondTheGames is an initiative by the Union of Youth Federations of Cambodia (UYFC) aimed at promoting the 32nd SEA Games and the 12th ASEAN Para Games, scheduled to commence in May. As Cambodia hosts these prestigious events for the first time, the nation is eager to showcase its spirit of solidarity and unity. The intricately folded origami hearts will be displayed at the Angkor Sangkranta event 2023, the SEA Games, and the ASEAN Para Games, offering a visual reminder of the nation’s unwavering determination and support for its athletes.

UYFC President Hun Many emphasizes that the act of folding the hearts not only serves to break the Guinness World Record but also represents the genuine love and dedication of the Cambodian people. The campaign demonstrates their commitment to standing united in support of their athletes, showcasing the strength and resilience that defines the nation.

Spearheaded by Chief Executive Officer Sok Sabayna, the ambitious plan to collect one million hearts has garnered significant financial support. Each origami heart is worth 500 riel, and a total of five companies have contributed 500 million riel, or $125,000, to the campaign. In a remarkable display of generosity and compassion, the funds raised from BeyondTheGames will be donated to athletes with disabilities, further exemplifying the campaign’s commitment to inclusivity and unity.

As the countdown to this historic event continues, Cambodians and supporters worldwide are encouraged to join the BeyondTheGames campaign and contribute to this heartwarming display of love and solidarity. By participating in this monumental occasion and sharing in the creation of one million origami hearts, we can all embrace the spirit of unity and support that transcends borders and uplifts communities.

Together, let us break records, spread love, and build a better Cambodia.

Source: thebettercambodia.com

Japan’s Mitsubishi, others raise $692 million for Monsoon Southeast Asia’s largest wind project in Laos

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Japan’s Mitsubishi, others raise $692 million for Monsoon Southeast Asia’s largest wind project in Laos

VIENTIANE – US$692 million loan secured to finance region’s largest wind farm in Laos. The project is set to generate revenue in foreign currencies to the Lao government, and create jobs for local people during the construction and operation periods.

A developer has signed a US$692 million loan agreement to finance the 600MW “Monsoon Wind Power Project” in Laos, the largest in Southeast Asia, according to media reports.

Thailand-based Impact Electrons Siam Limited (IES), Asia-Pacific’s leading renewable energy solutions provider, as the developer of the project known as Monsoon Wind and other shareholders recently inked the non-recourse financing agreement with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) as the lead arranger of the loan.

The other shareholders include ACEN Renewables International Pte. Ltd., STP&I Public Company Limited, and SMP Group, according to the Bangkok Post.

Monsoon Wind Power Company Limited will construct, own and operate the wind power plant and its dedicated 500kV transmission line in Laos’ Xekong and Attapeu provinces.

Comprising 133 turbines, the project will be the largest wind power farm in Southeast Asia and the first in Laos.

Under a 25-year power purchase agreement, electricity generated by the project will be sold to Vietnam Electricity (EVN).

The project will be co-financed by the ADB as lead arranger, Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA), the Export-Import Bank of Thailand (Thai EXIM), Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC), Hong Kong Mortgage Corporation Limited (HKMC), Kasikornbank, and Siam Commercial Bank.

Mitsubishi Corporation said on Monday that the Japanese heavyweight and other shareholders of the Monsoon wind power project in Laos have raised $692 million in financing for the wind farm, which will serve Vietnam and other parts of Southeast Asia.

Comprising 133 wind turbines, the project in Sekong and Attapeu provinces in southern Laos will form the largest wind power plant in Southeast Asia and the first in Laos. Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Monsoon Wind Power Co. Ltd. (Monsoon) signed a $692.55 million non-recourse project financing package this March to build the 600-megawatt wind farm to sell power to Vietnam.

Once the wind farm has been constructed, it will sell electricity to Vietnam’s state-run utility giant Electricity Vietnam under a 25-year power purchase agreement, Mitsubishi said, adding that the Japanese firm, Thai renewable energy firm BCPG Pcl, and other stakeholders secured the financing package from ADB, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, and other lenders.

The project should be launched in 2025. Its total cost is $950 million, according to Monsoon’s website. Meanwhile, according to documents BCPG Pcl had earlier shown to its investors, the project’s second phase is expected to raise the capacity to 1,000 megawatts.

The first cross-border renewable energy project in Southeast Asia is set to play a central role in a plan shared by the governments of Vietnam and Laos to transmit 5,000 MW of electricity from Laos to Vietnam by 2030, Mitsubishi said.

In plans for the development of energy in ASEAN, electricity generated in Laos would also be exported to other regional countries like Cambodia, Thailand, and Singapore.

Mitsubishi is involved in the renewable project via investment through its wholly-owned subsidiary Diamond Generating Asia Ltd. Other partners, the Japanese heavyweight said, are ACEN Renewables International of the Philippines’ Ayala Group, three Thai firms namely Impact Electron Siam Co., STP&I Pcl, BCPG Pcl, together with SMP Consultation, a Laotian consulting firm.

ADB said in its release for this March’s signing of the project financing package with Monsoon that cross-border power supply has been a pillar of Laos’ economic growth.

“Harnessing the country’s untapped wind resources can provide energy diversification as the seasonality of the wind resource is countercyclical to the rainy season, which supports the country’s hydropower generation.

“The project will reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions by at least 748,867 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent,” ADB said.

Philippines Set to Receive First-ever LNG Cargo for Power Generation

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Philippines Set to Receive First-ever LNG Cargo for Power Generation

The Philippines has bought its first-ever liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargo, which will be delivered this month, bound for a new terminal that will fuel a 1,200-megawatt power plant, global energy trader Vitol said on Monday (Apr 3).

Vitol Asia, a supply and trading unit of Vitol Group, will supply the LNG cargo to San Miguel Global Power Holdings from its global LNG portfolio, Vitol said in a statement.

It did not disclose the volume and price.

The purchase comes after spot LNG prices in Asia fell sharply from all-time highs last year when Russia cut gas supplies to Europe following the Ukraine war and sparked a flurry of purchases by European nations.

Faced with declining output from its Malampaya natural gas field, the Philippines is the newest LNG buyer in the region as it seeks alternative fuel supply for existing gas-fired power plants producing more than 3,000 MW, including San Miguel Global’s 1,200-MW Ilijan power plant.

The LNG cargo will be delivered around mid-April to Singapore-based Atlantic, Gulf and Pacific’s (AG&P) import terminal in the Philippines.

Source: Business Times Singapore