PETALING JAYA: Denmark-based water technology company Grundfos Pumps Malaysia has introduced Grundfos Energy Earnings (GEE) which allows customers to finance the new pump solutions with a share of their energy earnings.
This payment service based on the “as-a-service” business model enables businesses to save energy without an initial investment.
Grundfos senior regional sales director for domestic building services for Asia-Pacific & China and country director Giancarlo Roggiolani said 70% of large corporate and mid-sized companies find it a major issue to obtain funding or financing for ESG and sustainability-related expenses, according to a survey of 300 companies across the world, including from Malaysia.
“This hurdle has made it difficult for businesses to implement the required strategies derived from audits, since overhauls or installation of new sustainable equipment can be expensive, and businesses might not believe that they can expect strong returns from investing in implementing green solutions,” he told SunBiz.
He said businesses have an important role in supporting Malaysia’s green transition as both energy users and solutions providers.
Roggiolani said industrial and commercial sectors represent a significant portion of Malaysia’s energy use – around 74.4% of total electricity consumption in 2020.
“This represents a vital opportunity for businesses to enable Malaysia to reach its net-zero goal by 2050 by transitioning to low-carbon and sustainable practices, drive innovation, and contribute to a more sustainable future,” he said.
He added that saving energy and water is a promising starting point into how businesses can contribute to sustainability.
“Here, offerings like the Grundfos Energy Check Advanced, where we work with businesses to analyse existing pump performance and identify areas for potential energy savings, allow businesses to gain valuable insights into opportunities and gaps in optimising the energy efficiency of their water processes,” he said.
Grundfos is the first water sector organisation in the world to receive approval of net-zero goals from the Science-Based Targets initiative, and in the top five Danish businesses to take leadership in this area.
Grundfos Malaysia’s facility in Selangor has taken diverse initiatives that are guided by its sustainability ambitions.
To save energy, Roggiolani said, it invested in solar energy infrastructure, which generates double the energy that is consumed. The excess power is sold back to Tenaga Nasional Bhd, enabling it to achieve cost savings while maintaining the optimal performance of its operations.
To save water, he added, it utilises rainwater harvesting to provide water used at on-site facilities such as washing bay, wastewater testing bay, clean water testing bay and water fountain. To support its water needs, it has upgraded its rainwater harvesting tank from a capacity of 1,000 litres in 2021/2022 to 6,500 litres in 2023.
The company also seeks to reduce waste-to-landfill in its Selangor facility and has set targets to achieve this.
“Our waste is collected and sorted into categories, with what can be recycled sent to a designated recycling centre, and the remaining collected and disposed of at a designated waste management area,” said Roggiolani.
Another key challenge faced by the region, he added, is the threat of flooding. Flooding is the most common natural disaster faced in Southeast Asia, with 13% of the region’s population exposed to the threat.
“In response, governments and local authorities are working towards short- to medium-term goals of preventing and adapting to urgent floods, improving drainage capacity, and increasing water management capacity.
“However, challenges in land acquisition remain for local authorities when constructing new pumping stations, floodgates and retention ponds. Such structures require land, which can be especially difficult in densely populated urban areas such as those in Southeast Asian cities.
“One possible solution is what we call a ‘pump gate’ that combines floodgates and axial flow pumps on an existing waterway, relieving flood pressure without consuming additional land,” he said.
