
Saudi Arabia's ACWA Power signs MoU to develop renewables capacity in Malaysia
DUBAI, May 29 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's ACWA Power (2082.SE), opens new tab said on Thursday it had signed a preliminary agreement to develop up to 12.5 gigawatts of renewable energy generating capacity in Malaysia with an initial investment of up to $10 billion.
The renewable energy utility said in a statement it agreed a memorandum of understanding with the Malaysian Investment Development Authority to explore developing the capacity by 2040.
Malaysia wants renewable energy to make up 70% of its power mix by 2050.
ACWA said it also signed strategic partnership agreements with several Malaysian companies for possible energy projects, including for large-scale water desalination.
"These strategic agreements represent a significant milestone in ACWA Power's expansion in Southeast Asia and reflect our commitment to supporting Malaysia and the broader ASEAN region's energy transition," ACWA CEO Marco Arcelli said in the statement.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Reuters
6 hours ago
- Reuters
Firstunion Launches World's First Puff-to-Heat Product, PTH MASTER, Ushering in a New Era of Heated Tobacco
JAKARTA, Indonesia, June 4, 2025 (EZ Newswire) -- On May 30, 2025, Firstunion, opens new tab's premium technology brand, PTH, opens new tab, officially launched the world's first mass-produced Puff-to-Heat product—PTH MASTER—in Jakarta, Indonesia. Equipped with multiple industry-first technologies, PTH MASTER resolves long-standing pain points associated with traditional heated tobacco products, such as preheating requirements and inconsistent flavor, offering consumers a more convenient, consistent, and harm-reducing experience. Traditional heated tobacco products typically require 15–30 seconds of preheating and cannot pause once activated, significantly limiting user experience. PTH MASTER employs a proprietary Distributed Hexa-Core Thermal Control System, using precise point-to-point heating applied directly to individual tobacco sheets. This achieves true Puff-to-Heat functionality without any preheating, allowing users to start and stop freely. Combined with HOP™ Honeycomb-Engineered Tobacco, this technology ensures peak flavor from the first puff to the last by evenly and consistently heating only the targeted tobacco area, completely addressing the traditional issue of inconsistent flavor. PTH MASTER introduces three key technological breakthroughs, fundamentally reshaping the industry: This triple-technology integration resolves the fundamental issues of preheating delays and declining flavor consistency. 'With PTH MASTER, we set out to redefine what heated tobacco can offer. This new puff-to-heat system eliminates preheating and delivers consistent flavor from the first puff, making the entire experience simpler, smoother, and more intuitive. It reflects our belief that real innovation starts with understanding how people live—and designing technology that fits seamlessly into their lives,' said Jack Kuai, product lead of PTH Master. Built upon extensive consumer research, PTH MASTER redefines the user experience with a "zero-compromise design philosophy." It features dual intelligent modes—Ultra (6 strong puffs) and Eco (12 gradual puffs)—to accommodate diverse lifestyle scenarios, from fast-paced business interactions to relaxed leisure moments. Its ultra-thin micro tobacco chamber, the Tiangong Chamber, is less than 9mm thick, supporting one-handed operation while minimizing accidental activation. In terms of interaction, PTH MASTER incorporates a 0.71-inch Chrono Halo Display and over ten linear-motor tactile feedback patterns, providing real-time information such as battery status and puff count, along with intuitive operation guidance. Crafted from 100% renewable aluminum alloy and medical-grade ceramic mouthpieces, it combines premium feel with sustainability. In terms of harm reduction, PTH MASTER significantly decreases harmful emissions through precise temperature control and optimized materials. Laboratory testing confirms that heating temperatures remain strictly below 350°C, preventing excessive harmful substance formation. Compared with conventional cigarettes, PTH MASTER achieves an average comprehensive harm reduction rate exceeding 97% [1]. Each HOP tobacco sheet contains just 120mg of tobacco, a 60% reduction compared to traditional reconstituted tobacco sheets, yet still delivers excellent first-puff satisfaction and consistent flavor. Additionally, a zero-nicotine version is available for consumers seeking non-addictive alternatives. In appearance, PTH MASTER derives its color inspiration from Earth's 4.6-billion-year evolutionary palette, offered in three series—Master, Ultimate, and Premium—with seven color options: Master Edition Royal Vermilion; Ultimate Edition Dune White and Basalt Black; Premium Edition Misty Gray, Rosewood Brown, Dai Emerald, and Starry Blue, harmoniously blending natural beauty and advanced technology. For flavor variety, HOP offers innovative options such as Classic Tobacco, Strong Menthol, Light Menthol, Blueberry Menthol, Clove, and zero-nicotine variants like Classic Tobacco and Blueberry Menthol. Tobacco is sourced from the world's premier regions, aged 540–720 days for optimal maturity. Master perfumers with over 20 years of experience employ exclusive blending techniques to integrate tobacco and natural essences, fully preserving the core aromatic profile and ensuring precise flavor replication. Firstunion has specialized in heated tobacco technology for over a decade, holding more than 2,000 related patents (including over 200 international PCT patents) by Q1 2025. PTH MASTER is the culmination of efforts by a global interdisciplinary team comprising over 100 experts from materials science, structural engineering, electronics, software, tobacco science, industrial design, and automation. The team spent over three years developing hundreds of prototypes and conducting thousands of tests, finally achieving breakthroughs in instant heating and consistent flavor output, redefining industry technology standards. As the world's first mass-produced Puff-to-Heat product, PTH has filed over 50 patent families. Leveraging Firstunion's seven global laboratories, six intelligent manufacturing bases, and extensive R\&D capabilities, PTH aims to drive technological advancements, ushering the industry into the 'no preheating' era. Notes About PTH Established in 2025, PTH is the world's first brand to launch Puff-to-Heat tobacco products. Its revolutionary heated tobacco product, PTH MASTER, has over 50 patent families registered across multiple countries. As Firstunion's new premium brand, PTH embodies the group's relentless pursuit of next-generation tobacco technology. Crafted by an elite team of industry masters, it combines cutting-edge technology and artistic aesthetics, redefining standards for new tobacco technology. Explore more at opens new tab. About Firstunion Group Firstunion Group, founded in 2004, is a Shenzhen-based leading company in global electronic atomization industry. Firstunion is dedicated to offering one-stop solutions to customers through world-class electronic atomization are honored to partner with over 200 brands across more than 80 countries and regions worldwide. Leveraging our independent research and development capabilities, we have established key technological platforms, including nicotine atomization, non-combustion heating, medical atomization and functional substance atomization. These platforms enable us to offer a diverse range of products, such as atomized electronic cigarettes, heat-not-burn (HNB) devices, products for delivering seven leading innovation laboratories and six manufacturing centers strategically located in key domestic and international markets, Firstunion has earned numerous international management system certifications and qualifications. Additionally, our products have received several prestigious international design more information, visit Media Contact Suki Xu pr@ ### SOURCE: Firstunion Group Copyright 2025 EZ Newswire See release on EZ Newswire


The Independent
8 hours ago
- The Independent
Electricity costs are already jolting Americans - Trump's bill could hike them another $400 a year
Amid already high, and rising, electricity prices, President Donald Trump 's broad domestic policy bill, which is up for debate in the Senate, could make the situation even worse. If the legislation passes as it currently stands, it would remove federal tax credits from the Biden presidency for sources of electricity such as solar, wind, batteries and geothermal power, The New York Times noted. Several studies from this year reveal that the energy bill of the average family could rise as much as $400 annually. For the first time in decades, demand for electricity is on the rise, in part because of the construction of data centers required for artificial intelligence. And power companies are having difficulties keeping up with the rising needs. The removal of tax breaks for wind turbines, solar panels, and batteries would make such sources of power more expensive, and their availability would decrease. As a result, the demand for power from natural gas would rise. This could lead to a rise in gas prices, which at the moment is responsible for 43 percent of U.S. electricity. The Trump administration has also taken action to sell more gas abroad, which could lead to further price rises. Additionally, Trump's levies on steel, aluminum, and other construction materials would increase the cost of transmission lines and other kinds of electrical equipment. The Clean Energy Buyers Association, which represents companies that have committed to buying renewable energy, commissioned a study that found that the repeal of clean energy credits would lead to a 13 percent increase in electricity in states such as New Jersey, North Carolina, Arizona, and Kansas. It could also lead to the loss of thousands of jobs by 2032. Trump administration and gas industry officials push back on such claims, arguing that the president's measures to make it cheaper to drill and build pipelines will lead to a decrease in electricity prices. They also argue that wind and solar have received subsidies for decades and that their continuing expansion could make the electric grid less dependable. A spokesperson for the Department of Energy told The Times that the president's 'agenda is to lower the cost of oil production in the United States, lower the cost of natural gas production in the United States — that ultimately will lead to lower average prices and at the same time profitability for businesses.' 'Prices are going to move up and down in the short term,' he added, however, noting that the administration would be focusing on policies 'that will deliver long-lasting prosperity.' Four Republican Senators wrote in a letter in April that, because of the rising demand for energy, 'it is imperative that any modifications to the tax code avoid worsening the economic pressures that American households and businesses already face.' 'For energy credits that provide a direct passthrough benefit to ratepayers, repeals would translate into immediate utility bill increases, placing additional strain on hardworking Americans,' they added. The Energy Information Administration found that since 2022, U.S. residential electricity prices have increased by 13 percent on average. In Ohio, prices are on the rise as data centers are being built in the state. Meanwhile, in California, wildfires are a source of rising costs. One of the major reasons behind rising prices is the unstable nature of natural gas prices, which rose sharply following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. After falling to record lows in 2024, gas prices are set to almost double this year and rise even more next year. This comes as demand is on the rise domestically, even as the U.S. is selling more gas overseas. Since 2022, the cost of building gas power plants has almost tripled. Gas companies are now in the midst of wait times of up to half a decade for new gas turbines. Meanwhile, drilling for natural gas has grown more expensive amid rising equipment costs due to tariffs. As of 2020, 34 million households stated that they struggled to pay their energy bills and kept their homes at unsafe temperatures because of worries about costs. This comes as the Trump administration has vowed to end the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which helps 6.2 million people pay for high energy bills. The executive director of the National Energy Assistance Directors Association, Mark Wolfe, told The Times that 'We've got millions of families that are already struggling to pay their bills.' 'Now you bring in extreme temperatures, record heat, and it's a very bad situation,' he added.


BBC News
8 hours ago
- BBC News
New model proposed for the future of Sark's power
An energy provider says it wants to work with the community on the future of power in Power managing partner Marcus Saul said he wanted to bring the island's energy users together with a public-private May it was announced Sark Electricity would be bought on 3 July by energy provider Island Power for £2.4m and moved into community Saul said an organisation called Sark Energy Limited would be formed in which Chief Pleas would act as a "custodian" of the energy network while his firm would ensure the right technologies were introduced. 'Eyes wide open' Mr Saul said the partnership could see Sark and Guernsey become "the world leaders" in distributor energy networks, the technology and collaborative financial and legal said this model was different to the usual acquisition explained: "Sark has been on the very sharp end of this whereby they've had the private acquisition of the energy company."That in turn has meant the people in Sark haven't been able to be heard with relation to what they require for energy - that ability to transition from heavy fossil fuel-based economy into a very resilient renewable economy, what we often refer to as a natural grid utilising both thermal and electricity."Mr Saul said Island Power would look at upgrading the grid over the next three years."We have our eyes wide open with regard to the grid, there's a lot that needs to be done both on the safety side of things all the way through to actively redesigning and reimagining what energy for Sark will be by 2050," he added.