Seberang Perai: Penang has taken a major step to address long-standing concerns over livestock waste with the launch of a centralised biogas facility in Kampung Valdor, South Seberang Perai, Malay Mail reported.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the facility, which has been operational since March 2024, treats livestock waste from multiple farms at a single location and converts it into renewable energy under a regulated system.
At present, the facility serves 20 pig farms housing about 30,000 pigs and has the capacity to expand to handle waste from up to 90,000 pigs in later phases, he said while officiating the launch.
According to Chow, the plant processed about 120 metric tonnes of pig waste per day in 2025 and generated up to 0.6 megawatts of electricity during intermittent operations. At full capacity, it is expected to produce up to 1.2 megawatts, with one megawatt supplied to the national grid.
The facility has been designed to process up to 226,000 metric tonnes of livestock waste annually and generate around 10.5 gigawatt-hours of electricity each year.
Chow said the RM25.9 million project, funded by Timeless Green Sdn Bhd, has created skilled jobs and helped reduce foul odours while improving environmental conditions in nearby communities.
“These are not projections but actual results,” he said, adding that the facility is fully operational and can serve as a model for similar projects elsewhere.
Livestock farming remains a key part of Penang’s agri-food sector, with 113 pig farms and nearly 90,000 pigs across the state. Valdor alone has 44 farms with more than 42,000 pigs.
“At this scale, proper waste management is essential to protect air quality, water sources and the wellbeing of residents,” Chow said.
Building on the Valdor model, the state government plans to develop a similar waste treatment and energy facility in Kampung Selamat, another area with a high concentration of pig farms. The project is expected to take one to two years to complete, with operations targeted to begin by 2029.
Chow said a site has already been identified and work will start once all approvals are secured. He added that breeders in North Seberang Perai have also expressed willingness to adopt biogas solutions.
The state will continue to monitor and encourage upgrades to farming practices, including closed-farm systems with improved environmental safeguards, in coordination with relevant agencies, he said.
