KUCHING: There are plans to build six multi-fuel refuelling stations in Sarawak soon — two for Kuching and one each for Sri Aman, Sibu, Bintulu and Miri.
Each station will offer conventional fuels plus electric charging facility for battery electric vehicle (BEV) and hydrogen gas for hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) under the brand name Petros, which is the state-owned petroleum and gas company.
The name of the new multi-fuel refuelling stations will be known as Petros and motorists can refuel or charge their vehicle while enjoying other services such as retail services once construction is fully completed next year.
In revealing this, Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) chairman Tan Sri Datuk Amar Abdul Aziz Husain, said the stations would be the first of their kind in the state.
”We are optimistic about the viability of opening multi-fuel refuelling stations which will also enable Sarawakians to have better access to such services and the safety features there will be of highest standards,” he said in his speech during the earth- breaking ceremony of the Darul Hana Multi-Fuel Refuelling Station, Jalan Tun Salahuddin here on today.
Abdul Aziz, who is also the chairman of SEDC Energy Sdn Bhd, a wholly-owned subsidiary company of SEDC which markets the distribution of the multi-fuel refuelling stations, expressed his optimism on the viability of the enterprise due to the strong support from the government and locals.
”There are plans to increase the number of multi-fuel refuelling stations in the near future because the demand for hydrogen gas is expected to increase once there are more hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles on the local roads. At the moment, vehicle owners can still get conventional fuel there.”
He added that many developed countries around the globe, including China, are planning to build more hydrogen refuelling stations in the next few years due to their hydrogen economy agenda.
”At the end of 2019, 432 hydrogen refuelling stations were in operations worldwide, where 330 of which were open to the public for vehicle refuelling like at conventional stations.
“The number of hydrogen refuelling stations has more than quadrupled in the past five years. Sarawak will add to this statistic and will be the first to have a commercial hydrogen refuelling station in this region.”
