SINGAPORE: Sarawak is intensively analysing its hydrogen plant’s performance to optimise hydrogen production operations and enhance its technical know-how regarding this novel technology, especially in a tropical context.
In stating this, Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said hydrogen has wide applications in Sarawak’s existing industries and can be exported in various forms and via different methods.
“This will play a central role in the further greening of Sarawak’s industries, transportation sector and healthcare in the future.
“Given favourable global demand conditions and sufficient resource availability, Sarawak can be a pioneer in the future global supply chain – as we were previously with the liquefied natural gas business in the 1980s,” he said.
He said this during the Singapore Energy Summit in conjunction with Singapore International Week (SIEW) at Marina Bay Sands here on Tuesday (Oct 25).
In the next several years, we plan to develop six multi-fuel stations in Sarawak that cater to vehicles powered by standard fossil fuels, electricity and hydrogen.
“We have also partnered with global players from South Korea to develop an environmentally friendly hydrogen and ammonia plant in Bintulu.
“Once completed, the plant will produce 7,000 metric tonnes of hydrogen in addition to various forms of ammonia for local industries and South Korea,” he said.
He added hydrogen modules have also been recently introduced at Sarawakian universities, which will equip future engineers with the necessary knowledge to thrive in the hydrogen industry going forward.
“This is supplemented by various research programmes and projects with companies like Airbus and various Japanese firms to test hydrogen’s applications in our daily lives.
“As the scale of hydrogen expands, associated costs will continue to drop, which will be yet another game changer for Sarawak’s economic landscape. As such, it is important for Sarawak to become a first mover in hydrogen usage,” he pointed out.
Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) and Sarawak Energy, he said, are also actively building partnerships to expand local knowledge of hydrogen related technologies within the state and exploring the commercial production of green hydrogen as well as the viability of its associated value chain in Asia.
“Coordinated international cooperation to scale up hydrogen will not only assist us in the implementation of our green energy agenda, but a global hydrogen one as well,” he said.
Abang Johari pointed out that Sarawak is also exploring Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) by way of cultivation and harvesting of microalgae for the purpose of extracting crude algae oils for biofuels.
“SEDC Energy is working with Petronas and has done extensive research in micro algae and there are strains of micro-algae, technology in cultivation and processing, which have been found suitable for producing this biofuel,” he said.
He mentioned Sarawak is enthusiastic to work with like-minded organisations who are similarly committed to a resilient and sustainable energy future for Asean and the world at large.
“We must collectively balance our current and future energy demand with sustainability principles, within the context of the threat of climate change, as today’s stewards of our planet and as neighbours within Asean,” said Abang Johari.
