BY ALEXANDRA LORNA & SARAH HAFIZAH CHANDRA
KUCHING: Sarawak is adopting the methylcyclohexane (MCH) process from Japan as a new innovative way to produce hydrogen.
Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said this new process to produce hydrogen without cracking the ammonia at the power plant was developed in Japan about six months.
“I just come back from Japan, I have opportunity to discuss with renowned world speakers on water and hydrogen and also to find out the alternative way of producing hydrogen from water,” he said.
He said that, at the moment, Sarawak has done its research together with Petronas in reducing the need to split water (H20) into hydrogen and oxygen.
“As you know, water has to be split between hydrogen and oxygen. You need 60 kilowatt per hour to produce 1kg of hydrogen. But we have done our research and we can reduce from 60kilowatt per hour to 38kilowatt per hour.
“But then the next issue is how to carry hydrogen in terms of logistic. Of course, some school of thoughts say it’s ammonia then you have to crack ammonia at the power plant.
“But in Japan I found out the new process without cracking. This is a very innovative process, only about six months ago they found this technology which they called MCH,” he said in his keynote address during the Borneo International Water and Wastewater Exhibition and Conference (BIWWEC) 2022 here on Tuesday (Oct 18).
He pointed out that the MCH process was a new innovation and Sarawak was adopting that process.
“This is disruption economy and therefore I can see the vision in the future.
“You have your freshwater, you have your wastewater and I am sure you can purify your waste water.
“If you separate the impurities, it will become clean water and you produce hydrogen. Hydrogen is the way for us to meet the climate problem. Sarawak will do it and I hope you will help us to produce it,” he said.
