BY SARAH HAFIZAH CHANDRA & NATASHA JEE
KUCHING: Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) is seeking to collaborate with more agencies in pursuit of the Sarawak hydrogen agenda.
SEDC chairman Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr Abdul Aziz Husain said an association had been established to facilitate the development of a sustainable hydrogen economy for Sarawak.
“This association is the first of its kind in Sarawak. It is expected to facilitate the planning and implementation of a roadmap towards developing a sustainable hydrogen economy for Sarawak.
“This is a significant step in realising Sarawak’s hydrogen economy. By having mutual partnerships and collaboration through this association, we can promote the Sarawak hydrogen agenda,” he said at the inaugural Sarawak Hydrogen Association meeting at Menara SEDC here today.
He added that the Sarawak hydrogen agenda was mooted by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg in 2017 and SEDC had been actively pursuing it with strategic partners such as Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB).
“Through collaboration with other agencies, we’ve explored the potential of hydrogen gas development in the state.
“This resulted in our first hydrogen fuel cell buses and the first integrated hydrogen production, storage and refuelling in the Southeast Asian region, which was materialised in 2019.
“Sarawak is on the right path to capitalise on this opportunity and become a pioneer in advocating the green hydrogen agenda.
“Thus, we would like to expand that collaboration and synergy by involving more parties from the industry along with the academic sector to work together in realising this vision.”
Abdul Aziz also expressed hope for the association to become a stepping stone in enhancing the collaboration.
“Our Chief Minister had previously stated that with the abundant clean hydroelectric power resources, Sarawak has an ideal setting for a hydrogen economy in the state. Thus, we should be taking pioneering steps to explore the commercial and public applications of hydrogen and fuel cell technology.”
According to Abdul Aziz, the next immediate step would be for the appointed pro-tem committee to work together to come up with the necessary process for the registration and formalisation of the association.
The pro-tem committee currently comprises 12 members, with Abdul Aziz as chairman, SEB chief executive officer Datuk Suharbini Suhaili as deputy chairman, SEDC special administrative officer Awang Nasfuddin Awang Hassan as secretary as well as representatives from Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas), Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak and Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas).
Among its functions, the association would advise the government on the roadmap towards sustainable hydrogen economy, propose to the authorities the support and tax incentives required to advance the hydrogen economy agenda, encourage key stakeholders to replace carbon-based fuel with hydrogen in the transport sector.
