By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Aug 8: ACWA Power founder and chairman, Mohammad Abunayyan, paid a courtesy call to Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg today, which reaffirmed its strategic partnership with SEDC Energy (SEDCE) in terms of green hydrogen partnership in the State.
According to a press release, the visit underscores ACWA Power’s commitment to emulate its flagship NEOM Green Hydrogen Project in Saudi Arabia, bringing similar scale and ambition to Sarawak.
“NEOM is the world’s largest green hydrogen project currently under development, targeting 4GW of renewable power to produce 600 tonnes per day of green hydrogen,” said the press release.
The USD8.4 billion project is designed to position Saudi Arabia as a leader in the global hydrogen economy, which aligns closely with Sarawak’s clean energy vision.
This initiative also aligns with ACWA Power’s recent USD10 billion investment commitment to Malaysia, announced during the ASEA-GCC Summit in May this year, with Sarawak poised to benefit substantially through infrastructure, technology, and economic spillovers.
ACWA Power and SEDCE entered this agreement last year, establishing the basis for this collaboration.
Both parties are also in active discussions with Sarawak Energy to explore floating solar projects in Batang Ai and Murum Hydropower Dam.
Additionally, ACWA Power and SEDCE have also reached out to the Sarawak Ministry of Utilities and Telecommunications (MUT) and Sarawak Ministry of Energy and Environmental Sustainability (MEESTY) to ensure regulatory alignment.
This collaboration aligns with Sarawak’s Post Covid-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030, the National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR), and the Sarawak Hydrogen Economy Roadmap (HETR), and reflects the deepening clean energy cooperation between Malaysia and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) chairman Tan Sri Datuk Amar Abdul Aziz Husain, general manager Datu Abdul Hadi, chief investment officer Haji Zainnurain Othman, SEDCE CEO Robert Hardin, SEDCE Head of CEO Office Dennis Harun Wong, ACWA Power senior advisor to the chairman Tan Sri Azman Mokhtar, country director Mathew Chandapillai, executive vice-president of business development (Middle East/Global Water) Udyan Seth, director of business development and projects Azhari Sulaiman, and Advisor to Chairman ACWA Power Co Dato JIV Sammanathan were also present.
ACWA Power is a Saudi-listed company and the world’s largest private water desalination company, the first mover into green hydrogen, and a leader in energy transition with presence in 13 countries in the Middle East, Africa, Central Asia, and Southeast Asia. — DayakDaily
