KUCHING, Oct 25: Sarawak is focused on establishing the State as a regional hub for renewable energy with the aim of achieving more than 15 per cent income from foreign markets, including through pursuing power exports, by 2030.
Speaking at the Singapore Energy Summit at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore today, Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said Sarawak has embarked on diversifying its renewable energy supply to include green hydrogen, solar power and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) using microalgae by leveraging on its abundant hydro energy.
“Given favourable global demand conditions and sufficient resource availability, Sarawak can be a pioneer in the future of the global supply chain, as we were previously with the liquified natural gas business in the 1980s.
“We are also exploring opportunities for low carbon hydrogen production to develop a hydrogen economy.
“Leveraging on renewable hydropower has allowed us to explore green hydrogen production and utility scale floating solar, and embark on research into microalgae for carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS),” he revealed in his speech at the summit held in conjunction with Singapore International Energy Week today.
In 2017, he said, Sarawak embarked on research into green hydrogen production under the Green Energy Agenda with the aim of decarbonising and greening the State’s transport system and transitioning to a low carbon economy.
This has led to the setting up and commissioning of a hydrogen plant and multi refuelling station in 2019 in Sarawak, the first facility of its kind in Southeast Asia which provides refuelling services for the three hydrogen buses currently serving as public transport in Kuching city.
“Hydrogen has wide applications in our existing industries and can be exported in various forms and via different methods.
“It will play a central role in the further greening of Sarawak’s industries, transportation sector and healthcare in the future,” he elaborated.
Abang Johari pointed out that Sarawak also has partnered with global players from South Korea to develop an environmentally friendly hydrogen and ammonia plant in Bintulu which once completed, will produce 7,000 metric tonnes of hydrogen in addition to various forms of ammonia for local industries and South Korea.
“As the scale of hydrogen expands, associated costs will continue to drop, which will be yet another gamechanger for Sarawak to become a first mover in hydrogen usage.
“Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) and Sarawak Energy are actively building partnerships to expand local knowledge of hydrogen related technologies within our 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 added.
Moving forward, Abang Johari emphasised that 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.
Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, Deputy Minister of Energy and Environmental Sustainability Dr Hazland Abang Hipni, Sarawak State Secretary Dato Sri Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki and Sarawak Energy Group chief executive officer (CEO) Datu Sharbini Suhaili were also present. — DayakDaily
