By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, Feb 5: Although some may know hydrogen from its use to make bombs in warfare, Sarawak will instead use it as an alternative fuel for vehicles and boost the living standard of her people.
Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg shared a conversation with an elder who believed that hydrogen poses a danger due to its history of being used to make hydrogen bombs in the Second World War (WWII).
“He told me, ‘Abang Jo, you are talking about hydrogen. You were not born when we had our WWII. Hydrogen is very dangerous; hydrogen bomb.’
“However, that is the old framework, and we must learn more about hydrogen. After all, hydrogen is a very light gas. It could serve as an energy to power engines or cars.
“That is why the Sarawak government decided to make use of the State’s abundant resource of water to split them into hydrogen and oxygen,” he said during Centre for Technology Excellence Sarawak’s (Centexs) 8th Convocation Ceremony held at Centexs Santubong here today.
While the current process of hydrogen production comes at a large cost at the moment, Abang Johari believed that the cost would decrease within the next five to 10 years.
This is due to the State’s research development whereby the electric current needed to produce 1kg of hydrogen has decreased from approximately 60 kilowatt-hours (kWh) to only about 40 kWh.
He also noted that the whole world has started its transition towards using hydrogen as an alternative fuel for cars, citing several leading vehicle manufacturers, namely Toyota, Hyundai and BMW.
“This means there is a transition towards hydrogen. When this happens, we would need the manpower to repair or maintain the engine of the hydrogen cars.
“That is where Centexs comes in to prepare our people so that they can manage cars propelled or powered by hydrogen. That is why Centexs is currently teaching its students subjects related to hydrogen.
“(However), not hydrogen bomb. We are not Hamas. We are not into warfare. We are using hydrogen to elevate the living standard of Sarawakians,” he added.
Also present during the Convocation were Centexs chairman Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohamad Morshidi Abdul Ghani, Sarawak Foundation director Mersal Abang Rosli and Centexs chief executive officer Dato Syeed Mohd Hussien Wan Abdul Rahman. — DayakDaily
