By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, Oct 23: Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) will be included in the ongoing construction of the hydrogen-powered Autonomous Rapid Transit (ART) route from Samarahan to Kuching, says Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.
He said this forms part of Sarawak’s efforts to provide green mobility through the use of hydrogen energy.
“As a first step, we want Unimas to be part of the programme where we are building an ART station from Samarahan to Kuching along Unimas,” he said when speaking at the 11th International Conference on Low Carbon Asia (ICLCA) 2025 held at the Hikmah Exchange Event Centre (HEEC) here today.
Abang Johari further said that a small hydrogen plant has been established in Sarawak to produce the fuel through water electrolysis, generating about 130 kilograms of hydrogen per day.
Although the process currently requires high power consumption of 160 kilowatt hours per kilogram, he noted that recent technological advancements in Europe have helped reduce the cost of hydrogen production, with further reductions expected within the next five to ten years.
“I went to Berlin just two months ago, and they have reduced the cost of producing hydrogen through water electrolysis because of improvements in technology using advanced membranes, and it is now lower than 60 kilowatt hours.
“I believe that within five to ten years, the cost of producing hydrogen will be cheaper,” he added, drawing a comparison to the evolution of computers, which were once as large as a room but are now small enough to fit in our hands.
He also acknowledged that some quarters have questioned the State’s decision to adopt hydrogen-powered ART.
“A lot of skeptics said, well, why does Sarawak want to adopt ART powered by hydrogen? The answer is we have to do something on the issue of climate change,” he stressed.
He explained that Sarawak’s vast water resources and major dams such as Bakun, Murum, Batang Ai and Baleh give the State an advantage in producing hydrogen by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen.
“Sarawak, we don’t share rivers. We have a lot of rivers. Not only one, a lot. So much so, there are a lot of crocodiles. And these rivers can be a source of producing hydrogen.
“The only area that we have to do a lot of research in is how to produce hydrogen at an affordable range,” he emphasised.
Also present were Unimas Board of Directors chairman Tan Sri Datuk Seri Panglima Sulong Matjeraie, Ministry of Natural Resources and Urban Development (MuDeNR) permanent secretary Datu Abdullah Julaihi, Unimas vice-chancellor Prof Dr Ahmad Hata Rasit, and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) Low Carbon Asia Research Centre director Prof Dr Ho Chin Siong. — DayakDaily
