By Karen Bong
KUCHING, Sept 3: With abundant natural resources and surplus renewable power, Sarawak is positioning itself to share energy with neighbours in Borneo and ultimately contribute to the ASEAN Power Grid.
Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg stressed that Sarawak is ready to collaborate not only with regional partners but also with other countries worldwide for a shared sustainable future.
“When Sarawak has surplus energy, what are you going to do? You share. Now we are looking into the possibility of sharing our energy with our neighbours within Borneo and ultimately within ASEAN. We have been tasked to explore our contribution to the ASEAN Grid,” he said when speaking at the plenary opening session of the 4th Sustainability and Renewable Energy Forum (SAREF 4.0) at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) today.
He noted that Sarawak’s abundant rivers provide opportunities for hydropower expansion, including through innovative cascading dams and hydro storage systems, while Sarawak Energy is also investing in hydropower projects beyond the State’s borders.
Abang Johari also highlighted Sarawak’s growing role in the global hydrogen economy, citing ongoing collaboration with Japan to produce 100,000 tonnes of hydrogen, of which 90,000 tonnes will be exported to Japan and 10,000 tonnes retained domestically.
He added that Sarawak is also engaging with South Korea on renewable energy ventures, including gas-based solutions.
“Gas, particularly methane, is recognised as the one of the cleanest. We can turn gas into ammonia, which can then be further developed into green energy. With the right technology, we can harness hydrogen and other elements to support a sustainable energy transition,” he explained.
Beyond hydropower and hydrogen, the Premier emphasised that Sarawak is blessed with diverse renewable resources such as solar energy, biomass and bio-waste, which could be harnessed through research, technology adoption and circular economy practices.
“Don’t waste the waste; monetise it. Bio-waste is one of many renewable energy sources we must explore. These are all nature-based solutions that, when combined with advanced technology, can provide alternatives to fossil fuels and power the economy without jeopardising the climate,” he said.
Positioning Sarawak as a strategic hub for clean energy, Abang Johari underscored the State’s geographic advantage, located between Korea, India and Europe.
“With the natural resources we have, what we need is to engage with experts to add value to these resources and then share them with the rest of the world,” he concluded.
The event also witnessed Bakun Hydroelectric Dam awarded the Hydropower Sustainability Standard (HSS) silver certification as well as the exchange of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Government of His Majesty The Sultan and Yang di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam and the Sarawak government on energy cooperation; and MoU between Sarawak Energy and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to formalise partnership on cross-border electrical connectivity.
Deputy Premiers Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan and Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian, Sarawak Legislative Assembly Speaker Tan Sri Mohamad Asfia Awang Nassar, Minister of Utility and Telecommunication Dato Sri Julaihi Narawi, Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, Deputy Minister of Utility (Sarawak Energy and PETROS) Datuk Ibrahim Baki, and Sarawak Energy Group chief executive officer Datuk Sharbini Suhaili were among the distinguished guests present. — DayakDaily
