By Amanda L
KUCHING, Apr 27: Sarawak has piloted a gas to energy cogeneration prototype generating 5 kilowatts of electricity from mixed waste, advancing efforts to reduce landfill dependence and convert waste into methane and hydrogen for fuel cell power generation with scaling potential depending on waste volume and conversion cost, particularly for electricity production.
Developed by Sarawak Waste Management Sdn Bhd at its Mambong facility, the prototype converts mixed waste including plastics, food waste and biomass into methane gas which is then processed to extract hydrogen for electricity generation via fuel cells, representing an early stage effort to turn waste into a usable energy source while reducing environmental impact.
Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said the pilot demonstrates how waste can be monetised by converting it into energy and other by products, explaining that gas is extracted from waste, converted into hydrogen and then used to generate electricity.
“Sarawak currently generates about 700 tonnes of waste daily, a figure expected to rise with population growth and increased consumption.
“While the present output is small, the technology has potential to be scaled up depending on waste volume and improvements in conversion efficiency,” he said.
He said this in his speech after the visit and briefing on the first gas-to-energy cogeneration prototype by Sarawak Waste Management Sdn Bhd held at their facility in Mambong today.
The facility serves as a proof of concept for converting mixed waste streams into energy through a multi stage process involving gas extraction and hydrogen production. Methane gas produced from decomposing or processed waste can be separated into carbon and hydrogen components with the hydrogen then used in fuel cells to generate electricity alongside other by products.
“Hydrogen production is often considered costly, but the use of methane as a base resource could support the future development of a hydrogen economy in Sarawak,” he noted.
The initiative forms part of Sarawak’s wider push to improve waste management under the Waste Management Ordinance passed last year which emphasises sustainable practices and resource recovery.
Abang Johari also acknowledged challenges in siting landfills, including public resistance in areas such as Samarahan and Bintulu as well as the limited availability of suitable land.
“Land is very precious, and not all land can be used to store waste. We have to find alternative solutions,” he said, adding that options such as incineration, despite higher costs, may need to be considered.
The State, through the Natural Resources and Environment Board (NREB), is studying various approaches to manage increasing waste volumes, which could reach 1,000 tonnes daily within the next decade.
“We must manage our waste early before it becomes a bigger problem and find ways to create value from it,” he said. — DayakDaily
