Abang Johari speaks during the the US-Malaysia Clean Tech Forum 2024 at BCCK today. – Photo by Sarawak Public Communication Unit
KUCHING (June 12): Sarawak is keen to work with experts from Japan, South Korea and the United States (US) to reduce the cost of hydrogen production, says Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.
He believes that hydrogen energy could be a substitute to crude- or fossil fuel-based energy in the future once the production cost has been lowered to a more acceptable level to promote greater adoption.
“We have successfully reduced the electricity consumed to produce one kilogramme of hydrogen from 60 kilowatts to 38 kilowatts and we want to reduce it further to 15 or 10 kilowatts,” he said this when delivering a keynote address at the US-Malaysia Clean Tech Forum 2024 held at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) here today.
Currently, Abang Johari said an assembly plant has been set up in Demak Laut between SEDC Energy, Gentari and Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas), among other partners, to produce more efficient electrolysers for hydrogen production.
“So, Sarawak’s economic policies are adjusted based on the strengths that we have and to use our strengths with the available technology. This will contribute, at least in a small way, to our efforts to mitigate carbon emissions,” he said.
Due to Sarawak’s significant progress in pushing for the adoption of renewable energy, Abang Johari said he had been invited to conferences and forums in Netherlands, Poland, Australia, and Thailand to share his insights about energy transition, with the latest invite coming from Hong Kong.
Abang Johari also shared with the forum Sarawak’s inherently diverse and harmonious society, the strong command of the English language and the abundance of natural resources such as sunlight and water to attract investment.
He said English should not be regarded as a colonial language but an international language that can better facilitate communication with international counterparts.
Speaking to reporters afterwards, Abang Johari said hydrogen has the potential to be the alternative fuel to diesel, and this would assist the federal government in overcoming the financial burden of channelling subsidy for the fuel.
The US-Malaysia Clean Tech Forum 2024 is co-organised by the US Embassy in Malaysia.
Among the notable attendees at the forum were US ambassador to Malaysia, Edgard D Kagan and Deputy Energy and Environmental Sustainability Minister Datuk Hazland Abang Hipni.
