KUCHING: The Sarawak government is exploring sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in efforts to further accelerate the state’s Green Energy Agenda.
Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said the initiative is to sustainably produce jet fuel that will contribute to the reduction of carbon emissions across its life cycle – beyond 80 percent – even when emissions created in the production of SAFs are accounted for, compared to fossil fuels.
“Alternative aviation fuels such as SAF could be the key to sustainable air travel, contributing hugely to the industry’s emissions-reduction strategy and net-zero emissions goal,” he said.
The Premier said this in his keynote address themed “Accelerating the Global Hydrogen Economy: The Sarawakian Way” at the World Hydrogen 2022 Summit and Exhibition at Rotterdam, Netherlands on Monday (May 9).
Abang Johari, who is also the Energy and Environmental Sustainability Minister, said that through the state’s development and investment agency, Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC), the state is collaborating with the Aerospace Malaysia Innovation Centre (AMIC) in the development of biofuels, green hydrogen and fuel cell for aviation.
“With recent advancements in hydrogen fuel cell for aviation, particularly recent developments in drones, I envisioned that soon hydrogen fuel cells could be fuelling up hydrogen powered helicopters.
“Therefore, we want to work together with the aviation industry, including the marine industry, to accelerate efforts and enhance the development of SAF – biofuels, E-methanol, and the potential of hydrogen fuel cells,” he pointed out.
He added that the time was right to tap into hydrogen’s immense potential to play a key role in a clean, secure and affordable energy future.
“Going back to the question of “Wherein lies the balance between protecting the environment and growing the economy”, I can safely say that truly, there is no real option – only real actions.
“I believe that if we all work to accelerate hydrogen markets in a co‑ ordinated way, it can help to spur investments in integrated facilities and infrastructure that will bring down costs and enable the sharing of knowledge and best practices,” he said.
Abang Johari added that global trade of the shared commodity would benefit from common international standards that would ultimately stimulate commercial demand for hydrogen.
“I therefore welcome collaboration to contribute further to the body of local and global knowledge regarding hydrogen technology and its application, especially in a tropical environment to accelerate the growth of versatile, clean hydrogen for the world,” he said.
Meanwhile, the three-day World Hydrogen 2022 Submit and Exhibition is hosted by Rotterdam, Netherlands from May 9 to 11.
The Premier is joining some 3,500 government and industry leaders from all over the world to explore and familiarise themselves with the latest hydrogen technologies, applications and solutions that are set to revolutionise the industry.
On Tuesday morning(May 10) , the Premier’s delegation is scheduled to meet with the Port of Rotterdam’s chief executive officer and later, in the afternoon, they will be taken on a study tour of Shell’s technology centre in Amsterdam that is showcasing the multinational’s hydrogen technology and various other new innovations.
The delegation will fly to Oslo, Norway on Wednesday (May 11) to gain insights into the operationalisation of Norway’s sovereign wealth fund that the Premier has indicated will be a model for a similar fund to be set up by the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government in order to bring more returns to excess fund that Sarawak might accumulate in the future.
Accompanying Abang Johari are Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas; State Secretary Datuk Amar Jaul Samion; Deputy Minister of Energy and Environmental Sustainability Dr Hazland Abang Hipni; State Financial Secretary Datuk Seri Dr Wan Lizozman Wan Omar, Economic Planning Unit director Datuk Dr Muhammad Abdullah Zaidel; SEDC chairman Tan Sri Datuk Amar Abdul Aziz Hussain; Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB) chairman Datuk Amar Hamed Sepawi; and SEB CEO Datuk Sharbini Suhaili.
