TOKYO: Sarawak’s vision to become a hydrogen hub in the Asian region comes with the necessary steps and actions.
Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg disclosed that Sarawak had been in talks with large industries from Japan and Korea that are committed to collaborate with the state to produce hydrogen to power up industries in these countries.
With Sarawak’s strength in renewable power, he said, the state is well-poised to be a major green hydrogen producer and supplier in the region by 2028.
“The threat of the climate change crisis to the world is as real as weather patterns had become unpredictable that warranted a concerted effort of the global community.
“It is the responsibility of the world to mitigate climate change where the world must be united to face the crisis,” he said.
He said this when giving comments as a panel speaker to questions by a moderator at the Tokyo forum organised by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government on Wednesday (Oct 12) evening.
The participants of the hybrid forum included panel speakers from other parts of the world.
In playing its role, Abang Johari said the state government had put in place policies that are aligned with the world’s climate change protocols designed towards decarbonization.
He pointed out that it is time for Sarawak together with the rest of the world to act towards the energy transition in order to achieve a net-zero emission by 2050 as set by the Paris protocol.
“Through Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) Energy, Sarawak is negotiating with Sumitomo Corporation and Eneos Corporation of Japan under the Hornbill Project where hydrogen via methylcyclohexane (MCH) is targeted to be on stream by 2028.
“The state is also negotiating with Samsung, Posco and Lotte of Korea under the Hibiscus Project for a buy back in the form of ammonia,” he said.
On Sarawak’s hydrogen experience, Abang Johari shared with the participants that it had started with a pilot hydrogen production facility in 2016 under Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB) that supplied the gas to run hydrogen buses and cars in Sarawak’s capital city of Kuching.
Earlier, the Premier together with members of his delegation paid a courtesy call on the Governor of Tokyo Yuriko Koike at her office.
They also took a tour of the Tokyo Oi Hydrogen Station and later the Tokyo Hydrogen Museum.
Among those who present were Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hassan, State Secretary Datuk Amar Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki, Deputy State Secretary Datuk Dr Muhammad Abdullah Zaidel, SEDC chairman Tan Sri Datuk Amar Abdul Aziz Husain and Chief Political Secretary to the Premier Fazzrudin Abdul Rahman.
