KUCHING, July 26: Sarawak’s ambition to become a regional leader in renewable energy is bolstered by its abundant resources.
Premier of Sarawak, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg, highlighted that Sarawak’s potential for a green and sustainable economy propels the region into significant prominence on the global stage.
“We have the resources, now you only need the power — renewable energy.
“The moment you go for green energy, that is what the world needs.
“Sarawak is uniquely positioned to lead in this sector, thanks to our hydropower potential and increasing opportunities in solar and bioenergy, with 70 percent of our energy being renewable,” he said.
He spoke during the podcast “Keluar Sekejap” hosted by Khairy Jamaluddin and Shahril Hamdan in conjunction with the Sarawak Day 2024 celebration.
During the podcast, Abang Johari also shared Sarawak’s transformative journey towards its green energy vision, emphasizing sustainable development, starting with hydrogen.
According to him, hydrogen technology is currently limited by high costs of production, but electrolysers, which produce hydrogen, will be more advanced in the future, driving down costs.
“I had the opportunity to visit a research plant in PETRONAS Bangi, and coincidentally research was done by a Sarawakian from Sri Aman, from 1 kilogramme (kg) of hydrogen it is equivalent to 60 kilowatts/hour (kwh), which is a high cost, but with a new membrane, it can be decreased to 30 kwh.
“In 15 years, I expect hydrogen costs will be cheap, even better than diesel. Hence we will not need subsidies,” he added.
Explaining why renewable energy is his boldest strategy, he revealed that hydrogen is poised to become a major revenue source for the region.
The revenue will then be channeled back to the people via infrastructure development in Sarawak’s river-rich areas, which will also spur growth in the agricultural sector.
In this endeavour, he also predicted that the export value of renewable energy will exceed 15 percent by 2030.
Earlier this year, Abang Johari unveiled Sarawak’s vision to produce 10 gigawatts of renewable energy, with plans to become a net hydrogen exporter by the end of 2027. – TVS
