BY VIRMAN JURI
WITH the potential to lessen dependency on fossil fuels and support efforts to achieve the goal of net zero emissions, hydrogen is often regarded as the ultimate clean energy source of the future.
Sarawak Energy Berhad (Sarawak Energy) is both an energy development company and a vertically integrated electricity utility with a vision to achieve sustainable growth and prosperity for Sarawak by meeting the region’s need for reliable, renewable energy. Building on a strong foundation of 100 years as an effective utility company, Sarawak Energy is taking bold steps to support the transformation of Sarawak in its vision to become a developed state by the year 2030.
On a mission to transform the energy industry through innovation while adding value for the community, Sarawak Energy is leading the nation in championing the use of greener energy sources, particularly renewable hydropower which has been leveraged to explore the viability of a green hydrogen economy.
“The idea was initiated by the Premier of Sarawak, who envisioned that hydrogen as the next big thing and piloted the first hydrogen production and refuelling station in Kuching, Sarawak, under Sarawak Energy,” Dr Ng Sing Muk, Sarawak Energy’s Head of Research and Development, told The Petri Dish in a recent interview.
Hydrogen has a high energy density per molecule compared to other elements thus it releases more energy. When generated using renewable energy, it is much greener because fewer greenhouse gases (GHG) are emitted within the value chain, making it an ideal alternative.
“It is pertinent to understand, however, there is no source of hydrogen energy on Earth that can be directly mined. Hydrogen is sourced through renewable or non-renewable energy by splitting water molecules or by cracking other hydrocarbons to produce hydrogen. Sarawak Energy is interested to explore the use of hydrogen gas to power downstream applications,” said Ng.
He elaborated; “Hydrogen energy comes from various sources that are colour-coded by the industry. Green hydrogen is derived from renewable energy with no GHG emissions. Blue hydrogen comes from the thermal cracking of fossil fuels where carbon dioxide is captured and stored. The most un-green of all is the grey hydrogen which is similar to blue hydrogen except carbon dioxide is expelled into the atmosphere during production. As such, we must be mindful of where we source the energy.”
Sarawak is a fertile ground for hydrogen energy to flourish because it has all the necessary ingredients to propel its growth. In fact, Sarawak is Malaysia’s largest renewable energy producer of hydropower; allowing for the mass production of green hydrogen.
To the average person, it may be hard to imagine the practicality of hydrogen energy and how it can replace the fossil fuels that we are accustomed to.
“There are a lot of misconceptions about hydrogen energy – some people analogise it to carrying an atomic bomb. This is inaccurate because hydrogen energy is safely stored in solid metal that has been designed to withstand immense pressure. There are many other compressed gases around us like the gas cylinder in our kitchen, which hardly causes concern to anyone. Thus, the public should not be alarmed.
“In the mobility sector, hydrogen fuel is unlike petrol; you do not burn it in an engine but we stored hydrogen gas to power an electric motor. A fuel cell is used to convert electrochemical energy into electricity. The combination of hydrogen and oxygen produces electricity to run a motor, allowing the vehicles to move,” explained Ng.
As an energy developer, Sarawak Energy is fully invested in spearheading research into the accessibility of hydrogen technology and helping to identify its relevance to the people of Sarawak.
“In our formative years, the state government installed solar-battery systems in rural areas to generate electricity. But the short battery lifespan in the solar battery system required frequent maintenance in these villages, making transportation hardly feasible due to the challenging terrain in rural areas.
“Hydrogen energy is a promising alternative because a small generator can be built near any source of energy. With a river, for example, we can install a small turbine system that can work to convert hydro energy into hydrogen via electrolysis. The hydrogen gas can be stored in a low-pressure tank for future use,” he added.
It is estimated that 8 kg of hydrogen fuel can power up to 20 households for at least 2 days.
Ng said presently, the cost of hydrogen fuel is still higher than fossil fuel. However, based on an ongoing study, the difference is not excessive. In addition, the cost of hydrogen fuel is expected to decrease as the technology matures and more infrastructures are in place.”
Looking ahead, Sarawak Energy will continue supporting the hydrogen agenda by looking into more applications in the local electrification effort in the microgrid system using hydrogen as fuel. This includes the interest to have an on-site generation and distribution network of hydrogen for local consumption.
“We are hoping to widen the application of hydrogen energy across Malaysia, contributing to this cause through more research, investments, and collaboration to refine the local hydrogen value chain in terms of its efficiency, production, storage, transportation, application, and cost to provide a more sustainable energy supply to the community,” he said.
Ng emphasised the need for energy to be localised and decentralised, working alongside the existing centralised system.
He mentioned that, when it comes to inventing or implementing newer energy you need to put things into context – where you are geographically, evaluate your resources and the capability of the people that you have. There is always a complementary and synergistic relationship available to be discovered, which is to be harnessed for the best-intended outcomes.
“Our approach in Sarawak Energy is to always study what is already available – add value to it via innovation and hopefully there is a return on investment that can be recircled back into the ecosystem for the society,” he concluded.
