Maleysia hopes to strengthen connections with S. Korea in hydrogen economy

Sarawak’s policy and vision on the transition to green and clean energy has been its greatest asset in terms of attracting foreign investment in the decarbonisation process.

Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg further notes that Sarawak is lucky to be endowed with many renewable resources, such as hydropower, which is a significant zero-carbon energy source designed to manufacture green hydrogen.

This was expressed in his address to the top management of Korea’s largest steel producer, Posco, at the conglomerate’s headquarters in Seoul, where he also thanked a consortium of Korean enterprises that had demonstrated a strong desire to collaborate with Sarawak in creating hydrogen and ammonia.

As part of the state’s aim to expand its hydrogen economy, “the state is anxious to seal a collaboration with the three big Korean enterprises,” he stated.

Abang Johari and his entourage arrived in the capital of South Korea on Sunday for a working visit intended at improving the relationship with Korean enterprises in numerous domains, including green energy generation and innovation.

Posco’s goal was to use hydrogen to generate power for its steel production processes, and a significant portion of the supply would have to be imported from other nations, particularly Malaysia – and specifically Sarawak.

Samsung, Lotte, and Posco have signed a preliminary memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Sarawak government via the Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) about the construction of a hydrogen plant in Sarawak under the ‘H2biscus Project’.

In January, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed, signaling the push to generate environmentally friendly hydrogen and ammonia at a plant to be developed in Bintulu.

The ‘H2biscus Green Hydrogen/Ammonia Project’ in Sarawak would be capable of producing 630,000 metric tons (MT) of green ammonia, 600,000 MT of blue ammonia, 460,000 MT of green methanol, and 7,000 MT of green hydrogen annually.

Park Il-Jun, South Korea’s Second Vice Minister of the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy, would reportedly accompany Abang Johari today to witness the signing of an MOU between Sarawak Energy Bhd (SEB), SEDC, and the Samsung-Posco-Lotte consortium.

Deputy Minister of Energy and Environmental Sustainability Dr. Hazland Abang Hipni, Deputy State Secretary Datu Dr. Muhammad Abdullah Zaidel, SEDC chairman Tan Sri Datuk Amar Abdul Aziz Hussain, and SEB Group chief executive officer Datu Sharbini Suhaili are among the members of the Premier’s delegation.