KUCHING, The establishment of the Sarawak Electrolyser Assembly-Distribution Facility (SEA-DF) at the Demak Laut Industrial Park here is set to be a game changer and catalyst for Malaysia’s green hydrogen initiatives, said Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.

He said the facility aims to produce 500 megawatts of eletrolysers over the next five years, boosting the production of hydrogen in this region.

‘This facility provides electrolysers (a tool to break down water molecules) that will reduce the cost of converting water (H2O) to hydrogen and oxygen.

‘For a start, the production capacity per year now is 50 megawatts,’ he said at a press conference after launching the facility here today.

Jointly operated by SEDC Energy (SEDCE) and Lestari H2GaaS, a subsidiary of Petroliam Nasional Berhad (PETRONAS), SEA-DF will deliver advanced and efficient electrolysers capable of utilising less than 40 kilowatt-hours (kWhr) to produce one kilogramme of hydrogen.

Abang Johari said he is willing to fund both
companies to conduct research and development (R and D) to lower the amount of energy consumption to less than 30 kWhr.

‘I do not know how much the funding amount is for them to do a further R and D because if possible, we want to reduce to 30 to 20 kWhr so that will be a lot of savings,’ he said.

Meanwhile, SEDC chairman Tan Sri Dr Abdul Aziz Husain said Sarawak’s first electrolyser assembly facility has received orders for three megawatts of eletrolysers that will be distributed by year-end.

‘We will receive more orders as there is a lot of demand for electrolysers (globally) and the world capacity to produce electrolysers is very limited. So if we can produce more electrolysers, we can supply (globally),’ he said.

Also present at the event were senior vice-president of Malaysia Petroleum Management Datuk Bacho Pilong, SEDCE chief executive officer Robert Hardin and Lestari H2GaaS chief executive officer Collin Patrick.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency