Plans have been made for the setting up of an assembly plant for hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles, The Borneo Post reports.
This assembly plant will be set up by a foreign company and is part of the state government’s overall emphasis on renewable energy for its economy, according to Sarawak deputy minister of energy and environmental stability Hazland Abang Hipni; the minister did not disclose the identity of the company that will be setting up the assembly plant.
“Also, we will import more hydrogen-powered vehicles for the usage of the state Cabinet members and government officials. We will shift [into the use of electric vehicles],” Hazland said.
“During our visits to Norway recently, 75% of the vehicles there are EVs and they could do it in four years. When I asked them how they managed to do it, the answer given was it was due to the craze over Tesla vehicles,” the state’s deputy minister said.
In addition to import tax on EVs being abolished in Norway, ‘discounts’ were also offered on income tax for drivers of electric vehicles in the country, he also noted.
Hazland also revealed that a meeting was recently held with prime minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob as well as with representatives of other states on how the federal government can push for wider adoption of electric vehicles in the country. Sarawak is a carbon-negative state with 65% of its land area still covered by forests and greenery, Hazland noted in his officiating speech according to The Borneo Post.
Hydrogen is one of the most attractive forms of renewable energy, said Hazland, and Sarawak offers a favourable business climate for the setting up of a hydrogen plant along with cheap and clean electricity available from hydropower, affordable labour costs and substantial land area, he added.
In terms of energy generation, two hydrogen plants are being set up in Bintulu by companies from South Korea and Japan, and most of the hydrogen produced at those sites will be exported back to those countries, The Borneo Post wrote. Each of these plants is capable of producing around 100,000 tonnes of hydrogen, and almost 10% of that output will be for local consumption in Sarawak.
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The biggest challenge for Hydrogen Fuel is you get back 60% of energy put in to create hydrogen. That means for every 100kw used, only 60kw goes in the car. This is somewhat similar to the efficiency of internal combustion engines nowadays.
Unless there is a more efficient way to produce hydrogen, I don’t see how this is helping with saving the environment.
Less than that even if we take into account the losses in distribution and transportation plus storage, on average if we take everything together, producing the hydrogen with electricity only result in half the effective range the car can reach if the same amount of electricity were consumed by the car directly as a BEV car thanks to all the losses in the process of producing the hydrogen, distributing and storing it, then converting it back again to produce electricity.
It helps to save the environment. Hydrogen won’t give out carbon emission and won’t depends on fossil fuels and also more efficient than internal combustion engines. Hydrogen will also cut air pollution drastically. This hydrogen will also make environment better. Hydrogen is more like electric cars but is much better than electric cars and also internal combustion engine cars.
The process of making hydrogen comes from electricity, which comes from the power grid which by itself is almost wholly powered by fossil fuels
Sarawak has ample of renewable energy from hydro, if it is transported to Peninsular, it is very costly and have huge transmission losses. That is why it is not produce in Peninsular which is still using coal power for electricity, Plus sarawak is rich in Water resources…unlike some state in West malaysia.
Generation is one thing. How about distribution?
NGV pumps also not enough with NGV stations having long lines of taxis.
Jangan risau brother, we are planning to build more 4 in 1 (Petrol, Diesel, Hydrogen EV) Refuel station. Hydrogen Production Plants also in the Plan.
You know what. It takes more electricity to produce Hydrogen. To fool environmentalists, they rebrand it Blue Hydrogen as if it is as clean as natural hydrogen. SK and Japanese companies are using us to give them cheap hydrogen while we pollute our environment with more CO2 emission, when 80% of our plants are fired by coal. That’s half past six minister gift for you.
That’s not the case for Sarawak as its power grid is heavily supported by Hydro dams, 60% or more of the grid energy is harvested from its hydro plants. Thus its not difficult nor expensive for Sarawak to produce green hydrogens.
As usual commenting without knowledge.
Jangan risau brother, >60% of Load MW is hydro, mix of gas, coal, solar, diesel is <40%. Our hydrogen production doesn't related to Coal plant (generate Load MW, saja)
Bring toyota mirai