A groundbreaking hydrogen-based power plant is set to be built in Sabah with the potential to provide power to Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia and the Philippines. A joint project of Allyssa Certification Sdn Bhd and New Space Technology (NST) Company Limited, the hydrogen power plant will be located within Sabah and the Brunei Darussalam–Indonesia–Malaysia–Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area or BIMP-EAGA region.
The plant will utilize NST’s German technology to convert ocean water to 98% pure green hydrogen. To support this endeavor, a research center will be set up in Bangkok, Thailand.
Dr. Raymond Alfred, the Chairman of the BIMP-EAGA Business Council, highlights the key advantages of NST’s technology:
- Scalable process
- Room temperature hydrogen generation
- No external energy required for generation
- Low cost of catalyzer
- Zero emissions
Hydrogen energy is widely regarded as the cleanest fuel available. Unlike traditional energy sources, hydrogen production only generates water vapor, without carbon dioxide emissions. Hydrogen is also more energy efficient.
Regional Cooperation and Integration
The Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) was established in 1994 with the aim to fasttrack the development of less-developed, marginalized, and remote areas in the four countries.
Covering an area of 1.6 square meters, the region includes the sultanate of Brunei Darussalam; Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Maluku, and Papua provinces in Indonesia; Sabah and Sarawak and the federal territory of Labuan in Malaysia; and Mindanao and Palawan in the Philippines.
At the recent Asia Pacific Green Hydrogen Conference held in Malaysia, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof reaffirmed his government’s commitment to embracing hydrogen energy for a sustainable future. He stressed the importance of investment, incentives, infrastructure development, innovation and collaboration in creating a hydrogen economy which the region needs to mitigate climate change.
The establishment of this hydrogen plant will position Sabah as a regional leader in hydrogen energy production. This development is expected to play a crucial role in driving the BIMP-EAGA to a brighter and more sustainable future.
References:
Hydrogen-based power plant to be set up in Sabah (theborneopost.com)
Sabah to venture into producing hydrogen gas (theborneopost.com)
Regional Cooperation and Integration: BIMP-EAGA | Asian Development Bank (adb.org)
Malaysia sees hydrogen as key in National Energy Transition Roadmap, says Fadillah | The Star
