KUCHING: Another hydrogen hub is being planned for Kuching, said Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.
Abang Johari said this will further solidify Sarawak’s capacity to lead in Southeast Asia’s hydrogen economy.
Following the state’s flagship large scale green hydrogen initiatives called the H2ornbill and H2biscus projects in Bintulu, he said both are progressing well and are expected to complete their Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) by end of this year.
He said that Sarawak has stepped forward with determination to position the state as a leading green economy hub in the region, grounded in the principles of sustainability, innovation and inclusivity.
“A central agenda of the State is the development of a resilient and diversified energy hub.
“In fact, just last month, during Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s visit to Sarawak, he expressed his full support to our vision and actively promoted Sarawak’s role as a future energy hub during his international engagements,” Abang Johari said in his keynote address titled ‘Charting A New Energy Future: Sarawak’s Hydrogen Economy in Action’ in conjunction with the Hydrogen Economy Forum held here today (May 13).
The Premier stressed that being an energy hub is not just a title but a strategic endeavour in harnessing Sarawak’s geographical advantages, natural resources and capabilities to contribute meaningfully to regional energy resilience.
“Our approach involves the development of four strategic energy-related hubs, each with a distinct focus, yet collectively contributing to our overarching ambition,” he said.
Sarawak has identified four strategic energy-related hubs as key pillars in driving its clean energy transformation.
He said the renewable energy hub forms the foundation of the state’s renewable energy strategy.
“Through Sarawak Energy Berhad, it has already established robust cross-border interconnections, such as power exports to West Kalimantan. Efforts are currently underway to expand electricity supply to Sabah and Brunei, while technical planning and feasibility studies are being conducted for potential interconnections with Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore.
“We are proud to be among the few jurisdictions in the region with the capacity to export clean energy beyond our borders,” he said.
He said Sarawak is also capitalising on its natural resources through the Natural Gas Hub, underpinned by the Sarawak Gas Roadmap.
With the state holding 60 percent of Malaysia’s natural gas reserves, he said the roadmap outlines the development of four key gas hubs in Miri, Samalaju, Bintulu, and Kuching.
These hubs are intended to support domestic industrial growth while also catering to international market demands.
Additionally, he said Sarawak is positioning itself as a regional frontrunner in Carbon Capture, Utilisation, and Storage (CCUS), holding over 65 per cent of Malaysia’s total geological carbon storage potential. This gives the state a leading role in both national and regional decarbonisation efforts.
To further reinforce its commitment to energy transition, he said the Sarawak Hydrogen Hub was launched early last year, focusing on the development and commercialisation of hydrogen as a clean fuel source.
All these strategic initiatives, he said, through various planning and development of the respective renewable energy hub, natural gas hub, carbon capture and storage hub as well as hydrogen hub, comes to form the cornerstone of Sarawak’s clean energy transformation.
“They represent not only our environmental responsibility but our economic ambition – to create quality jobs, attract high-value investments, and position Sarawak as a central player in the regional energy ecosystem,” he said.
