SIBU: Sarawak is expected to increase its methanol production to 1.2 million tonnes by the end of this year, said Premier Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg.
He said Sarawak has already produced 700,000 tonnes of methanol in the past eight months, placing the state among the major methanol producers in the region.
“We are going to build a gas hub where we will encourage the establishment of petrochemical industry. We have done for the first step production of methanol and I am pleased to share with you that Sarawak has become one of the major methanol producers in this region.
“The methanol plant owned by Sarawak has produced 700,000 metric tons for the past eight months. And we think we can produce 1.2 million tons by the end of the year to become a major methanol producer in this region.
“With this gas frontier we are going to develop and produce derivatives from our methane gas found in Sarawak,” he said.
Abang Johari was speaking at the University of Technology Sarawak (UTS) 10th convocation ceremony held at Dewan Canselor Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud here today.
Earlier, he highlighted four key economic and technological development frontiers.
The first frontier, he said focuses on the expansion of renewable energy, where Sarawak is positioning itself as a major contributor to the ASEAN Energy Grid.
The Premier said the second frontier of Sarawak’s development strategy focuses on establishing the state as a gas hub to drive the petrochemical industry, including downstream production of derivatives from methane gas.
“We have been recognised during the recent ASEAN Summit as a front runner in renewable energy. Sarawak has been supplying electricity to West Kalimantan and will soon supply Sabah following the completion of the grid in Limbang-Lawas. Arrangements are also underway to supply power to Brunei Darussalam,” he said.
He added that Sarawak currently needs about 7 gigawatts of electricity domestically, but is projected to produce 10 gigawatts by 2030, rising to 15 gigawatts by 2035 with the incorporation of solar and biomass energy.
The third frontier involves carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS), leveraging onshore and offshore sites and the state’s biodiversity to support carbon storage and carbon trading.
“We would like to do a lot of research in the mid-region of Sarawak so that we can enhance the storage of carbon and of course enhancing our carbon trading. And this is a new rapid stream for Sarawak.
“And also we become a major producer in this part of the region, replacing fossil fuel with hydrogen. And we are very, very far advanced in hydrogen generation already,” he said.
The fourth frontier targets semiconductor and advanced technology development, including world-class chip design.
He said Sarawak’s chip design known as Keteq AI is now recognised internationally, with research facilities established in Cardiff, United Kingdom.
Abang Johari encouraged graduates to build expertise in these areas to ensure Sarawak has the skilled workforce needed to advance the state’s development goals.
“I hope our graduates will continue developing their knowledge in these four frontiers and elevate their fields of study to remain competitive at the global level,” he said.
