KUALA LUMPUR: Tenaga Nasional Bhd
(TNB) plans to work with Petroliam Nasional Bhd (PETRONAS) on joint feasibility studies in the areas of hydrogen and carbon capture.
The tie-up is undertaken with a view to unlocking the commercial value of at least RM10bil up to 2035, said TNB president and chief executive officer Datuk Baharin Din.
The decarbonisation efforts would be achieved mainly through a collaborative study to develop a green hydrogen ecosystem and carbon capture and storage technology, leveraging both organisations’ technical expertise and resources.
In addition, the two companies will re-power the retired combined-cycle gas-fired power plant, the Sultan Ismail Power Station (SIPS) in Paka, Terengganu, by using gas with hydrogen-ready technology, said Baharin in a statement.
TNB will be investing RM6.3bil in the re-powering of SIPS using high-efficient combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) with hydrogen-ready technology for cleaner energy production.
Baharin said the re-powering of the plant will leverage the strengths of both TNB and PETRONAS and will serve as a unique pioneering project in deploying green technologies that may be utilised in future power plants.
“This brownfield project will start with the demolition of the existing plant next year and this will take two years.
“Construction of the project will commence from 2025 and the entire complex is scheduled to be ready in 2030,” he added.
Upon commercial operation of the plant in 2030, the re-powered Paka is projected to generate an average of RM250mil per year in earnings before interest and taxes.
“The re-powering of Paka, with a capacity of 1,400 megawatts, will avoid 3.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emission per annum, which is equivalent to the CO2 emitted by about 700,000 cars each year,” said Baharin.
As the country’s leading energy corporations, Baharin said TNB and PETRONAS have been forging cooperation for decades in the development of the energy sector and the betterment of the country.
Both TNB and PETRONAS have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Aug 19 to strengthen the collaboration in driving innovative solutions toward decarbonisation, making it a historical milestone in supporting Malaysia’s aspiration to be a carbon-neutral nation by 2050.
“The MoU signals the recognition that our paths must converge, in order to realise a successful and inclusive energy transition for Malaysia.
“TNB has identified two technologies that will bring sustainable decarbonisation to our thermal assets and these are green hydrogen and carbon capture technologies,” said Baharin. — Bernama
