KUCHING: Sarawak is keen to collaborate with three major South Korean companies to develop the hydrogen economy in the state, says Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.
The Sarawak Premier said the state had a clear policy and vision to transition towards green and clean energy, which was its strong point to attract foreign investment in the process of decarbonisation.
"Sarawak is fortunate to be endowed with rich renewable resources such as hydropower, which is an important zero-carbon source of energy to produce green hydrogen," he said during a visit to the headquarters of South Korea's biggest steelmaker Posco in Seoul on Tuesday (Sept 6).
Abang Johari and his delegation flew into Seoul on Sunday (Sept 4) to enhance partnerships with South Korean industries in green energy generation and innovation.
Posco has indicated that it plans to use hydrogen to generate power for its steel manufacturing, with much of the supply imported from other countries including Malaysia and Sarawak, in particular.
In January, Posco and two other Korean companies, Samsung Engineering and Lotte Chemical Corp, signed a preliminary memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Sarawak government through the Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) to develop environmentally-friendly hydrogen and ammonia in Bintulu under the Sarawak H2biscus project.
The project will have an annual capacity to produce 630,000 tonnes of green ammonia, 600,000 tonnes of blue ammonia, 460,000 tonnes of green methanol and 7,000 tonnes of green hydrogen.
On Wednesday (Sept 7), Abang Johari and South Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy second vice-minister Park Il-Jun will witness the signing of an MOU between Sarawak Energy Bhd (SEB), SEDC and the Samsung-Posco-Lotte consortium.
Among members of the Premier's delegation to South Korea are state Deputy Minister of Energy and Environmental Sustainability Dr Hazland Abang Hipni, deputy state secretary Datuk Dr Muhammad Abdullah Zaidel, SEDC chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Hussain and SEB chief executive Datuk Sharbini Suhaili.
