KUCHING (Aug 30): Sarawak is poised to make its first export of green hydrogen (Green H2) in solid form, through a partnership between SEDC Energy Sdn Bhd (SEDCE) and its technology partner Hydrexia Holding Limited.
In a statement, SEDCE revealed that the first batch will be exported to Singapore, marking the first Green H2 molecules produced in Sarawak to be shipped abroad, while laying the foundation for a regional hydrogen ecosystem and supporting the global energy transition.
The export will be carried out through SEDCE technology partner Hydrexia Holding Limited’s solid-state Metal Hydride Hydrogen Storage Technology (MHX), which stores hydrogen molecules in magnesium hydride.
SEDCE also confirmed it is in talks with potential offtakers for the export of Green H2 produced at its Darul Hana H2 Plant.
The molecules are produced at the plant through a water electrolysis process using a Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) electrolyser, which relies on water and electricity supply from the grid.
The Darul Hana facility is designed to produce 150kg of Green H2 daily, with the PEM method selected as the most suitable technology for Sarawak’s current demand.
According to SEDCE, there are currently 10 Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) or hydrogen vehicles in Sarawak, comprising five Toyota Mirai used by the Premier and Deputy Premiers, three hydrogen buses operated by Sarawak Metro, and two Hyundai Nexo managed by Sarawak Energy.
Hydrogen molecules from the Darul Hana H2 Plant are transported via tube trailers, which later goes through a hydrogenation process where the molecules are absorbed into the MHX unit.
The unit will later be exported to the offtake destination where the solid molecules are dehydrogenated for end use.
SEDCE chief executive officer Robert Hardin said having an operational Green H2 plant without optimising its potential would be uneconomical.
“With the limited demand we have now, we decided to turn this issue into an opportunity to maximise the plant’s capability,” he said in the SEDCE statement.
Meanwhile, SEDC explained that Hydrexia is a leading provider of integrated hydrogen technology solutions, specialising in hydrogen production, storage, transport, and applications.
Hydrexia’s MHX Storage Technology stores the hydrogen molecules via Magnesium Hydride (MgH2), where this addresses transportation bottlenecks by offering intrinsic safety and higher storage density suitable for road, rail and sea.
Hydrexia chairman and chief executive officer Alex Fang said the reusable MHX storage containers are designed for safe transport at ambient pressure and temperature, while meeting the highest purity requirements.
SEDCE added that the Ministry of Energy and Environmental Sustainability Sarawak (MEESty) deputy permanent Secretary Ts Dr Nurleyna Yunus visited the plant, together with National Nanotechnology Center (NNC) principal assistant director Ts Dr Mohd Nur Ikmal Salehmin and Ministry of Transport principal assistant secretary Abdul Rahman Hashim.
On another matter, SEDCE revealed it is also developing the Rembus Hydrogen Plant to support the Kuching Urban Transportation System (KUTS).
Established in 2019, SEDCE is also driving the major hydrogen project such as the Sarawak Hydrogen Hub that consists of both the Japanese consortium H2ornbill Project and the South Korean consortium the H2biscus Project. Credit: Borneo Post Online.