News | Jun 9, 2022 | 07:45
The world has gone through several industrial revolutions. The first industrial revolution was propelled by coal, which gave rise to steam turbines. The second revolved around the discovery of oil, gas, and electricity, bringing power and the combustion engine. The Third Industrial Revolution introduced nuclear power and electronics went global. in order of 2nd 2000 years later, the world embarked on a new voyage, the Fourth Industrial Revolution. This time, our lives are influenced by the discovery and development of the Internet, and again by a new energy revolution known as the Energy Transition. Fossil fuel resources are being phased out and replaced by renewable and clean energy sources such as solar, wind, hydrogen and biomass. Countries around the world are grappling with this challenge to decarbonize their energy systems.
From 15th to 18th August 2022, a delegation from the Royal Netherlands Embassy in Malaysia visited Sarawak, one of two Malaysian states on Borneo, the world’s third largest island. . Sarawak is rich in natural resources. Covered in rainforest and home to many oil palm plantations, the state is important not only for biodiversity, but also for global food production. Moreover, Sarawak aims to capture the economic opportunities of the emerging hydrogen and bio-economy. The state has a vision of developing into a regional and global energy hub. Sarawak is a pioneer, actively engaging with stakeholders to put ambitious plans into action, and has already embarked on a number of clean energy projects. The Dutch Embassy met with government representatives and stakeholders in Sarawak to gain insight into the vision, strategies and future opportunities of the emerging hydrogen and bio-economy.
Tuesday the 16thth On August 1, the delegation had a busy schedule, including meeting with various stakeholders in the state capital, Kuching. Sarawak Energy welcomed us at a combined hydrogen production plant and fuel station built specifically to refuel the hydrogen buses Sarawak has acquired for public transport. Delegates were presented with concrete examples of how Sarawak is already applying hydrogen technology. The delegation then visited his SEDC Energy. This organization is responsible for Sarawak’s energy transition. SEDC Energy made a presentation on the state’s available natural resources and implementation plans for hydrogen production, export and use. Finally, the delegation met with the Economic Planning Division, which is responsible for formulating the state’s economic development plans. The EPU has given us insight into Sarawak’s future energy planning and development, showing us where the state is headed. Finally, a meeting was held with Regal, the real estate developer responsible for the development of the new port and industrial park, to partner on a new bioport project aimed at converting palm oil waste and algae resources into biofuel. he was one
on Wednesday the 17thth, the delegation visited a multi-fuel station, where fossil, hydrogen and electric refueling stations are integrated into one single fuel station. The state aims to develop a network of these multi-fuel stations to facilitate utilization of various energy sources. The delegation then met with Sarawak Metro, which is responsible for developing Sarawak’s new hydrogen-powered metro network to enter service by 2026.
The day ended with a visit to the Biodiversity Centre, where research on traditional knowledge of Sarawak’s natural resources is combined with state-of-the-art algae production facilities.
on Thursday the 18thth, the delegation met with the port authority of Bintulu, Bintulu Port Holdings. Bintulu Port Holdings is developing a new port area named Selamaju Port where the state aims to develop a new heavy industry cluster. Additionally, the delegation visited several sites, including a new methanol plant under construction. A visit to Bintulu Port Holdings provided the Embassy with insight into the status of hydrogen and biofuel production plans in Bintulu and enabled the Embassy to contact stakeholders of these projects.
The Dutch Embassy can look back on a fruitful visit to Sarawak. Sarawak has provided a strong foundation for exploring new opportunities for cooperation between Malaysia and the Netherlands and for further challenging these topics in the future.
