The Sarawak authorities could also be main the cost in relation to hydrogen energy, Peninsular Malaysia isn’t too far behind. The ministry of science, know-how and innovation (MOSTI) may even be bringing in three models of the Toyota Mirai to be trialled on the western aspect of the nation within the first quarter of 2025, in keeping with The Star.
Minister Chang Lin Kang mentioned the pilot, which may even contain cell hydrogen fuelling stations, is a part of Malaysia’s objective to have equal gross sales of hydrogen, petrol and electrical automobiles by 2050. “This initiative is a step in direction of establishing Malaysia as a frontrunner in clear vitality within the area.
“The imaginative and prescient for a hydrogen economic system positions hydrogen as a clear, low-carbon vitality supply that’s able to changing conventional fossil fuels and turning into a key part of a clear vitality portfolio. As a carbon-neutral vitality supply, hydrogen gives inclusivity and advantages for business stakeholders,” he advised the publication.
Chang added that his ministry will retain using one of many Mirais to advertise using hydrogen. “We are going to convey within the Mirai and conduct promotional actions. This can function an indication of {our capability}, proving that it’s road-ready and can be utilized successfully,” he mentioned, including that it’s important for the federal government to advertise hydrogen automobiles along with EVs, provided that the previous solely emits water.
The three automobiles shall be fuelled by the aforementioned cell hydrogen stations arrange in both Putrajaya or Cyberjaya. “The overall funds for the Cellular Hydrogen Refuelling Station (MHRS) cyber mission is round RM12 million, with larger preliminary value because it’s the primary within the peninsula,” Chang mentioned.
The transfer to trial hydrogen-powered automobiles is in step with Chang’s feedback in October 2023, throughout which he mentioned MOSTI was creating a Hydrogen Financial system and Expertise Roadmap (HETR) to place the nation throughout the profitable world hydrogen ecosystem, projected to be price US$189.19bil (RM834.33bil) by 2050. “The hydrogen economic system is seen as a viable answer to Malaysia’s financial challenges, which embody plans to section out petrol subsidies,” he mentioned.
The necessity to shift away from petrol energy is urgently wanted because it’s been reported that Malaysia’s oil and fuel reserves could solely final one other 15 years, in keeping with the reserves life index. However Chang nonetheless doesn’t anticipate hydrogen automobiles to be widespread for an additional decade, because the nation has but to supply its personal and even on the worldwide scale, solely the Mirai and the soon-to-be-replaced Hyundai Nexo are at present supplied on the market.
“There’s, nevertheless, fast growth in freight transportation with gas cell know-how, with corporations like Hyzon, Hyundai and Nikola making important progress,” he mentioned, including that Malaysia’s hydrogen economic system targets prolong past mobility, encompassing all the hydrogen worth chain together with manufacturing, transportation, storage and end-use in industries, energy technology and transportation.
The opposite downside dissuading wider adoption is hydrogen gas prices, particularly for eco-friendly inexperienced hydrogen. Manufacturing of the gas at present prices round US$6 (RM28.15) per kilogram, which means {that a} full tank of 5.65 kg for the Mirai would value round US$33.90 (RM159) for a spread of 800km.
Nevertheless, the swap to focused subsidies will step by step slim the associated fee hole between petrol/diesel and new vitality sources. This shall be helped by the import, excise and highway tax exemptions for hydrogen automobiles, much like EVs, as a part of HETR. Subsidies may even be supplied, akin to these China at present offers for EVs.
Malaysia can also be working to section out gray hydrogen, produced utilizing fossil fuels resembling pure fuel and coal, in favour of blue hydrogen that provides carbon seize and storage know-how to scale back emissions. The final word objective is the transition to inexperienced hydrogen that’s made utilizing renewable vitality, decreasing dependency on fossil fuels and mitigating local weather change via carbon impartial initiatives.
GALLERY: 2024 Toyota Mirai and cell hydrogen station in Malaysia
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