The Sarawak authorities could also be main the cost relating to hydrogen energy, Peninsular Malaysia isn’t too far behind. The ministry of science, expertise and innovation (MOSTI) can even be bringing in three models of the Toyota Mirai to be trialled on the western facet of the nation within the first quarter of 2025, in keeping with The Star.
Minister Chang Lin Kang stated the pilot, which can even contain cellular hydrogen fuelling stations, is a part of Malaysia’s objective to have equal gross sales of hydrogen, petrol and electrical autos by 2050. “This initiative is a step in direction of establishing Malaysia as a frontrunner in clear power within the area.
“The imaginative and prescient for a hydrogen financial system positions hydrogen as a clear, low-carbon power supply that’s able to changing conventional fossil fuels and changing into a key element of a clear power portfolio. As a carbon-neutral power 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’ll deliver within the Mirai and conduct promotional actions. This can function an illustration of {our capability}, proving that it’s road-ready and can be utilized successfully,” he stated, including that it’s important for the federal government to advertise hydrogen automobiles along with EVs, on condition that the previous solely emits water.
The three automobiles will probably be fuelled by the aforementioned cellular hydrogen stations arrange in both Putrajaya or Cyberjaya. “The whole price range for the Cell Hydrogen Refuelling Station (MHRS) cyber undertaking is round RM12 million, with increased preliminary price because it’s the primary within the peninsula,” Chang stated.
The transfer to trial hydrogen-powered autos is in keeping with Chang’s feedback in October 2023, throughout which he stated MOSTI was creating a Hydrogen Financial system and Expertise Roadmap (HETR) to place the nation throughout the profitable world hydrogen ecosystem, projected to be value US$189.19bil (RM834.33bil) by 2050. “The hydrogen financial system is seen as a viable resolution to Malaysia’s financial challenges, which embrace plans to section out petrol subsidies,” he stated.
The necessity to shift away from petrol energy is urgently wanted because it’s been reported that Malaysia’s oil and fuel reserves might solely final one other 15 years, in keeping with the reserves life index. However Chang nonetheless doesn’t anticipate hydrogen automobiles to be standard for one more decade, because the nation has but to provide 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 may be, nevertheless, fast improvement in freight transportation with gas cell expertise, with corporations like Hyzon, Hyundai and Nikola making important progress,” he stated, including that Malaysia’s hydrogen financial system targets lengthen past mobility, encompassing your entire hydrogen worth chain together with manufacturing, transportation, storage and end-use in industries, energy era and transportation.
The opposite drawback 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, that means {that a} full tank of 5.65 kg for the Mirai would price round US$33.90 (RM159) for a spread of 800km.
Nonetheless, the change to focused subsidies will step by step slender the fee hole between petrol/diesel and new power sources. This will probably be helped by the import, excise and street tax exemptions for hydrogen autos, much like EVs, as a part of HETR. Subsidies can 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 equivalent to pure fuel and coal, in favour of blue hydrogen that provides carbon seize and storage expertise to cut back emissions. The last word objective is the transition to inexperienced hydrogen that’s made utilizing renewable power, decreasing dependency on fossil fuels and mitigating local weather change by way of carbon impartial initiatives.
GALLERY: 2024 Toyota Mirai and cellular hydrogen station in Malaysia
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