The Sarawak authorities could also be main the cost in the case of hydrogen energy, Peninsular Malaysia isn’t too far behind. The ministry of science, know-how and innovation (MOSTI) will 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, based on The Star.
Minister Chang Lin Kang mentioned the pilot, which will even contain cellular hydrogen fuelling stations, is a part of Malaysia’s purpose 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 pacesetter in clear vitality within the area.
“The imaginative and prescient for a hydrogen financial 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 provides inclusivity and advantages for trade stakeholders,” he informed the publication.
Chang added that his ministry will retain the usage of one of many Mirais to advertise the usage of hydrogen. “We are going to convey within the Mirai and conduct promotional actions. This may function an illustration 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, on condition that the previous solely emits water.
The three automobiles will likely be fuelled by the aforementioned cellular hydrogen stations arrange in both Putrajaya or Cyberjaya. “The full funds for the Cellular Hydrogen Refuelling Station (MHRS) cyber mission is round RM12 million, with greater preliminary value because it’s the primary within the peninsula,” Chang mentioned.
The transfer to trial hydrogen-powered autos 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 inside the profitable international hydrogen ecosystem, projected to be price US$189.19bil (RM834.33bil) by 2050. “The hydrogen financial system is seen as a viable answer to Malaysia’s financial challenges, which embrace plans to part 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, based on the reserves life index. However Chang nonetheless doesn’t anticipate hydrogen automobiles to be fashionable for one more 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 presently provided on the market.
“There’s, nonetheless, fast improvement in freight transportation with gasoline cell know-how, with firms like Hyzon, Hyundai and Nikola making vital progress,” he mentioned, including that Malaysia’s hydrogen financial system targets prolong past mobility, encompassing the whole 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 gasoline prices, particularly for eco-friendly inexperienced hydrogen. Manufacturing of the gasoline presently 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 variety of 800km.
Nevertheless, the change to focused subsidies will progressively slender the associated fee hole between petrol/diesel and new vitality sources. This will likely be helped by the import, excise and street tax exemptions for hydrogen autos, much like EVs, as a part of HETR. Subsidies will even be provided, akin to these China presently gives for EVs.
Malaysia can also be working to part out gray hydrogen, produced utilizing fossil fuels akin to pure fuel and coal, in favour of blue hydrogen that provides carbon seize and storage know-how to scale back emissions. The final word purpose is the transition to inexperienced hydrogen that’s made utilizing renewable vitality, decreasing dependency on fossil fuels and mitigating local weather change by carbon impartial initiatives.
GALLERY: 2024 Toyota Mirai and cellular hydrogen station in Malaysia
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