The Sarawak authorities could also be main the cost relating to hydrogen energy, Peninsular Malaysia isn’t too far behind. The ministry of science, know-how and innovation (MOSTI) may also be bringing in three items of the Toyota Mirai to be trialled on the western facet of the nation within the first quarter of 2025, in line with The Star.
Minister Chang Lin Kang mentioned the pilot, which may also 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 the direction of establishing Malaysia as a pacesetter 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 changing into a key element of a clear vitality portfolio. As a carbon-neutral vitality supply, hydrogen affords inclusivity and advantages for business stakeholders,” he informed the publication.
Chang added that his ministry will retain using one of many Mirais to advertise using hydrogen. “We’ll 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 vehicles along with EVs, on condition that the previous solely emits water.
The three vehicles can be fuelled by the aforementioned cellular hydrogen stations arrange in both Putrajaya or Cyberjaya. “The whole finances for the Cell Hydrogen Refuelling Station (MHRS) cyber venture is round RM12 million, with increased preliminary value because it’s the primary within the peninsula,” Chang mentioned.
The transfer to trial hydrogen-powered autos is in keeping with Chang’s feedback in October 2023, throughout which he mentioned MOSTI was growing a Hydrogen Economic system and Expertise Roadmap (HETR) to place the nation inside the profitable world hydrogen ecosystem, projected to be value US$189.19bil (RM834.33bil) by 2050. “The hydrogen economic system is seen as a viable resolution 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 gasoline reserves might solely final one other 15 years, in line with the reserves life index. However Chang nonetheless doesn’t anticipate hydrogen vehicles to be common for an additional 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 provided on the market.
“There’s, nevertheless, fast improvement in freight transportation with gas cell know-how, with corporations like Hyzon, Hyundai and Nikola making vital progress,” he mentioned, including that Malaysia’s hydrogen economic 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 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, that means {that a} full tank of 5.65 kg for the Mirai would value round US$33.90 (RM159) for a variety of 800km.
Nonetheless, the change to focused subsidies will step by step slim the fee hole between petrol/diesel and new vitality sources. This can be helped by the import, excise and street tax exemptions for hydrogen autos, just like EVs, as a part of HETR. Subsidies may also be provided, akin to these China at present gives for EVs.
Malaysia can be working to part out gray hydrogen, produced utilizing fossil fuels equivalent to pure gasoline and coal, in favour of blue hydrogen that provides carbon seize and storage know-how to scale back emissions. The last word purpose is the transition to inexperienced hydrogen that’s made utilizing renewable vitality, lowering dependency on fossil fuels and mitigating local weather change by means of carbon impartial initiatives.
GALLERY: 2024 Toyota Mirai and cellular hydrogen station in Malaysia
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