The Sarawak authorities could also be main the cost in terms of 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 accordance with The Star.
Minister Chang Lin Kang stated the pilot, which may also contain cellular hydrogen fuelling stations, is a part of Malaysia’s aim 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 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 trade stakeholders,” he instructed 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 stated, 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 overall finances for the Cellular Hydrogen Refuelling Station (MHRS) cyber venture is round RM12 million, with larger preliminary value because it’s the primary within the peninsula,” Chang stated.
The transfer to trial hydrogen-powered autos is in step with Chang’s feedback in October 2023, throughout which he stated MOSTI was growing 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 economic system is seen as a viable resolution to Malaysia’s financial challenges, which embody 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 gasoline reserves might solely final one other 15 years, in accordance with the reserves life index. However Chang nonetheless doesn’t count on hydrogen vehicles to be well-liked 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 at the moment supplied on the market.
“There’s, nonetheless, speedy improvement in freight transportation with gasoline cell know-how, with firms like Hyzon, Hyundai and Nikola making important progress,” he stated, including that Malaysia’s hydrogen economic system objectives prolong past mobility, encompassing the whole hydrogen worth chain together with manufacturing, transportation, storage and end-use in industries, energy technology and transportation.
The opposite drawback dissuading wider adoption is hydrogen gasoline prices, particularly for eco-friendly inexperienced hydrogen. Manufacturing of the gasoline at the moment 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 spread of 800km.
Nevertheless, the change to focused subsidies will regularly slender 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, much like EVs, as a part of HETR. Subsidies may also be supplied, akin to these China at the moment offers for EVs.
Malaysia can be working to section out gray hydrogen, produced utilizing fossil fuels resembling pure gasoline and coal, in favour of blue hydrogen that provides carbon seize and storage know-how to scale back emissions. The last word aim is the transition to inexperienced hydrogen that’s made utilizing renewable vitality, lowering 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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