MOSTI and TNB Share Updates on HETR and NETR Roadmaps

Our second ESG Horizons event brought expert minds from the Malaysian Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) and Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) to share the latest developments on the Hydrogen Economy and Technology Roadmap (HETR) and National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR).

Held on 12 November, representatives from organisations that work in oil and gas, renewable energy, construction, engineering, property development, manufacturing, and legal services gathered at our office to hear these updates from Y.Bhg. Datuk Ts. Dr. Mohd Nor Azman Hassan, Deputy Secretary General of MOSTI and Y.Bhg. Datin Ir. Ts. Nor Ziha Zainal Abidin, Head of Corporate Ventures from TNB.

Starting the discussion off with opening remarks was Azman Nasir, Regional Director for APAC of The Energy Industries Council and Chair of the BMCC’s Energy Committee. He spoke on the vitality of renewable energy (RE) and the Government’s critical role in supporting sustainable innovations that will continue to increase efficiency and draw investment while preserving our environmental ecosystem.

Datuk Azman Hassan started his presentation on the Hydrogen Economy and Technology Roadmap by highlighting the government’s goal to strategically utilise hydrogen to transform Malaysia into a leading hydrogen economy. He emphasised the criticality of developing a robust and competitive ecosystem across the hydrogen value chain.

He shared and expounded on the HETR’s cumulative goals over the next few decades in Malaysia’s journey in renewable energy (RE), predicting that by 2050, Malaysia’s RE projects would be:

• reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 15% in an emission-driven scenario
• generating business-as-usual income of up to 151.7 billion.
• employing green technology, like solar and hydroelectric farms, and biomass and ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) facilities en masse.
• utilised in the mobility, non-energy and heat industries, and commercial and domestic sectors
• creating up to 168,000 jobs

Datuk Azman also shared updates on multiple hydrogen projects in East Malaysia, most notably the development of the Kuching Urban Transporation System (KUTS). The development of this trackless electric vehicle equipped with hydrogen fuel cells is designed to reduce traffic congestion in Sarawak’s more densely populated areas.

During her presentation, Datin Nor Ziha shared TNB’s commitment to bringing about a responsible and effective energy transition in Malaysia. She set the stage for TNB’s 2050 aspirations: achieving Net Zero and becoming coal-free by investing in and upgrading green technologies such as hydrogen and Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS).

With TNB spearheading Malaysia’s energy transition efforts, Datin Nor Ziha highlighted three strategic areas in clean technology that they are focusing on which promote cross-sector and cross-border partnerships.

• Accelerating decarbonisation efforts: Flagship projects that TNB is working on include large-scale renewable energy plants like the 2.5GW hydro floating solar hybrid (HHFS) and clean tech (hydrogen, ammonia co-firing, and CCUS) projects.
• Developing a flexible, cross-border grid: Already playing a pivotal role by strengthening our economy through linking Malaysia’s power grid with both Thailand and Singapore, TNB also delivers renewable energy through their expansion into solar parks. These large-scale photovoltaic (PV) installations take measures to preserve biodiversity while also meeting the nation’s energy needs. This is further supported by the Malaysian Government’s instruction of the Corporate Renewable Energy Supply Scheme (CRESS).
• Empowering cross-sector electrification and prosumers: TNB is dedicated to electrifying the transport sector, which holds great potential in reducing pollutants in air and water, protecting public health, and protecting vulnerable communities.

Following the riveting and informative presentations were a panel session and networking lunch, allowing our other attendees to mingle with the speakers and gain first-hand insights from Malaysia’s sustainability pioneers

We owe the success of this event to Datuk Azman Hassan and Datin Nor Ziha. We thank them for their time in sharing their expertise and emphasising how Malaysia’s energy transition goals are measurable and achievable. We also extend our appreciation to Azman Nasir for his time and for joining us for this unique opportunity.