Prepared by: Ts. Mohd Fadhzir A. Kamaroddin, Assoc. Prof. Ir. Dr. Mimi Haryani Hassim, Assoc. Prof. Ir. Dr. Md Pauzi Abdullah & Ts. Dr. Sathiabama T. Thirugnana
On 8th March 2022, the researchers from Institute of Future Energy (IFE), the general manager and team of Sarawak Energy Research and Development (R&D) Department held a discussion meeting virtually.
It was hosted by Sarawak Energy Research and Development and representing the IFE was Assoc. Prof. Ir. Dr. Mimi Haryani Hassim, as the speaker.
Dr. Mimi Haryani started the session by introducing the IFE researchers, who have expertise in hydrogen technologies (production, storage, utilization and safety), electrical energy systems and ocean thermal energy driven technologies.
Dr. Ng Sing Muk then continued with his extensive introduction about the core business of the Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB), before presenting in detail the research and innovations that have been done by them.
The Deputy Director of CHE, Prof. Dr. Mohamed Mahmoud El-sayed Nasef stated that the CHE team has newly ventured into the photocatalytic electrochemical energy of converting the sunlight power by directly splitting water into green hydrogen and oxygen as the by-product.
Current research at CHE is looking at a wider perspective of hydrogen energy, that would look into the production, storage, utilization, safety and simulation aspects.
Meanwhile, the Director at the Centre of Electrical Energy Systems (CEES), Assoc. Prof. Ir. Dr. Md Pauzi Abdullah, presented the expertise for their CEES team.
They are the experts in power quality and energy audit study. They have been involved in this consultation project since its inception.
The Director of UTM-Ocean Thermal Energy Centre (UTM-OTEC), Ts. Dr. Sathiabama T. Thirugnana, presented their recent R&D activities, including the H-OTEC system test and validation.
This is an ongoing project under the Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development of Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (SATREPS OTEC) programme with collaboration between Japanese universities and industries, including local universities, UPM, UM, UKM, UMT, and UMS.
Furthermore, Dr. Sathia highlighted that by having an OTEC plant with its spin-off industries, we would be able to tackle issues on energy, clean water, food supplies, and many more.
At the end of the session, it was summarized that, green hydrogen is the ultimate goal to achieve the net-zero-carbon footprint initiatives from the hydrogen economy.
Therefore, it is the ultimate goal for UTM to share their expertise with SEB to level up their research works from the laboratory or pilot scale to practical and commercialized scale.
Such opportunities can only be realized effectively by working with the industries.
