Sarawak Targets Greater Generation Capacity To Strengthen Regional Energy Role
KUALA LUMPUR: Sarawak is strengthening its position as a regional green energy supplier, supported by its target to expand electricity generation capacity to 10 gigawatts (GW) by 2030 and 15 GW by 2035.
Deputy Minister for Energy and Environmental Sustainability Datuk Dr Hazland Abang Hipni said the targets are guided by the Post COVID-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030 and the Sarawak Energy Transition Policy (SET-P), with more than 70 per cent of the state’s electricity currently coming from renewable sources, mainly hydropower.
He said Sarawak would also gradually phase out coal-fired power plants in favour of cascading dams and gas-and-hydrogen power plants in Bintulu and Miri.
He said this in his closing remarks at EnerGex 2026, held at the Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur recently.
Organised by CT Event Asia Sdn Bhd, the two-day summit focused on three core pillars, namely energy storage, hydrogen and grid intelligence.
Datuk Dr Hazland stressed that these elements must be developed together, as renewable energy requires storage for stability, hydrogen depends on sufficient clean power, and smart grids connect energy generation to consumers across state borders.
Highlighting the state's progress in energy storage, he said Sarawak Energy had commissioned Malaysia's first utility-scale battery energy storage system at the Sejingkat Power Plant, with a capacity of 60 megawatts (MW), or 82 megawatt-hours (MWh).
The facility supports grid stability while laying the foundation for further expansion into rural areas.
On hydrogen development, he said Sarawak's journey began in 2019 with the production of 130 kilogrammes of hydrogen daily to power hydrogen buses in Kuching.
“Guided by the Sarawak Hydrogen Economy Roadmap, we are now moving from pilot projects to commercial-scale ventures with international partners, with the aspiration of becoming a regional hydrogen hub,” he said.
Meanwhile, Datuk Dr Hazland highlighted Sarawak's growing role in regional electricity connectivity, noting that the state has been exporting electricity to West Kalimantan since 2016 and recently began supplying Sabah.
“The next phase will take us to Brunei, and then to the wider ASEAN region.
“The Sarawak-Peninsular interconnection under the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) will link Sarawak’s green energy directly to demand centres in the Peninsula.
"We do not simply want to be the 'battery of ASEAN'. We want to be a reliable supplier of green energy for the region," he added.
Therefore, he called on investors and financial institutions to consider Sarawak as a destination for green energy investments, citing its renewable resources, clear policies and government commitment.
He also urged utility providers and industry players to strengthen cross-border cooperation, particularly through partnerships involving Sarawak Energy, Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), PETRONAS and other stakeholders, to develop a stronger national and regional electricity grid.
At the same time, he encouraged education institutions and young Malaysians to seize emerging opportunities in the clean energy economy, which he said would create various job opportunities.
He also expressed hope that the discussions and connections established during EnerGex 2026 would translate into meaningful partnerships and investments to accelerate the region's energy transition. -UKASnews
