Cross-Border Collaboration 🇸🇬 🇲🇾
What an incredibly productive day in Kuching, Sarawak!
This trip was part of an intentional business mission organized by the Singapore Business Federation (SBF), specifically designed to bring Singapore companies on the ground to understand, engage, and connect with the Sarawak government and the local business community—particularly within the rapidly evolving sectors of renewable energy and the hydrogen economy.
Alongside SBF and a dedicated contingent of fellow members from the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association of Singapore (HFCAS), our team had the privilege of engaging directly with the visionary architects behind Sarawak’s clean energy transformation.
Being surrounded by and interacting with the key players driving Singapore’s hydrogen and fuel cell market today brought back a flood of memories. It helped me reminisce about my days exploring fuel cell applications at DSTA over 20 years ago!
Back then, we were looking at the cutting edge of what was possible—from regenerative fuel cells for offshore applications to Direct Methanol Fuel Cells (DMFC) for soldier systems. To my absolute amazement, some of the very mission members on this trip are now involved in projects that we initially birthed and initiated at DSTA all those years ago. What an incredible, full-circle connection after two decades!
Sarawak is fast becoming the green hydrogen epicenter of Southeast Asia, fueled by its immense renewable hydropower potential. Our discussions centered on cross-border synergies, technology deployment, and how Singapore’s hydrogen ecosystem can plug into these massive infrastructure plays.
A massive thank you to the leadership teams at these key organizations for hosting us and sharing their strategic visions:
The Policy & Investment Drivers:
Economic Planning Unit (EPU) Sarawak & InvestSarawak – for outlining the economic runway under the Post Covid 19 Development Strategy 2030 (PCDS 2030).
Ministry of Utilities and Telecommunication Sarawak– for showing us what a future-ready, integrated utility master plan looks like.
The Energy & Infrastructure Giants:
Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB) & SEDC Energy Sdn Bhd – the powerhouses driving massive green hydrogen production and zero-emission transit infrastructure.
Petroleum Sarawak Berhad (PETROS) – for an insightful deep dive into regional energy management and carbon capture horizons.
On-The-Ground Workforce Development:
We closed out our engagements with a fantastic site visit to Sarawak Skills – Neuto Sdn Bhd Bhd, seeing firsthand how they develop the skilled workforce to support the hydrogen economy.
The transition to a hydrogen economy isn’t a journey any single country can make alone. By combining Singapore’s legacy of technology exploration, financing, and project deployment capabilities with Sarawak’s immense natural resources, the possibilities for a decarbonized ASEAN region are limitless.
Excited for what the next 20 years will bring! 🚀
