Saudi's ACWA Power reaffirms S'wak green hydrogen partnership, eyes NEOM-scale development
KUCHING (Aug 8): ACWA Power founder and chairman Mohammad Abunayyan paid a courtesy visit to Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg today, reaffirming the company's strategic partnership with SEDC Energy Sdn Bhd (SEDCE) to develop large-scale green hydrogen projects in the state.
According to a press release, the visit underscores ACWA Power's commitment to replicate the scale and ambition of its flagship NEOM Green Hydrogen Project in Saudi Arabia for Sarawak.
Currently under development, NEOM is the world's largest green hydrogen project, targeting 4GW of renewable power to produce 600 tonnes of green hydrogen per day.
The US$8.4 billion initiative aims to position Saudi Arabia as a global leader in the hydrogen economy ― a vision aligned with Sarawak's clean energy vision.
The collaboration is also part of ACWA Power's US$10 billion investment commitment to Malaysia, announced during the Asean-GCC Summit in May this year, with Sarawak expected to benefit from infrastructure, technology transfer, and economic spillovers.
In Sarawak, ACWA Power and SEDCE are jointly exploring the development of a green hydrogen facility powered by up to 4GW of captive renewable energy, delivering 2GW of electrolyser capacity for both export and domestic decarbonisation.
The companies formalised the basis of this collaboration through an agreement signed last year.
Both parties are also in discussions with Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB) to explore floating solar projects in Batang Ai and Murum hydroelectric dams, and with the State Ministry of Utilities and Telecommunications and the State Ministry of Energy and Environmental Sustainability to ensure regulatory alignment.
The cooperation supports Sarawak's Post Covid-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030, the National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR), and the Sarawak Hydrogen Economy Roadmap (HETR), while strengthening clean energy ties between Malaysia and Saudi Arabia.
Also present at the meeting were Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) chairman Tan Sri Datuk Amar Abdul Aziz Husain, general manager Datu Abdul Hadi, chief investment officer Haji Zainnurain Othman, SEDCE CEO Dennis Harun Wong, ACWA Power senior advisor to the chairman Tan Sri Azman Mokhtar, country director Mathew Chandapillai, executive vice-president of business development (Middle East/Global Water) Udyan Seth, director of business development and projects Azhari Sulaiman, and Advisor to Chairman ACWA Power Co Dato JIV Sammanathan. Abang Johari ACWA Power green hydrogen projects SEDCE
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