KUALA LUMPUR: Mitsubishi Power Ltd, a subsidiary of Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Group, is exploring hydrogen power projects in Malaysia to support the country’s shift to green energy.
According to Akihiro Ondo, managing director and CEO of Mitsubishi Power Asia-Pacific, Malaysia’s potential for transitioning its energy sector lies in modernizing older power plants with more efficient technologies like gas turbine combined cycle (GTCC) systems.
“Integrating renewable energy with a reliable gas turbine combined cycle is vital for energy security and sustainability in Malaysia. We aim to be part of this strategy by providing our technologies and solutions,” Ondo explained in an interview with Sun Biz. He also highlighted the Malaysian government’s strong support for energy transition initiatives.
“The Malaysian government is fully committed to energy transition, and we’ve had productive discussions with government-owned entities and agencies based on feasibility studies and other related activities,” Ondo added.
However, he noted that implementing large-scale energy transition and decarbonisation projects can be challenging for a single country. “We believe international cooperation, particularly between Japan and other nations, will be essential. We plan to continue our dialogue with both the Malaysian and Japanese governments.”
Ondo emphasized that Mitsubishi Power’s gas turbines and hydrogen production facilities can integrate with renewable energy sources to help stabilize energy supply fluctuations. “Malaysia has vast renewable resources, such as hydropower in Sarawak, which provides a stable energy base. We are in close contact with renewable energy developers in the country,” he said.
Regarding competition in the hydrogen sector, Ondo stressed the importance of collaboration over rivalry. “We’re ready to partner with stakeholders in Sarawak to produce hydrogen from renewable resources. This hydrogen could be used for power generation or exported to Japan,” he noted.
Ondo also expressed Mitsubishi Power’s long-term commitment to advancing hydrogen and ammonia technologies in Malaysia. The company operates Takasago Hydrogen Park in western Japan, which includes a gas turbine factory, research and development center, and a 550-megawatt verification facility, comparable to the Miri-GTCC project in Malaysia.
By 2026, Mitsubishi Power plans to install four hydrogen production facilities at the Takasago site, allowing for hydrogen production and storage for use in gas turbine systems. The park will focus on testing hydrogen combustion technology, with plans to increase hydrogen usage from 30% to 50% this year and eventually aim for 100% hydrogen firing in smaller gas turbines.
“Our gas turbine, tested at Takasago, currently operates with 30% hydrogen. The commercial plant can initially run on natural gas or LNG, and as the hydrogen supply chain develops, the plant will progressively increase hydrogen usage until it achieves a full transition,” Ondo explained.
Since the 1960s, Mitsubishi Power has delivered several key power stations in Malaysia, including those in Pasir Gudang, Port Klang, and Lumut. The company has also contributed to the construction of Tenaga Nasional Bhd’s (TNB) Tuanku Jaafar Power Station in Port Dickson.
“Recently, we secured a new GTCC project in Miri, Sarawak. We will be installing advanced, efficient technology that can co-fire cleaner fuels like hydrogen. The project is expected to begin commercial operations in 2027,” Ondo added.
He further revealed that Mitsubishi Power is working on a memorandum of understanding with TNB to explore energy transition opportunities, including the use of cleaner fuels, carbon capture technologies, and other energy-saving measures.
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