Gentari Is Petronas’ Big Bet To Dominate Hydrogen Energy

Previously known as Petronas Gas & New Energy and newly rebranded as Gentari, the division of Malaysia’s favourite oil and gas company is making big moves to ensure that it stays at the forefront of an emerging hydrogen economy.

Now a consumer-facing clean energy solutions provider, Gentari Sdn Bhd struck first blood when they started installing 60kW DC fast charging stations around the KLCC area, their home territory, with plans to erect some 25,000 EV charging point all over Asia.

Gentari to spearhead Petronas' green mobility solutions

Additionally, it will also be offering green mobility solutions across Asia Pacific countries such as electric e-hailing vehicles, last-mile transportations services, and electric motorcycles/scooters, as confirmed by chairman Datuk Tengku Muhammad Taufik Tengku Aziz.

Last week they also signed a total of 12 memorandums of understanding (MOU) with various hydrogen industry players across the world, presumably to cast a wide net in terms of potential partnerships that will give them a foothold in different regions.

A more detailed and binding partnership with South Korean conglomerate SK Group is also rumoured to be inked soon (specifically with affiliates SK Materials Inc., SK Ecoplant Co. and SK Signet Inc.) following another MOU.

The collaboration will be engaged primarily in the production of advanced materials, construction and recycling, and electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Let’s also not forget that the country is also home to the Hyundai Motor Group, which has been a longtime proponent of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (FCEV).

Gentari signs 12 MOUs with various hydrogen industry players

During the brand’s official launch event, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said: "In increasing the use of hydrogen, I am confident that Gentari will be able to identify and develop a hydrogen economic cluster in Malaysia, further making our country a competitive hydrogen export hub in the region.”

Using hydrogen as a fuel source isn’t a new concept and plenty of other players in this new tech space have made strides in their own right. Though potentially world-changing if hydrogen can be made on a mass scale and cheaply, the industry is still lacking that key breakthrough. For now, making hydrogen consumes more usable energy than it produces.

This is why these companies have turned to renewables such as solar, wind, and geothermal energy to generate hydrogen, though in admittedly small quantities. Despite it being the most abundant element in the universe, it is usually part of a molecule, and separating that atomic bond is where things get expensive.

That said, Petronas Group CEO said during last week’s event that Gentari had already achieved a global capacity peak of 1.1 gigawatt in renewable energy, either in operation or under development. The majority of this is through Amplus Solar, a subsidiary in India.

The firm has also set a target to become a low carbon hydrogen producer with a yearly yield of up to 1.2 mtpa (million metric tonnes per annum) of hydrogen through various large projects and partnerships mostly based near Petronas strongholds in Kerteh, Terengganu, and Bintulu, Sarawak.