131 / 246
127
THE ENERGY SECTOR
important to balance growth with sustainability,
affordability and reliability of supply in the long
term.
In its effort to enhance the efficiency and
reliability of electricity supply, the government
is investing to upgrade electricity infrastructure
throughout the nation. Meanwhile, the
developments in renewable energy have made it
more feasible to develop solutions for residents
away from the main power grid, particularly in
the rural areas of the Belait District.
The ministry also explores the rollout of solar
power initiatives on a larger scale. Incorporation
of renewable energy into a more diversified
energy mix will contribute to the conservation
of hydrocarbon reserves.
As one of the cleanest fossil fuels in the market
at present, natural gas will continue to play an
important role to ensure reliability of supply
throughout the global energy transition.
AHEAD
The construction of the Advanced Hydrogen
Energy Chain Association for Technology
Development’s (AHEAD) hydrogenation demo
plant began in April 2018. The plant was
completed in September 2019 and officially
opened on November 27, 2019.
During the plant opening ceremony, the Minister
of Energy said that Brunei will supply over 200
metric tonnes of hydrogen to Japan in 2020. The
plant is operated and managed by a consortium
of Japanese companies and represents the first
global supply chain of hydrogen from Brunei to
Japan.
The plant produces hydrogen from natural gas
via steam reformation processes and uses var-
ious technologies to ensure the safe transport
of the liquefied hydrogen over a long distance.
President of AHEAD Hideki Endo said the first
export of hydrogen from Muara Port to Japan
was held on November 17, 2019. Operations
were scheduled to continue for approximately
one year. The exported hydrogen will be used as
fuel for gas turbine power generator at the Toa
Oil Company in Kawasaki City, Japan.
Ambassador of Japan to Brunei Eiji Yamamoto
lauded the collaboration between the two
nations as a symbol of contribution towards
diversifying Brunei’s economy. He said that the
project also serves to mitigate the effects of
climate change, in line with the Paris Agreement
to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The hydrogen project is funded by the New
Energy and Industrial Technology Development
Organisation (NEDO) and serves to demonstrate
the viability of a hydrogen supply chain using
the organic chemical hydride method.
One of the key factors in the success of the
project is the transportation of the hydrogen
supply from Brunei to Japan, over a distance of
5,000km. The transportation is made possible
by Chiyoda’s SPERA Hydrogen technology in
converting hydrogen to a liquid at ambient
temperatures and pressure.
The hydrogen project began as part of Phase II of
the ‘Strategic Road Map for Hydrogen and Fuel
Cells’ issued by Japan’s Ministry of Economy,
Trade and Industry (METI) in 2014. The project
was revised in 2016 to help realise the Global
Hydrogen Transport and Supply Technology for
a full-scale hydrogen power generation around
2030.