One of the hydrogen buses parked outside Menara SEDC during a media showcase in August. File Photo
KUCHING: The contaminant liquid issue that has temporarily halted the hydrogen bus operation here has been resolved.
The completion of the improvement works on Sarawak Energy’s Integrated Hydrogen Production Plant and Refueling Station by system integrator and technology provider, Linde EOX Sdn Bhd (“Linde”) will ensure that the buses will get the fuel they need to commence operation.
Minister of Transport Datuk Lee Kim Shin said the hydrogen fuel cell buses are now undergoing refueling tests at the hydrogen refueling station to fine tune the configuration for both the refueling stations and the hydrogen fuel cell systems of the buses.
He said in order to fulfil its research and development purpose, the state government through Sarawak Energy Berhad will continue to monitor the performance tests conducted by the facility.
“Subsequently, the trial run is crucial to ensure sufficient data and information such as performance of the hydrogen fuel cell buses, the hydrogen consumption and refuelling time can be gathered by experts and reported to SEB and SEDC.
“The hydrogen fuel cell buses will be put through numerous trial runs from Oct 15 up to the end of the month,” he said when asked for the latest update to the issue.
The hydrogen bus initiative is being implemented under the State Project Applied Research and Development on Hydrogen Gas.
The three hydrogen buses which recently underwent trial runs in the city in August were supposed to be accessible to the public and tourists at no charge, starting Sept 15.
However, they could not operate as scheduled for public use due to a temporary halt at the hydrogen production plant and refueling station.
SEB, the energy developer and power utility group, then explained that during that period, contaminant liquid was observed at the bus receptacle, which may affect the efficiency of the bus in the long term.