Energy Transition Conference 2023 - Malaysia On Course To Achieve 10,000 EV Chargers By 2025!

The Energy Transition Conference 2023, a two-day event hosted at the KL Convention Centre, was inaugurated yesterday by YB Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, the Minister of Natural Resources, Environment, and Climate Change (NRECC). This conference, organised by Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), serves as a platform to convene experts and industry leaders from both Malaysia and abroad. Its primary objective is to facilitate discussions on the pressing need for an energy transition. These discussions encompass a range of topics, including plenary sessions, panel discussions, and specialised tracks.

During his keynote address, YB Nik Nazmi emphasised the government's unwavering commitment to strategically develop the Electric Vehicle (EV) industry. This strategic development involves a thorough examination of the existing procedures for approving EV charging systems, with the goal of streamlining installation approval processes to reduce processing times.

He also highlighted that, in alignment with the Low Carbon Mobility Blueprint 2021-2030, Malaysia is on course to achieve its target of establishing 10,000 public charging stations across the country by 2025. Additionally, the government aspires to have 1.5 million EVs on Malaysian roads by 2040. YB Nik projected significant growth in the EV market during this decade, presenting Malaysia with a timely opportunity to capitalise on a high-value, environmentally-friendly economic sector.

Now with regards to this matter, we at CariCarz somehow do not see the target 10,000 chargers by 2025 being achieved even though this seems to be the exact words being repeated since it was coined late last year. For starters, the said streamlined approval processes are still not clear with many municipalities not knowing what needs to be done resulting in time wastage. Furthermore, as we have reported before, many CPO’s are still cautious when it comes to expediting EV chargers installation due to there still being no clear guidelines yet especially with regards to DC Chargers installation in malls and multi-story car parks. Given the current installed EV Chargers numbers still being below 2,000 units, we would require roughly around 500 new EV Chargers installed a month to hit the goal. The largest confirmed deployment to date is from Gentari which had committed to set-up 400 units of chargers by end 2023. 

Moving on, YB Nik also acknowledged the potential of green hydrogen as an alternative fuel source. The Federal Government, in collaboration with State Governments and entities such as TNB, are enthusiastic about exploring the possibilities surrounding green hydrogen as a new energy carrier. This exploration carries the promise of substantial economic benefits.

To propel the hydrogen economy forward, the government is set to launch the NETR (National Energy Transition Roadmap) and the Hydrogen Economy and Technology Roadmap (HETR) later this year. These roadmaps will outline plans for attracting investments in hydrogen production, with the ultimate aim of positioning Malaysia as a key export hub for green hydrogen by 2027.

The Sarawak state government has been working closely with Korea on this effort, whereby hydrogen produced in the state would be sent to Korea, bringing in revenue for Sarawak. Sarawak is also partnering with Japan to manufacture green hydrogen for domestic consumption as well as export to Japan and Singapore.

YB Nik also underscored the importance of collaboration in driving the energy transition at various levels: domestically, regionally, and internationally. He emphasised that there has to be a collective effort that yields greater results where developed nations would have to support their developing counterparts.