Gentari wants to expand hydrogen supply biz, welcomes Budget 2024's recognition for EV and home solar services

Following today’s tabling of Budget 2024, Petronas’ green energy arm Gentari welcomes the recognition by Prime Minister Anwar when Gentari’s contribution to Malaysia was highlighted.

Gentari CEO Sushil Purohit said, “Gentari is proud to be recognised in Budget 2024, a testament to our growing role in Malaysia’s clean energy ecosystem since our launch last year. We observe with great optimism the clean energy transition initiatives and incentives etched within Malaysia’s Budget 2024 and it is particularly invigorating to witness the alignment of governmental policies with Gentari’s three business pillars – Renewable Energy, Hydrogen and Green Mobility.

He added that the National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR) and the RM 2.0 billion allocation to the National Energy Transition Fund showcases the government's serious commitment to energy transformation. Sushil also pointed out that Initiative 7 from the 2024 budget speech, which emphasizes renewable energy, hydrogen, and green mobility, perfectly resonates with Gentari’s objectives.

“The roadmap aligns well with Petronas’ decarbonization efforts, dovetailing with Gentari’s initiatives in fostering the growth of the Hydrogen economy. As the government strives to achieve a remarkable 70% renewable energy capacity by 2050, our ongoing projects have continually aimed to elevate the utilization of clean energy sources,” he said.

On Budget 2024’s extension of Net Energy Metering (NEM), which allows households with rooftop solar panels to offset their electricity bill by transferring excess electricity generated to the grid, to 31-December 2024, and PM Anwar’s call for more private companies to enter the home solar subscription services, Sushil said:

“The government’s call for increased residential solar installations is a welcomed one. Furthermore, we are proud to work with the Government and with Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) to enable the Low Carbon Green City of Putrajaya through installation of solar panels in government and commercial facilities by 2024 with a cumulative solar PV capacity of 3 MW and potential capacity up to 20 MW by 2030.”

Best known amongst consumers for its EV charging services, the Gentari CEO took the opportunity to highlight that Gentari is more than just about EV charging, but covers all aspects of green energy.

“In the sphere of Hydrogen, Gentari’s collaborations, both with the Sarawak State Government and initiatives in Peninsular Malaysia, in growing the green hydrogen sector reflects our confidence in hydrogen as a pivotal player in our energy future. The development and recent launch of the Hydrogen Economy and Technology Roadmap (HETR) is well-timed and a noteworthy step towards decarbonisation and heightens our national stature within the hydrogen export market, aligning with Gentari’s ongoing initiatives in hydrogen. Furthermore, the enhancement to the Corporate Green Power Programme (CGPP) and commitment to the Third-Party Access (TPA) model catalyse the viability of hydrogen generation, by ensuring a more robust and accessible energy infrastructure. This supports both Peninsular Malaysia and Sarawak in achieving a more interconnected energy network, potentially making hydrogen production and utilization more cost-effective and technically feasible across the nation,” said Sushil.