Japan is planning to transport carbon emissions to Malaysia as part of a unique initiative in Southeast Asia focused on carbon capture and storage. This project has sparked widespread discussion, with some skeptics questioning its practical impact on mitigating climate change.
Despite concerns, Malaysia is establishing itself as a key player in Southeast Asia for innovative technology focused on capturing, transporting, and sequestering carbon dioxide to combat climate change.
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The country currently relies on fossil fuels for approximately 81 percent of its electricity generation, leading environmental advocates to argue that carbon capture efforts could divert resources from more effective emission reduction strategies like transitioning to renewable energy sources.
Japan, a significant contributor to global carbon emissions, intends to transport emissions from its high-polluting industries, including electric power, oil refining, cement production, shipping, and steel manufacturing, to Malaysia in the coming years.
Should this initiative prove successful, analysts suggest that it could set a precedent for other countries in Southeast Asia that possess carbon storage capabilities, such as Indonesia and Thailand.
The contentious procedure commences by capturing emissions at the source of pollution, such as a refinery or power plant. Various methods can be employed to achieve this, including modifying a facility to release emissions into a designated storage location or constructing vacuum-like structures to extract emissions.
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Japan and Malaysia have not yet disclosed comprehensive strategies, but it is probable that the carbon dioxide will require separation from other gases captured during industrial activities.
The carbon dioxide will be converted into a liquid form and subsequently transported through specialized vessels to designated burial sites, potentially located in exhausted gas reserves near the shoreline of Sarawak, a region in Malaysia situated on the island of Borneo.
After the liquid form of carbon has been introduced into the soil, the site will need to undergo regular monitoring to detect any potential leaks. Certain administrations and major oil companies such as Exxon Mobil and Shell advocate for this approach as a climate mitigation strategy that provides a grace period for nations and sectors to shift towards more sustainable energy sources.
The inaugural offshore carbon storage project in the European Union is set to begin operations by mid-2026. This facility will capture emissions from Denmark and inject them into the seabed beneath the North Sea. In a similar vein, a Norwegian facility that commenced operations last year is currently conducting trials on transporting carbon across borders.
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Last year, Malaysia enacted legislation to support the growth of the carbon capture industry. The Ministry of Economy, which chose not to offer specifics, indicated that this emerging sector has the potential to contribute up to $250 billion to the economy over the course of three decades.
Petronas, a government-owned oil and gas company in Malaysia, is spearheading the $1.1 billion initiative to build the largest offshore carbon storage facility in the world, with plans for it to be operational by the conclusion of the current decade. Petronas has chosen not to provide a statement regarding this venture.
Eqram Mustaqeem, who opposed carbon capture in Malaysia, criticized the decision to allocate significant funds to a technology that he believes is unproven and has not yielded the desired results, instead of investing in established decarbonization measures such as the implementation of solar energy projects or improvements to the grid system.