Jakarta, INTI - Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS) reaffirmed its role to support waste-to-energy management projects in Indonesia. ITS expressed this in the Taiwan-Indonesia Science Technology Innovation Centre (TI-STIC) consortium, which took place at the ITS Research Center Auditorium on Wednesday, May 20.
To oversee the waste-to-energy innovation within the consortium, ITS collaborated with the National Taiwan University of Science and Technology (NTUST) and Universitas Katolik Widya Mandala Surabaya (UKWMS). This forum served as a strategic meeting for academics, government, and industry on waste management in Indonesia.
ITS Vice Rector for Research, Innovation, Collaboration, and Alumni Relations, Prof. Agus Muhamad Hatta, stated that the development of waste-to-energy technology is a concrete solution to the growing waste problem. Amid urbanization and population growth, waste should no longer be viewed as a burden.
"Waste actually has the potential to be a valuable resource that supports the transition to a clean energy system," he explained.
ITS has Waste to Energy Innovations
ITS also has innovations that support waste-to-energy process, such as the Benowo Waste-to-Electricity Processor, which officially began operating in 2021. Furthermore, there is an innovation in plastic degradation using biomass to produce biofuel, developed by Prof. Dr. Hendro Juwono.
This initiative, with the support of TI-STIC, also opens up opportunities for integration with strategic investments to support a measurable and applicable green technology ecosystem. This transition will reduce reliance on landfills, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and support national energy security, in line with the agenda for a cleaner energy system transition.
Furthermore, Dr. En-Cheng Yang, the Executive Director of the Science and Technology Division of the Taipei Economic and Culture Office in Australia, emphasized that the collaboration goes beyond sharing challenges. He stated that through this forum, each partner can create joint solutions by synergizing the potential of both countries.
Highlighted in the forum, waste management and energy needs are closely interconnected challenges. As a country with a long history of technological advancement in Asia, Taiwan has accumulated extensive experience in developing technologically advanced waste management systems.
"Going forward, we hope to see technology development, policy design, and young talent working together to address these ongoing issues," said En-Cheng Yang.
Conclusion
ITS, along with NTUST and UKWMS, strengthened their collaboration in developing waste-to-energy technology through the TI-STIC consortium. This collaboration aims to promote waste-to-energy processing as a solution to reduce waste and greenhouse gas emissions, and support the clean energy transition. ITS also showcased innovations such as the Benowo PSEL and the processing of plastic into biofuel to support the development of green technology in Indonesia.
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