Institut Teknologi Bandung

During that opportunity, the Rector conveyed on how Institut Teknologi Bandung plays a role in the country’s plan of global collaboration towards an energy transition.

According to her, it is true that developed countries produce the most emissions. However, as a developing country, Indonesia also has a tendency to increase in emissions. Therefore, as citizens of this earth, we should come down to that point since that is the challenge for all of us.

It was also stated that ITB is actively developing co-firing biomass. This was formed by attempting to combine co-firing biomass with Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS). According to her, the prospect of this field is great, but the challenges that must be faced are no less greater.

Prof. Reini said that ITB has several strategies and roles in the global collaboration plan towards the energy transition. They include incorporating low carbon into the ITB curriculum and study programs, creating a development matrix that encourages low carbon development, facilitating the selection of the most feasible technology for Indonesia by testing and so on, helping in domestic investment promotion, and helping in international investment promotion through the condition of joint ventures and transfer technology.

“Technically, ITB also has study programs related to renewable energy such as the Undergraduate Program in Bioenergy and Chemurgical Engineering, where they try to identify biomaterials that can not only be used for food, but can also be used in the industry etc. In addition, there is the Master’s Program in Geothermal Engineering at the Faculty of Mining and Petroleum Engineering (FMPE), Master’s and Doctoral Programs in Nuclear Science and Technology at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMNS), and the Sustainable Energy Option at Master’s Program in Mechanical Engineering at the Faculty of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (FMAE), " she said.

It was also explained by Prof. Reini that ITB itself has 36 research centers, 8 of which are centers of excellence for science and technology by the ministry. One of the latest studies conducted by ITB is the establishment of a carbon dioxide and gas flare utilization center that is focused more on Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS). There are also other studies such as membranes for carbon capture and the usage of environmentally friendly coal. In addition, ITB had also carried out various collaborations regarding carbon capture, biomaterials, and others during the 2016-2022 period.

Prof. Reini said that the 2022 MGN Energy Summit is a medium to share knowledge and prospects so that there will be more tangible follow-ups for mutual progress. “Eventually we will pass this on to our children and grandchildren, so we have to feel responsible. Awareness raising alone is actually already a big PR. Then, the method is already thought of by the world community, one of which is through carbon credits. There are more fundamental things that we – as individuals – must also be able to answer and contribute to this world’s problems,” the FTSL ITB professor asserted.

Reporter: Inas Annisa Aulia (Visual Art, 2020)
Translator: Hanna Daniela Ayu (Faculty of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, 2021)