This cooperation was signed by the Vice-Rector of Research and Innovation, Prof. I Gede Wenten, Ph.D., the Executive Vice President and the Head of Energy Transitions and Power Headquarters Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, ltd, Ken Kawai on Monday (7/2/2022).

In the future, this cooperation will include feasibility study, investigation, validation, and technological R&D which will propel the phase of energy transition in Indonesia. This 5-year-long cooperation is expected to produce research that can be used as a master plan for establishing a joint R&D center in Indonesia.

According to Ken Kawai, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has always been at the front line in supporting Indonesia in its energy transition for nearly four decades. Through this ongoing cooperation with ITB, his parties seek to develop renewable energy solutions that would speed up the evolution and decarbonization of the energy generating system in Indonesia. "We are very glad for this collaboration, its success can be attributed to the cooperation between the Indonesian and the Japanese governments," he said during his remark.

He said that Indonesia and Japan have agreed to cooperate in initiating energy transition in Asia. MHI believes that its cooperation with ITB is an important stepping point for reaching the energy transition target.

The previous MoU between MHI and ITB has resulted in a joint feasibility study on the utilization of hydrogen and ammonia as energy sources, an Air Quality Control System (AQCS), and microgrid solution. In 2020, ITB and MHI also collaborated in a training course project for Indonesia's future engineers by providing joint lectures that taught various topics such as big data analysis, biomasses, combined integrated gasification cycle, hydrogen and AQCS.

This new MoU was signed at the time when Indonesia is stepping up its efforts to decarbonize its energy sector in line with its commitment to reduce its greenhouse gasses emissions by 29 percent by 2030 and achieve a 23% portion of renewable energy utilization by 2025.

With the signing of this MoU, the ITB Rector Prof. Reini Wirahadikusumah, Ph.D. said that this long-term and continuous collaboration will be more effective if both parties align their visions. "This MoU is proof of our intention to solve this very strategic problem, renewable energy for the two nations (Indonesia-Japan). We cannot lag, we need to work harder and faster to realize the target of this collaboration," said Prof. Reini.

The Republic of Indonesia Ambassador for Japan, Heri Akhmadi, stated that this collaboration can create the backbone of the institutional framework to facilitate and increase the energy cooperation between the nations for a realistic energy transition that implements mutually beneficial principles. " I see the extension of the collaboration between ITB and MHI as a step to materialize the commitments made by the two nations," he said, and then added, "This is a strategic collaboration, we realize that even a specific energy sector can be very challenging in the future."

Translator: Favian Aldilla R (Civil Engineering, 2019)