Innovation Key to Energy Transformation

MINISTRY OF ENERGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES

REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA

PRESS RELEASE

NUMBER: 389.Pers/04/SJI/2020

Date: 7 December 2020

Innovation Key to Energy Transformation

Innovation is the key to energy transformation needed to answer the challenges of the times, Secretary General of Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (EMR) Ego Syahrial has said at the opening of the seminar and exhibition titled "50 Innovations in EMR R&D" held by the ministry's Research and Development Agency (Balitbang ESDM).

The seminar and exhibition is part of the so-called pentahelix synergy--the synergy between academics, business, community, government, and media--to spread out information about the results of strategic research by Ministry of EMR.

According to Ego, there are three concepts of innovation that researchers must use as reference, namely technological, organizational, and institutional innovations.

Technology is considered the only means to answer the various challenges of the times. Research institutions and universities are expected to advance technologies which have direct impacts on the community, Ego continued.

Innovations must also be introduced by organizational and institutional planning, especially by developing superior human resources. "I hope the Balitbang ESDM will provide opportunities for outstanding employees to pursue postgraduate and doctoral studies or to undergo training and internship at renowned national and international universities or research institutions," said Ego.

The ministry has facilitated various innovations to support the equitable energy program for people's prosperity and welfare by supplying energy in an equitable manner at affordable prices accross Indonesia.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, the EMR sector has contributed to the new normal way of life by developing disinfectant body chambers called Sterilization and Antiseptic Chamber (BiSA) and Sterilization and Antiseptic Room (SERITI) as well as breathing apparatus named ViCE Z-Axis.

Major Innovations by Balitbang ESDM

The Indonesian Balitbang ESDM has produced a number of innovations that increase the added value of the EMR sector.

In the new, renewable energy subsector, these innovations include e-Smart application for solar power systems, sweet shorgum bioethanol, and easily carried backpack battery with a capacity of 2200 WH.

In the mineral and coal subsector, the Balitbang ESDM has produced mini gasification (GasMin) equipment to substitute the use of LPG by Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME), cyclone burner technology to substitute oil fuels, Underground Coal Gasification (UCG) technology to extract uneconomically mineable coal and convert it into syngas in situ, development of laterite nickel extraction, and the use of slice box to separate gold nuggets or grains on the coast to the seabed.

Simon Bageol, a monitoring and early warning system for geological and environmental hazards, has been listed in the Top 99 Public Service Innovations of 2020, which is an innovation competition organized by the Indonesian Ministry for State Apparatus Empowerment and Bureaucratic Reform. The system informs environmental and geological hazards that may occur near mining areas.

Oil and gas innovations consist of palm oil-based surfactant for Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) of mature oil fields, portable and environmentally friendly mini airgun for oil and gas seismic data acquisition, Coalbed Methane (CBM) rig capable of drilling 1,000 meter-deep CBM well, LPG conversion kits, and Dimethyl Ether (DME) stoves.

Under Law Number 11 of 2019 on National Science and Technology System (Sisnas Iptek), R&D institutions are in charge of scientific and technological development and is responsible to develop innovations and introduce 3 potential uses. "Therefore, R&D Agencies must be able to detect and identify strategic and innovative research topics, those needed by the community," Ego concluded.

A number of cooperation agreements were signed in the event, such as with Anglo Euro Energi, PT Elnusa Tbk, Research and Technology Center (RTC) of PT Pertamina (Persero); PT Alita; Prakarsa Jaringan Cerdas Indonesia (PGCI), Swan Hills Synfuels-Kanada, PT Bumi Siak Pusako, and EMR Service Office of Central Java Province. (IY)

Head of Bureau of Communication, Public Information Services, and Cooperation

Agung Pribadi (08112213555)

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