SESRIC held a virtual meeting with Indonesian national institutions to explore potential cooperation in the area of alternative sustainable and renewable energy.

The Indonesian delegation was led by Mr. Moehammad Amar MA’RUF, a diplomat from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia, and Ir. Hastuty AYUB, Chief of the Environment and Forestry Unit of Boalemo Regency, Gorontalo Province.

During the meeting, the team from the Office of Environment and Forestry of Boalemo Regency presented the prospect for green energy production from palm trees, considering the abundant palm tree plantations that naturally grow in the Gorontalo region. The palm sugar tree produces palm nectar (neera), which can be processed into bioethanol through bioprocessing techniques. Bioethanol is an alternative biofuel that can potentially substitute conventional fossil fuels. Local communities in Gorontalo have experimented with bioethanol for daily use.

Indonesian academics from the University of Indonesia, Gorontalo State University, and Nahdlatul Ulama Islamic University also participated in the meeting. They expressed their willingness to research collaboration, highlighting their group’s experience with bioethanol production from various biomass sources. They emphasized that producing bioethanol from palm nectar is particularly promising due to its high sugar content. Their current research project focuses on increasing economic feasibility by developing other chemical products from the same raw materials and processing by-products. The academics eagerly supported the potential for further research collaboration.

The discussion also addressed the possibility of initiating capacity-building activities for knowledge and technology transfer in this area for the benefit of OIC countries. Indonesia expressed its readiness to share its expertise in green energy production and sustainable environmental practices with other member countries.