Three students from the Faculty of Engineering (FT) of Universitas Indonesia (UI) have succeeded in making Indonesia proud at the international level by winning Third Place in the 2024 Southeast Asian Division of The ISETS-ESCAP Youth Voice Competition at the United Nations ESCAP Headquarters, Bangkok, Thailand. In the competition attended by 77 teams from 33 countries, the FTUI Student Team offered a sustainable energy solution called CACA SOPAN (Carbon Capture and Storage–Solar Panel Biotechnology).
Members of the Go Green Sustainable (GGS) Team consist of Josafat Pasaribu, Renanda Wafi Fakhri, and Efraim Yunus. The GGS Team brings an integrated system concept that combines Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technology, solar energy, and biotechnology. This innovation is not only able to capture carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, but also convert them into environmentally friendly alcohol fuels such as butanol and hexanol. This innovation is in line with the 2060 Net Zero Emission target and supports the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“With a production capacity of up to 12,900 moles of alcohol per hour, this system offers high efficiency with an initial investment value of IDR 164.5 billion, a return on investment (ROI) of 33.33%, and a payback period of around 4.5 years. In addition to reducing carbon emissions, this project has the potential to create new jobs, in line with the needs of green economic development in Indonesia,” said Josafat.
The competition, which was held on Wednesday, December 4, by the International Society for Energy Transition Studies (ISETS) together with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), is a prestigious event involving 300 participants from all over the world. After going through a six-month online selection, the finalists were invited to present their projects at the UN Headquarters in Bangkok.
The success of the GGS team cannot be separated from the intensive guidance of Adam Febriyanto Nugraha, S.T., Ph.D., Lecturer in Metallurgical and Material Engineering, FTUI. This academic assistance shows the importance of synergy between students and lecturers in creating innovations that have a real impact on society.
Dean of FTUI, Prof. Kemas Ridwan Kurniawan, S.T., M.Sc., Ph.D., expressed his appreciation for this achievement. “This achievement proves that FTUI students not only excel in academic competitions, but are also able to produce innovative solutions that are relevant to global challenges. We hope that this success will inspire other students to continue to work and make real contributions in supporting the sustainable energy transition in Indonesia,” said Prof. Kemas.
He added that this achievement is real proof that collaboration between student creativity and academic support can produce effective innovations, while strengthening the role of the younger generation in realizing a cleaner and more sustainable energy future.
