On June 27, 2024, JICA’s SDGs Business Needs Confirmation Survey Team Member for Residual Oil Recovery from Palm Oil Mill Effluent in Malaysia visited the Kluang Pilot Plant (Honda Kiko, EY Strategy and Consulting, and Fukuoka Women’s Univ.) They received an explanation of the SATREPS OPT project, toured the Kluang pilot plant, and discussed for the possibility of multipurpose use of palm biomass in Malaysia and wastewater treatment, etc..
The 6th JCC (Joint Coordination Committee) meeting and mini symposium for this project are scheduled to be held on October 22, 2024 in Penang, Malaysia.The JCC meeting will be open only to project participants, but the mini symposium will be held as a special event of the International Symposium on Biopolymers (ISBP2024), which will be held at the same venue from October 20 to 23, so anyone who has registered for ISBP2024 can freely participate. We look forward to your participation (https://isbp2024.com/project-session/).
On June 8, 2024, Shima Trading Company from Japan and Shima Asia Pacific from Malaysia visited the Kluang Pilot Plant. They received an explanation of the SATREPS OPT project and toured the Kluang Pilot Plant, and discussed various ways to use palm biomass (livestock farming, fisheries, etc.). Expectations are growing for its future use in applications other than energy and raw materials.
On June 7, 2024, nine researchers from Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER), ENR Hydropower Co., Ltd, and SML Marine Agency Sdn Bhd visited the Kluang Pilot Plant.
They received an explanation of the SATREPS OPT project, toured the Kluang pilot plant, and discussed the use of palm biomass for energy.
On June 6, 2024, we visited IOI Palm Wood Sdn Bhd in Segamat, Johor. We shared the outline of their business and our SATREPS OPT project research using OPT biomass, and exchanged meaningful opinions. In particular, we felt the need to cooperate with each other, as it is necessary to gain broad understanding throughout the palm oil industry in order to develop further social implementation of the use of OPT.
On June 5, 2024, we visited the Agro Biotechnology Institute (ABI) under the National Institutes of Biotechnology Malaysia and had a special Science Cafe session that Prof. Sudesh from USM, Dr. Kosugi and Dr. Uka from JIRCAS gave a talk on information on studying abroad in Japan. We also discussed the possibility of continuing joint research on palm biomass in the post-SATREPS OPT project with ABI.
On June 5, 2024, we visited the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB), a member of the SATREPS OPT project, and confirmed the progress of the research with the counterpart and discussed future directions. We also discussed about a visit to the Ministry of Plantation and Commodities, the parent organization of the MPOB, in October 2024, and request to give a speech at the project’s Mini-Symposium to be held at Penang in October 2024.
On June 4, 2024, we visited the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) office in Kuala Lumpur.
We explained the outline of our SATREPS OPT Project and discussed future cooperation regarding the development of a sustainable palm oil industry, further utilization of palm biomass, and activities to disseminate correct awareness based on the science and technology.
An article introducing SATREPS OPT project was published in the Nikkei Newspaper evening edition “Global Watch” feature article on May 1, 2024. Also, Nikkei Newspaper Online available at (https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGKKZO80393650R00C24A5EAC000/) and NikkeiAsia Online at (https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Environment/Malaysia-and-Japan-test-recycling-dead-palm-trees-into-biofuel).
On April 14, 2024, Niconico Video broadcast a live event called “Tsukuba Research Institutions Gather! Research Institution Talk Relay: Connecting Beyond Organizations to the Future.”
Dr. Uke from JIRCAS, the representative organization for the SATREPS OPT project, participated and gave a presentation on palm biomass. The live comments from viewers during the presentation, which is very unique on Niconico Video, were very innovative.