Online, 26 July 2022 – The ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Joint Graduate School of Energy and Environment (JGSEE), King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT) in an online ceremony on Tuesday, 26 July 2022. This collaboration will support the implementation of the ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation (APAEC) Phase II (2021 – 2025), specifically the Renewable Energy (RE) and Energy Efficiency and Conservation (EE&C) programme areas.
The MoU was signed by Dr. Nuki Agya Utama, Executive Director of ACE and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Suvit Saetia, President of KMUTT. In his ceremonial remarks, Dr. Nuki stated, “On behalf of ACE, I’m glad that today we mark the starting point of collaboration between ACE and KMUTT with the focus of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency and Conservation programmes.” He believes that the knowledge shared between the parties “will be long-lasting and fruitful, contributing to tangible initiatives in the region.”
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Suvit Saetia added, “I am really pleased to note that JGSEE, in partnership with ACE, plays a role in cooperation to promote energy transition and resilience through the discussion of energy and environmental policy, environmental and climate science such as life cycle sustainability assessment and energy technology for ASEAN, through workshops, seminars, conferences, trainings, as well as technical reports publication.”
After the signing, Prof. Dr. Navadol Laosiripojana (Director, JGSEE-KMUTT) and Mr. Septia Buntara Supandi (Manager, Energy, Renewable Energy, and Energy Efficiency Department, ACE), delivered keynote presentations. Prof. Dr. Navadol gave a presentation on “Directions for research and academic affairs at JGSEE”, noting the importance of the International Partnership for JGSEE in conducting its research and academic activities, and that ACE is one of its leading partners in the field of renewable energy, energy efficiency, climate change, and sustainability.
Meanwhile, Mr. Septia presented the importance of renewable energy (RE) research and development (R&D) in ASEAN. He brought attention to APAEC Phase II Programme Area No. 5: Renewable Energy, which contains a strategy planned to enhance RE R&D through cooperation with universities and academic institutions. The partnership between ACE and JGSEE will be a part of this outcome-based strategy.
Closing remarks were given by Prof. Dr. Shabbir Gheewala, Professor, and Head of Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment Lab (LCSAL, JGSEE) and Research Centre on LCA for Sustainable Development (RCLSA-SD, KMUTT). He underlined that JGSEE-KMUTT and ACE have been working together for several years and will be working on a more continuous basis after the MoU signing. “I am very much looking forward to our collaboration and future activities,” he said.
Prof. Dr. Navadol expressed his sincere appreciation to Dr. Nuki and Prof. Dr. Shabbir for their efforts to initiate this MoU signing. Dr. Nuki closed the event by conveying his hopes that “we can see you all face to face—either in Jakarta or Bangkok—in the near future.”