The Hitachi Global Foundation 2019-2020 – Tohoku University (Japan) and UTM (Malaysia)

Project SUMMARY and Related Activity (1st October 2019 – 31st March 2020)
The project is facilitating THREE (3) phases of short term study, including; technical overview compromising on the biohythane (hydrogen and methane) works, community translational knowledge and capacity building method. These THREE stages occupy the necessary action-plan in Renewable Energy Roadmap empowerment through self-assessment of active participation from the selected stakeholders. Usually, the biohythane is easily generated from organic wastes (e.g. food waste, soy processing wastes, etc). However, since a few years back, Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME) is also reported promising substrates due to their higher carbon sources and the nature of thermo-substrate that suitable for higher hydrogen production rates. However, there are few limitations for the consideration in the pilot-scale and the study is evaluated TWO crucial factors, which are, (i) Encapsulation Sludge Study, and (ii) Optimization of Operational Factors from Lab-Scale. This study is also evaluating the comprehensive scale-up of Waste Treatment in Miyagi Prefecture, as the municipal transformation from Waste-to-Energy framework to compare with the next project in Malaysia. There are few case studies highlighted in this report and that could be useful in future technology-transfer in the host country. The technical visit and some overview were explained in the next activity. As the first phase concerned, the considerable process in the 6-month study, recorded high COD removal up to 94%, high gas yield (0.5 kg H2/kg COD.day and 1.2 kg CH4/kg COD.day), and recovery of the gaseous up to 84% per COD removed. However, since the 6-month training is too short for removal rate and potential biogas optimization, a simulated mathematical equation via the Response Surface Method (RSM) was developed. In the second phase, module training and community living laboratory, with a similar Renewable Energy Roadmap was established in the mainframe of New Strategic Energy in Malaysia. The outcome of the project is in line with the Malaysian energy policy; Oil, Gas, and Energy – EPP 10: Building up renewable energy & solar power capacity. By the year 2020, renewable energy is expected to contribute to a minimum of 220 megawatts, as per the target under the National Renewable Energy Policy target. Malaysian Government aims to achieve the installation of biogas facilities in all palm oil mills in Malaysia by 2020, and this could be the most influential to the development.

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BIKE SHARING@EcoCampus Cycling: Let’s cycle and make cycling as part of campus lifestyle!

Among the interesting facts is that if the SER1M project is implemented on a large scale in UTM, it is:
1. On average, each vehicle unit passing through the UTM route is estimated at 11 km per day with an average gasoline consumption of between 8.8 L – 9.2 L / 100 km
2. The effective amount of SER1M that will be used every day is 120 units with a monthly rate of up to 20 working days. Hence, the average route (km) that will be used optimally in the UTM campus for a month is 26,400 km
3. By comparing the average use of 100 cc motorcycles, the estimated total carbon reduction forecast for 120 units of SER1M is 1,288 kg CO2 / month or 15,456 kg CO2 / year.
4. The average number of day-to-day motorcycles used in the campus is 350. If the CFD program is run every month, the amount of carbon reduction from this motorcycle smoke can be reduced by 2,254 kg CO2 / year for each CFD month. If this CFD is done on a weekly basis the amount will be up to 9,390 kg CO2 / year, ie a significant increase in carbon reduction up to four times.
5. If all 350 units of the motorcycle are replaced with SER1M, then in a year the reduced carbon reduction can be 45,096 kg CO2 (45 MT CO2 / year)
6. For any reduction of 45 MT CO2 / this year, UTM will assist:
A. Turning on 13-Watt light bulbs for 395 years, or
B. Meet the energy needs of a home for 3.46 years, or
C. Along with the use of 15.73 tonnes of coal for the production of electricity.
Few Facts Shared For UTM

 

Interview

ELD ASIA Official Visit to UTM, Johor (2016)

Taylor’s Education Management Group to UTM Campus Sustainability

Majlis Perasmian Knights of Nature Sustainability Camp 2016

Program Knights Of Nature (KON) Sustainability Camp 2016 adalah program komuniti yang dianjurkan bersama Malaysia Marine & Heavy Engineering Holdings Berhad (MHB) dan EcoKnights dengan kerjasama UTM Campus Sustainability. Program ini berlangsung selama 3 hari 2 malam di UTM dan kawasan komuniti Sg. Sebulung. Program ini memberi fokus kepada memberi pendidikan dan kesedaran tentang alam sekitar dan persekitaran marin, industri maritim, cabaran dalam mengimbangi perkembangan dan melindungi alam sekitar serta memperkukuhkan jalinan bersama komuniti setempat.

Official Launching on Car Free Day (December 2016)

UTM CAR FREE DAY is a symbolic of our commitment on strengthening the passion of new world. It’s beyond our tradition to not only the transformation of sustainable practices but in the making to endure the research work collaboration with other colleagues on the same passion.

We could now use our own entity of research element in promoting the research work which soaring high for the sustainable lifestyle in the campus and gear up the potential research and branding the campaign of CAR FREE DAY, such as:

1⃣ carbon footprint
2⃣ community of low carbon campus
3⃣ transportation and services of public transport
4⃣ changes of behavior
5⃣ environmental pollution reduction and mitigation strategies
6⃣ policy-to-action

For the first time at UTM, car free day offered by Campus Sustainability (CS) and performed on 20 Dec 2016.

Selamat Hari Raya 2016

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Sustainability Awareness Symposium & Special Lecture (3 May 2016)

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The special lecture was coordinated by the Registrar Office to empower all the Green Managers in understanding the blueprint of the Green Campus Initiative/Program. The 2-hour session is tentatively for a few agendas, which are:

  1. Green Initiative Program in Campus
  2. Roles and Responsibilities by Green Managers
  3. Coordination by PTJ/Units
  4. Issues and Challenges

Penyertaan dibuka kepadacpelajar dan staff UTM. Bilik Banquet DSI UTM Skudai (4 & 5 April 2016)

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