UTP Shines at IChemE Global Awards with Groundbreaking Innovation
30 November 2023
Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS’s (UTP’s) commitment to excellence and sustainability has once again been recognised on the global stage with multiple victories at the prestigious IChemE Global Awards 2023 held at the Hilton Metropole, Birmingham, United Kingdom.
The IChemE Global Awards are widely acknowledged as the world’s most prestigious chemical engineering awards.
UTP’s Centre for Biofuel and Biochemical Engineering (CBBR), acknowledged as a Higher Institution Centre of Excellence (HICoE) by the Ministry of Higher Education, secured both the coveted Research Project Award and a Highly Commended accolade in the Biochemical Engineering Award category.
The Research Project Award specifically highlights groundbreaking inventions with the potential for industrial-scale applications, while the Biochemical Engineering Award celebrates innovations in biochemical engineering excellence, encompassing bioprocessing, bioengineering, bioenergy, biocatalysis, bioreactors, and nanotechnology.
The Research Project Award acknowledges the groundbreaking Solar Integrated Anaerobic Digester and Aerobic Composter (SIDAC), a circular economy-based treatment unit, spearheaded by Ir Dr M. Rashid Shamsuddin, serving as the Principal Investigator, together with his research officers, M. Devendran Manogaran and Mohd Hakimi Rosli.
SIDAC revolutionises waste management by ingeniously converting organic waste into biomethane, a potent biofuel. This transformative technology aligns seamlessly with UTP's sustainability initiatives and various United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, supporting PETRONAS's vision for Net Zero Carbon Emissions by 2050.
By addressing the adverse environmental impacts of conventional waste disposal, SIDAC not only mitigates health hazards but also complies with national regulations.
Furthermore, SIDAC not only showcases technological innovation but also creates job opportunities and fosters collaborations between academia and industry.
Plans are underway to integrate SIDAC into a smart poultry house system, effectively treating waste and generating green energy, contributing to the nation's sustainability efforts. As SIDAC gains traction, it becomes a beacon for environmentally responsible practices, driving the transition towards a greener and more sustainable future.
In addition to the project’s success, M. Devendran, a UTP research officer and PhD student in Chemical Engineering, emerged as a finalist for the Young Researcher Award. This remarkable accomplishment is particularly noteworthy, considering that numerous submissions from across the world in this category were meticulously narrowed down to just six.
This category recognises chemical engineers under the age of 30 who demonstrate the impact of their research in addressing crucial technical, economic, environmental, and social challenges.
M. Devendran’s achievements in the biochemical conversion of biomass exemplify UTP's commitment to fostering impactful solutions. Specialising in the biochemical conversion of biomass, he has demonstrated remarkable accomplishments, co-authoring over ten scholarly articles published in high-impact journals and winning more than ten innovation competitions within just two years of his PhD candidacy.
These achievements underscore UTP's unwavering dedication to excellence, sustainability, and impactful contributions to the field of chemical engineering. The groundbreaking innovation and recognitions received at the IChemE Global Awards reinforce UTP's position as a leader in fostering transformative solutions for a sustainable future.
