UNS – Agus Ramelan, S.Pd., M.T., a lecturer at Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta, recently brought pride to his institution by securing first place in the 2024 PLN Innovation & Competition in Electricity (ICE). Agus, a lecturer in UNS’s Electrical Engineering program, competed in the Net Zero Emission (NZE) Moonshots category.

In this competition, Agus presented an innovative project titled “Recycle and Re-energize the Lithium Cell: Turning Lithium Battery Waste into a Blessing.” His concept offers a sustainable solution for processing lithium battery waste, a growing concern due to the rising use of electric vehicles and electronic devices. Agus proposed a method to repurpose discarded lithium batteries through reconditioning and repacking processes, transforming them into valuable resources with increased economic worth.

“This idea not only helps reduce environmental pollution but also supports efforts to achieve Net Zero Emission targets,” Agus explained to uns.ac.id on Tuesday (29/10/2024).

The achievement was announced during the awards ceremony held at the Learning, Innovation, Knowledge, and Exhibition (LIKE) 2024 event at JIEXPO Kemayoran, Jakarta, from October 22 to 24, 2024. Agus Ramelan’s victory adds to UNS’s list of accomplishments and highlights the growing national recognition of academia’s contributions to sustainable technology development.

“I hope this idea will greatly benefit society and the environment while inspiring future sustainability-based innovations,” Agus added.

The NZE Moonshots category, which Agus entered, is part of PLN’s commitment to leading Indonesia’s energy transition. PLN’s initiatives also focus on an integrated green economy aligned with regional development.

The PLN Research and Development Center (Puslitbang) launched the PLN ICE Social and Environmental Responsibility (TJSL) Program under the Idea Generation category, inviting academic participants from universities across Indonesia. PLN aims to establish a TJSL program that generates impactful value creation and supports innovation that aligns with PLN’s sustainability and social responsibility goals.

PLN seeks innovations from the academic sector to support its transformation program, “Moonshots,” focusing on growth, digitalization, and net-zero emissions. Through this program, PLN’s Research and Development Center (Puslitbang) also recognizes academics actively contributing ideas and innovations in the field of electricity that benefit PT PLN (Persero). Humas UNS