Enviro News Asia, Washington, D.C. – Indonesia and the United States are exploring cooperation on low-rank coal gasification technology through a new research and innovation partnership aimed at supporting Indonesia’s energy security, industrial downstream development, and cleaner utilization of domestic coal resources.
The initiative was discussed during a meeting on August 4 at the U.S. Capitol between Indonesia’s Director General for American and European Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Grata Endah Werdaningtyas, and U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer of North Dakota. Indonesian Ambassador to the United States Indroyono Soesilo also attended the meeting.
The discussions covered broader Indonesia–U.S. cooperation involving not only the federal government but also partnerships with individual U.S. states, particularly North Dakota, in areas including food security, energy independence, industrial downstream development, research, and technological innovation.
A key topic was the proposed collaboration between Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) and the University of North Dakota, particularly its Energy and Environmental Research Center (EERC), to develop research on low-calorie coal gasification technologies.
The research initiative is expected to support potential cooperation between Indonesia’s sovereign investment agency Danantara and U.S.-based Latitude Energy Inc. in promoting the utilization of Indonesia’s abundant low-rank coal resources as an alternative energy feedstock, including for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) substitution.
Senator Cramer highlighted North Dakota’s long-standing role in advancing energy research and innovation. The state is home to the EERC, which developed the Transport Integrated Gasification (TRIG) technology, an advanced gasification process designed to improve the efficiency of low-rank coal utilization while supporting cleaner energy production.
Indonesia possesses substantial reserves of low-calorie coal, making advanced gasification technology an important option for increasing the value of domestic resources and strengthening national energy resilience. Officials said the cooperation could contribute to Indonesia’s broader industrial downstream agenda by converting raw coal into higher-value energy products.
Beyond the energy sector, both sides also discussed opportunities to expand collaboration in agriculture, particularly wheat production in North Dakota, reflecting a broader partnership that integrates food security, energy, science, technology, and innovation.
The meeting underscored the growing importance of subnational diplomacy, demonstrating that Indonesia–United States cooperation is expanding beyond federal-level engagement through practical partnerships with individual U.S. states that share complementary economic and technological interests. (*)
