27 October 2023 – The National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC) and King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT) welcomed the delegations from the 10th Global Bioenergy Partnership (GBEP) Bioenergy Week 2023, headed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) for a field trip to the cutting-edge bioenergy facilities. This exclusive tour is a part of the 10th GBEP Bioenergy Week, taking place from October 24th to October 27th, 2023, in Bangkok.
BIOTEC and KMUTT, in along-standing collaboration spanning over two decades, have been at the forefront of advancing research and technology in the field of bioenergy. The 2 institutes have established a legacy of work in the field of sustainable cassava value chain, including waste utilization through biogas and bioethanol production.
BIOTEC and KMUTT showcased the successful story in implementing sustainable cassava value chain projects, with focus on UNIDO-funded project on “Overcoming Policy, Market and Technological Barriers to Support Technological Innovation and South-South Technology Transfer: the Pilot Case of Ethanol Production from Cassava”. Dr. Warinthorn Songkasiri, Director of the Biochemical Engineering and Systems Biology Research Group at BIOTEC, led the discussion on lessons learned from the project and its sustainability. The presentation was complemented by an extensive facility tour, featuring several key areas:
Cassava Value Chain Exhibition: Led by Dr. Kanchana Saengchan, a researcher of BIOTEC’s Waste Utilization and Management Research Team, this exhibition showcased the MKCF-funded project titled “Capacity Building on Circular Economy, Resource and Energy Efficiency for Productivity and Sustainability of Cassava Chain to High-Value Products: Cassava Root, Native Starch, and Biogas in Mekong Countries (CCC).” The CCC project is geared towards enhancing the competitiveness of the cassava value chain in the CLMVT region through knowledge transfer and capacity building.
Ethanol Pilot Plant: Asst. Prof. Dr. Veara Loha, a faculty member of KMUTT’s Department of Chemical Engineering, provided an overview of this facility, shedding light on the innovations in ethanol production.
Biogas Laboratory: Dr. Benjaphon Suraraksa, Team Lead of the Waste Utilization and Management Research Team at BIOTEC, demonstrated the facility’s mission in waste management.
Clean Energy Systems Integration Laboratory: Asst. Prof. Dr. Usa Boonbumroong from KMUTT and Dr. Patamaporn Sripadungtham from Kasetsart University led a tour at this facility, which focuses on solar cell and energy accumulation systems research.
Algal Biotechnology Facility: The group concluded their visit at the BIOTEC-KMUTT’s Algal Biotechnology Facility, a systems-biology innovation for the entire microalgae value chain. Dr. Kalyanee Paithoonrangsarid from BIOTEC’s BioSciences and Systems Biology Research Team and Dr. Wipawan Siangdung, Team Lead of KMUTT’s Algal Biotechnology Research Laboratory, showcased the facility’s ability to utilize cassava starch wastewater as a substrate for microalgae cultivation, effectively reducing production costs. The team also develop mass cultivation techniques to obtain high productivity, extraction processes of lipid/phycocyanin in pilot scale.
