Pertamina's Sobat Bumi Competition Produces Renewable Energy Innovators

Since its launch in July 2020, the Sobat Bumi Competition has entered its final stage and produced several winners. The winners who have passed several strict selections are the seeds of excellence in the development of New and Renewable Energy.

Vice President of Corporate Communication of Pertamina, Fajriyah Usman, explained that this competition was part of Pertamina's 63rd Anniversary series and the company's efforts to encourage the development of renewable energy.

"At the age of 63, Pertamina is proactively involved in developing renewable energy. It is part of our efforts to ensure a sustainable business in the long term by paying special attention to environmental, social and corporate governance aspects," she said.

The Sobat Bumi Competition itself consists of two categories: the new & renewable energy innovation project category and the science theory category.

To implement the New and Renewable Energy Innovation (NRE) Project category, Pertamina collaborates with the Pertamina Foundation. This category is intended for researchers, lecturers, practitioners, energy activists, and community service providers interested in renewable energy.

This category has produced the best three teams out of a total of 360 registering teams who will receive prizes in the form of project development funds of IDR 500 million, the trophy from the Minister of Research and Technology, and the opportunity to implement NRE projects with Pertamina and the Pertamina Foundation.

Meanwhile, for the Science Theory category, Pertamina collaborates with the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Indonesia, which has entered the National Selection round to produce four winners. The winners will be announced on December 10, 2020, to coincide with Pertamina's 63rd Anniversary.

This category is open to all public and private university students from all study programs or majors. The total number of applicants for this category won extraordinary interest. As many as 12,799 students from 134 universities and colleges in Indonesia had registered in 4 (four) competition fields, namely Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, and Biology.

"Through the Sobat Bumi Competition, Pertamina wants to produce superior HR candidates to become new and renewable energy innovators, for the sake of the nation's energy sustainability. The Sobat Bumi Competition is a concrete form of implementing SDGs Goal 4, namely Quality Education, which aims to improve the quality of education; and also SDGs Goal 7, namely Affordable & Clean Energy. Simultaneously, this activity is a program to implement ISO 26000, which also has strategic value to meet energy needs in isolated areas. Hopefully, departing from this competition, there will be a prototype that can be developed in Pertamina's R&D so that it can be implemented commercially but still provide optimal benefits to the community," she added.

Vice President of CSR & SMEPP of Pertamina, Arya Dwi Paramita, said that through the Sobat Bumi Competition, we want to produce superior HR candidates to become potential innovators by providing quality education and quality training.

"The Sobat Bumi Competition also has strategic value considering implementing the winning energy innovation will be used to meet energy needs in isolated areas," said Arya.

According to Arya, departing from this competition, it is hoped that a prototype can be developed in Pertamina's R&D so that it can be implemented commercially but still provide optimal benefits to the community.

"By implementing the Sobat Bumi Competition, we also encourage all levels of society to be able to channel their creative ideas that can make a positive contribution or increase in society, the environment, and nature," added Arya.

On the same occasion, the Dean of FMIPA UI, Dr. Rokhmatuloh, M. Eng. said, "At the national level selection, the participants' competence towards the final round was tested more, and the competition between the participants were competitive. The challenges faced by the participants were getting bigger through the completion of analytical questions. Participants who have not made it to the final round should not be discouraged because the opportunity to prove competency in science is still wide open in the next Sobat Bumi Competition,"

In the future, Pertamina will continue to develop the Sobat Bumi Competition. Therefore, it can become a forum for the Indonesian people, especially the younger generation, to explore their thinking power or logic in creating new and renewable energy innovations, the benefits of which can be felt by all Indonesians and the world.

The implementation of the Sobat Bumi Competition 2020 cannot be separated from the support of various parties, including the Ministry of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN), the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM), the Ministry of Research and Technology / the National Research and Innovation Agency (RISTEK / BRIN).

The following are the winners of the Sobat Bumi Competition 2020 who will advance to the Final Round on December 10, 2020:

Mathematics Category

1. Andry Wijaya (University of Indonesia)
2. Filza Buana Putra (Univ Lambung Mangkurat)
3. Fani Haerul Anam (UGM)
4. Hans Mahardika (UI)
5. Jerry Budiharjo (Univ Brawijaya)
6.Juan Daniel (UI)
7. Kelvin Tenata (UI)
8. Nurhabibah (Univ Mataram)

Physics Category
1. Arkananta Rasendriya (ITB)
2. Hudzaifah Afif (ITB)
3. Muhammad Farhan Husain (ITB)
4. Muhammad Morteza Mudrick (ITB)
5. Rayhan Azizi (UGM)
6. Rizky Ramadhana Putra K (ITB)
7. Yuwanza Ramadhan (UI)
8. Zahara Zettira (Univ Andalas)

Chemical Sector Category
1. Abdullah Muqoddam (UI)
2. Azarya Adirama (ITB)
3. Bakuh Danang Setyo Budi (ITB)
4. Epaphroditus Kristiadi Susetyo (ITB)
5. Mark Soesanto (ITB)
6.Michael Lesa (UI)
7. Muhammad Rizky Pratama (UI)
8. Ridwan Rizki Surgawan (ITB)

Category of Biology
1. Amalia Alita Fananda (ITB)
2. Abdul Hawi Abas (Univ Sam Ratulangi)
3. Adzral Alamsyah (Univ Brawijaya)
4. Bagus Setiyo Aji (UI)
5. Dewa Putu Adhi Nugraha Anom (Univ Sebelas Maret Surakarta)
6. Muhamamd Malhan Amin (UGM)
7. Muhamad Abi Salman Aziz (Univ Airlangga Surabaya)
8. Rizqi Bagus Setyawan (UGM)