RRI.CO.ID, Surabaya - Indonesia's Surabaya City is developing its Mangrove Botanical Garden as a living laboratory for renewable energy education. The initiative was announced in Surabaya on Wednesday, July 22, 2026.

The conservation area will feature interactive learning models for students, researchers, and the public. The project combines environmental conservation with renewable energy innovation and public education.

Head of the Surabaya Regional Research and Innovation Agency (Brida) Agus Imam Sonhaji said renewable energy should become an integral part of the conservation area. He said the facility will allow visitors to learn directly through practical demonstrations.

"Because this area is a conservation and protected zone that prioritizes the environment, renewable energy is something we must truly realize. We are creating miniature models here so elementary, junior high, senior high school students, and university students can learn and see them directly." he said.

The educational models will include solar panels, coastal wind-powered electricity, and pyrolysis technology that converts plastic waste into energy. The renewable energy systems are designed for education rather than industrial-scale production.

Pyrolysis specialist Ir. Edy Hartono said the technology converts plastic waste and biomass into gas, liquid fuel, and solid materials. The resulting gas can then be used to generate electricity for the mangrove park.

"Our main focus here is processing plastic waste into gas and liquid fuel. The gas is then converted into electricity, turning plastic that once polluted the environment into useful energy." he said.

The city also plans to process biomass waste while encouraging better waste sorting among visitors and residents. Surabaya expects the project to inspire environmental awareness and promote renewable energy education for future generations.