RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia is exploring new avenues of cooperation with the United States, focusing on low-calorie coal gasification technology through a partnership between the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) and research institutions in North Dakota.

Indonesian Ambassador to the US, Indroyono Soesilo, said the energy cooperation represents a concrete effort to build specific partnerships with individual US states.

“This cooperation is important because it connects Indonesia’s need to add value to its energy resources with North Dakota’s expertise in research and innovation,” he said in Jakarta on Friday, August 7, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

North Dakota holds a significant position in the US energy research landscape. The Energy and Environmental Research Center (EERC) at the University of North Dakota has long developed advanced energy and environmental technologies, while BRIN sees opportunities to collaborate with the institution.

One of the technologies under consideration is Transport Integrated Gasification (TRIG), a gasification approach that enhances the use of coal, including low-calorie coal.

Indroyono said the technology is strategically important for Indonesia, which has abundant reserves of low-calorie coal. Proper utilization of TRIG could support downstream industrialization, strengthen energy resilience, and increase domestic value-added.

The initiative also aligns with broader cooperation between Danantara Indonesia and Latitude Energy US to diversify energy sources and explore LNG substitution.

Beyond energy, Indonesia is interested in pursuing strategic cooperation with North Dakota in agriculture, particularly wheat, which is relevant to national food security efforts, Indroyono added.

Discussions on these cooperation opportunities took place during a meeting between the Foreign Ministry’s Director General for American and European Affairs, Grata Endah Werdaningtyas, and US Senator Kevin Cramer of North Dakota at Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, August 4. ***