How can energy consumption in textile processing be reduced to achieve sustainable production in the Indonesian textile industry? This question is the focal point of the EnaTex research project. At the mid-term conference, the project partners took stock of the progress made so far. Around 130 guests from the German-Indonesian textile industry and science, as well as from relevant Indonesian ministries and various international organisations attended the conference.

The opening speech by Mr Masrokhan (Head of the Agency for Industrial Human Resources at the Indonesian Ministry of Industry) emphasised the pressure to act for a sustainable transformation of the Indonesian textile industry. Bernhard Wern (EnaTex coordinator), Tina Martina (STTT Bandung), Annisa Fitria (German Embassy Jakarta) and Roland Keil ( DLR) supported the opening.

In the expert contributions that followed, Taufiek Bawazier (Head of the Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Textile Industry Department at the Indonesian Ministry of Industry), Jaka Kelana Putra (GIZ Energy Transition Cluster) and Jemmy Kartiwa Sastraatmaja (Chairman of the Indonesian Textile Association) emphasised the need to anchor sustainability in the social, environmental and energy sectors in Indonesia by 2030 in order to maintain and strengthen the country’s competitiveness. Prof Dr Maike Rabe (Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences), Bernhard Wern, Iwan K. Lukminto (Sritex) and William Jasen (Harapan Kurnia) showed which solutions the EnaTex project contributes to the challenge outlined above. “The interim results show how the CO2 footprint of textile production can be reduced through a combination of efficient process management on the one hand and a gradual expansion of renewable energies on the other. The results are particularly suitable for transfer to other textile-producing countries”, was the common conclusion of the panel discussion that followed.

The afternoon sessions focused on three project areas: Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Textile Production, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA).

The energy project team shared practical recommendation for efficiency improvements in coal-fired boilers and textile machinery. It also presented the results of feasibility studies on photovoltaics and combined heat and power in textile production. The speakers included Axel Pieper (Managing Director of Brückner Textilmaschinen GmbH), Mr Jayantha (SunFarmin GmbH), Michael Porzig and Wulf Clemens (IZES gGmbH), and Dr Muhammad Ichwan (STTT Bandung).

Project partners Evelny Lempa and Prof Dr Maike Rabe (Department of Textiles, Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences) presented textile innovations such as minimal and ultrasonic applications to reduce energy and water consumption. Dr Mohamad Widodo (STTT Bandung) provided information on reducing water consumption with innovative reactive dyes. Aslihan Memisoglu (AUGE Institute, Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences) and Prof Dr Juliana Murniati (Catholic University of Atma Jaya) presented their research findings on sustainability reporting in the CSR & LCA focus area. Guido Reinhard (ifeu GmbH) concluded the session with the first Life Cycle Assessments. 

In the concluding panel discussion, moderated by Tina Martina, Ajai Mishra (Sritex) summed up: “This project is really eye-opening”. He praised the recent work of the EnaTex team and the close relationships that have developed between the partners. All participants announced that they would continue the work after the end of the project.

Further information on the project can be found at the project page and the EnaTex website.