At the international conference "IRENA Innovation Week 2025," held in Bonn, Germany from June 10 to 13, 2025, Researcher UKE Ayaka from the Biological Resources and Post-harvest Division gave a presentation on Day 3 during the session titled "Innovative Business Models for Bioenergy in the Global South." She introduced new methods for utilizing agricultural biomass in Southeast Asia.

In this session, Dr. Uke presented technologies and regionally-circulated models for utilizing unused biomass generated from Malaysia’s palm industry as an energy source. Alongside international renewable energy practitioners such as the World Bioenergy Association, Eni (Italian energy company), FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations), and GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit), she discussed sustainable business models for bioenergy in developing regions.

The panel discussion also included exchanges of opinions on practical issues faced on the ground, such as "challenges in biomass collection and logistics" and "competition with food production."

Going forward, the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS) will continue to contribute to the development of technologies and systems that support both climate change mitigation and regional economic development through international initiatives linking agriculture and renewable energy.