Curtin Malaysia catalyses regional green breakthroughs at BioGreen 2026

Miri, Sarawak – 25 February 2026 – More than 130 researchers, industry leaders and policymakers from across Southeast Asia and beyond converged in Kuching recently as Curtin University Malaysia (Curtin Malaysia) co-hosted the International Conference on Biomass, Biofuels, and Green Transition (BioGreen 2026) – a high-impact platform accelerating the region’s shift toward a low-carbon, climate-resilient future.

Held under the theme ‘Advancing Biomass and Biofuels for a Climate-Resilient Future’, the conference was organised in collaboration with Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP), Mapúa University, Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology, and Universitas Pembangunan Nasional ‘Veteran’ Jawa Timur, reinforcing a growing regional alliance committed to transforming waste into wealth through innovation.

BioGreen 2026 directly supports Sarawak’s Post COVID-19 Development Strategy 2030, spotlighting biomass valorisation, circular bioeconomy solutions, sustainable processing technologies and carbon capture innovations as strategic drivers of economic growth.

Two high-profile keynote speakers delivered forward-looking insights into Malaysia’s green transformation. Kester Chin Yun Kong, Deputy President of Malaysia Biomass Industries Confederation, presented Malaysia’s blueprint for biomass-enabled Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS), outlining a pathway to carbon-negative emissions, and Dato’ Lim Thiam Huat, Managing Director of Nextgreen Global Berhad, highlighted Malaysia’s expanding leadership in the circular bioeconomy and sustainable industrial transformation.

Technical forums tackled urgent industry challenges, including microalgae innovations and the future of Malaysia’s palm oil sector in a carbon-constrained world. Lively exchanges between scientists and industry players underscored the commercial readiness of emerging green technologies.

A major highlight was BioRevolution 2026: From Waste to Wealth, a competition that challenged innovators to convert biomass waste into high-value, market-ready solutions, demonstrating how sustainability can fuel entrepreneurship.

Among the standout researchers, Dr. Angnes Tiong Ngieng Tze from Curtin Malaysia’s Faculty of Engineering and Science was awarded Best Oral Presenter for her groundbreaking study on improving pre-combustion CO₂ capture efficiency in steam reforming processes, a critical advancement for cleaner hydrogen and industrial decarbonisation.

In his closing address, Professor Vincent Lee, Pro Vice-Chancellor, President and Chief Executive of Curtin Malaysia, described BioGreen 2026 as “a powerful testament to what sustained collaboration between academia and industry can achieve,” building on the momentum of the 2019 IBA-IFIBiop Conference.

He emphasised that the conference has expanded Curtin Malaysia’s international research network across Malaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia, creating long-term partnerships designed to generate scalable, cross-border climate solutions.

Co-Chair Professor Ir. Bridgid Chin Lai Fui added that BioGreen 2026 reflects a shared regional commitment to actionable research, industry adoption and policy alignment.

“This conference is not just about discussion; it is about accelerating solutions that will shape a more sustainable, resilient and climate-conscious future for Sarawak and the region,” she said.

As Sarawak strengthens its ambition to become a renewable energy powerhouse, BioGreen 2026 signals that the region’s green transition is not only underway, it is gaining momentum through science, innovation and international collaboration.

For more information on Curtin Malaysia, visit curtin.edu.my or follow Curtin Malaysia on Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn or TikTok.

Participants of the BioRevolution 2026 From Waste to Wealth competition pose for a group photo.

Professor Vincent Lee delivering his closing address at BioGreen 2026.

Kester Chin presenting on Biomass-Enabled Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) as Malaysia’s blueprint for carbon-negative emissions.