UTM Ocean Thermal Energy Centre-UTM OTEC

21/08/2026

UTM-OTEC SUPPORTS STUDENTS TOWARDS CONTINUED EXCELLENCE

20 August 2026 | Dewan Azman Hashim, UTM Kuala Lumpur

UTM Ocean Thermal Energy Centre (UTM-OTEC) was honoured to serve as the host venue for the Sesi Inspirasi Elit SPM 2026 Bersama-sama Pengarah Pendidikan Negeri, organised by the Jabatan Pendidikan Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur (JPWPKL) on 20 August 2026.

The programme brought together approximately 500 students from schools across Kuala Lumpur, providing an inspiring platform to motivate and empower students in their preparation for the SPM 2026 examination.

The programme commenced with an inspiring opening speech by the Director of UTM-OTEC, Assoc. Prof. Ts. Dr. Sathia Bama T. Thirugnana, who encouraged students to stay focused, believe in their potential and strive for straight A’s in SPM 2026.

As part of UTM-OTEC’s commitment to supporting the development of future generations, the centre is proud to contribute towards initiatives that inspire students to pursue academic excellence, build confidence and realise their full potential.

We wish all SPM 2026 candidates the very best and hope that their determination and hard work will lead them towards outstanding achievements! 🎓✨

Believe in Yourself. Aim High. Work Hard. Achieve Excellence!

19/08/2026

Congratulations!! Our UTM-OTEC research fellow.

𝗦𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗴𝗶-𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗴𝗶 𝗧𝗮𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗮𝗵 & 𝗦𝘆𝗮𝗯𝗮𝘀! 👏🏻✨

Seluruh warga Fakulti Kecerdasan Buatan (FAI) mengucapkan tahniah kepada 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳. 𝗠𝗮𝗱𝘆𝗮 𝗜𝗿. 𝗗𝗿. 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗺𝘀𝘂𝗹 𝗯𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗽 atas kejayaan memperoleh paten berstatus PATENT GRANTED.

Kejayaan ini adalah bagi paten yang bertajuk 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗱 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝘄𝗶𝗿𝗹 𝗗𝗶𝗳𝗳𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗶𝗱𝗮𝗹 𝗘𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆, 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗹𝘆 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗼𝗳 (𝗠𝗬-𝟮𝟭𝟮𝟵𝟳𝟰-𝗔).

Semoga pencapaian ini menjadi pembakar semangat untuk terus menghasilkan inovasi dan penyelidikan yang berimpak tinggi. Selamat maju jaya!

Ikhlas daripada seluruh warga Fakulti Kecerdasan Buatan. 🚀✨

17/08/2026

🌿 UTM-OTEC GOTONG-ROYONG PERDANA 🌿

UTM-OTEC proudly joined the Gotong-Royong Perdana Programme organised by the Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research & Innovation) through a clean-up activity at the UTM-OTEC Office. It was held on 14th August 2026 at UTM-OTEC Office.

The programme brought together our UTM-OTEC team, including Assoc. Prof. Ts. Dr. Sathiabama T. Thirugnana, Director of UTM-OTEC; Assoc. Prof. Ir. Dr. Shamsul bin Sarip, UTM-OTEC Fellow; Azrin Ariffin, Research Officer; and Sabariah Mohd Azhari, Administrative Staff.

The activity aimed to maintain a clean, organised, comfortable and conducive working environment, while fostering teamwork, togetherness and a culture of sustainability among UTM-OTEC members.

A big thank you to everyone for the time, effort and teamwork in making our workplace cleaner and more pleasant! 🌱✨

“Clean Environment, Sustainable Future”

31/07/2026

🌊 Strengthening Partnerships for the Future of Ocean Thermal Energy

On 30 July 2026, UTM's Ocean Thermal Energy Centre (UTM-OTEC) had the pleasure of welcoming a delegation of eight researchers from Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Taylor's University, and the Sustainable Energy Development Authority (SEDA) Malaysia to the Hybrid Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (H-OTEC) Pilot Plant in Port Dickson.

The visit provided an excellent platform to explore potential research collaborations, exchange knowledge, and discuss future opportunities in advancing Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) technology and sustainable energy innovation in Malaysia.

The delegation was received by the UTM-OTEC team, including the Director of UTM-OTEC, Assoc. Prof. Ts. Dr. Sathia Bama T Thirugnana, Research Officer, and Research Fellows, who shared ongoing research activities, facility capabilities, and the latest developments at the H-OTEC pilot plant.

UTM-OTEC looks forward to fostering stronger collaborations with academic institutions and industry stakeholders in driving innovative solutions for a cleaner and more sustainable energy future.

24/07/2026

🔙 Flashback | From Interview to Feature Story

On 6 May 2026, UTM Ocean Thermal Energy Centre (UTM-OTEC) had the pleasure of welcoming Ravinyaa Ravimalar from The Edge Malaysia for an exclusive interview with our Director, Assoc. Prof. Ts. Dr. Sathiabama T. Thirugnana, to discuss the future of Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) in Malaysia.

A month later, on 8 June 2026, the feature article was published, highlighting OTEC as one of Malaysia's promising renewable energy technologies.

"Malaysia is an ideal place for the development of OTEC and hybrid OTEC as it can generate steady baseload power. Unfortunately, there is no proper funding, policies and ecosystem to support this technology currently."
— Assoc. Prof. Ts. Dr. Sathiabama T. Thirugnana, Director, UTM-OTEC

We sincerely thank Ravinyaa Ravimalar and The Edge Malaysia for featuring UTM-OTEC and helping raise awareness of OTEC's potential to support Malaysia's clean energy transition and Net Zero 2050 goals.

📰 Read the full article: https://theedgemalaysia.com/node/806683

Malaysia has set a target of achieving net zero emissions by 2050 and laid out a road map to get there. But financing constraints, technology readiness and the challenge of scaling up deployment continue to slow progress, and there is a call to support more domestic innovation of clean technology...

24/07/2026

🌊 What if the ocean could power our future?

Discover the incredible potential of Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) through the inspiring STEM journey of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sathiabama T. Thirugnana, whose passion for science has led to pioneering research in sustainable ocean energy.

In this exclusive feature by e-estidotmy (Academy of Sciences Malaysia), Dr. Sathiabama shares:
🔹 How STEM shaped her career from Malaysia to Japan and back to UTM.
🔹 The science behind OTEC and how it transforms the temperature difference between warm surface seawater and cold deep seawater into clean, renewable energy.
🔹 Why Malaysia has tremendous potential to become a leader in ocean renewable energy, particularly in Sabah and Sarawak.
🔹 Her mission to inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers, and innovators to build a more sustainable future.

As the world seeks cleaner and more reliable energy solutions, OTEC offers more than just electricity—it opens opportunities for water production, sustainable industries, and long-term energy security.

📖 Read the full story here:
https://esti.my/stem-champ/lets-harness-otec-the-hidden-energy-of-the-ocean/

Together, let's inspire more young minds to embrace STEM and unlock the limitless potential of our oceans.

Can the ocean power our future? Dr Sathiabama explains how OTEC could transform clean energy and why STEM matters more than ever.

07/07/2026

🌊 CONNECTING OCEANS, POWERING TOMORROW 🌍

The UTM Ocean Thermal Energy Centre (UTM OTEC) is proud to strengthen its global presence by participating in three prestigious international conferences in 2026, bringing together researchers, industry leaders, policymakers, and innovators to advance the future of sustainable ocean energy.

Through these platforms, UTM OTEC will share its latest research, foster international collaborations, and contribute towards accelerating the development of Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) and other clean energy technologies.

📅 Join us at these upcoming conferences:

🇯🇵 23rd Ocean Energy and Seawater Resources Symposium 2026 (OER2026)
📍 Imari, Japan
🗓️ 7 September 2026
💻 Online participation available

🇲🇾 13th International Conference on Emerging Energy & Process Technology (i-CONCEPT 2026)
📍 UTM Residensi, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
🗓️ 22–23 September 2026

🇵🇫 12th International OTEC Symposium
📍 Bora Bora, French Polynesia
🗓️ 30 November – 4 December 2026

Whether you're a researcher, academic, student, industry professional, or policymaker, these conferences provide an excellent opportunity to exchange ideas, discover cutting-edge innovations, and build meaningful collaborations in the renewable energy sector.

🌐 We warmly invite our colleagues, collaborators, and the global energy community to participate and be part of these exciting events.

Together, let's shape the future of sustainable ocean energy.

01/07/2026

The Austral Techsmith Sdn Bhd delegation visited the UTM Ocean Thermal Energy Centre (UTM OTEC) at the UPM-UTM OTEC Centre on 30 June 2026 to gain a closer understanding of the Centre's research capabilities and facilities.

During the visit, the delegation was welcomed and briefed by Assoc. Prof. Ts. Dr. Sathia Bama T. Thirugnana, Director of UTM OTEC, who shared insights into the Centre's ongoing and future research and development activities in Ocean Renewable Energy, OTEC technologies.

The visit focused on:
✅ Exploring the facilities and capabilities of the Hybrid Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (H-OTEC) system.
✅ Identifying potential areas for collaboration, particularly in industry-university joint research initiatives.

UTM OTEC looks forward to fostering stronger partnerships with industry players in advancing sustainable energy technologies and driving impactful innovation for the future.

23/06/2026

Ever wondered how engineers simulate wind flow around buildings?

🔥 Or predict heat transfer performance before a system is even built?

Join our FREE ANSYS Fluent Training and learn the fundamentals of CFD, Thermal Analysis, and Nanofluid Simulation from experienced researchers at UTM-OTEC.

📅 24 June 2026
⏰ 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM
💻 Online via Microsoft Teams

🎓 CPD Points Provided
💰 FREE Registration

📲 Register now:
https://forms.office.com/r/JVmbf6J3eJ