7.4.1 Local community outreach for energy efficiency
In 2025 (B.E. 2568), Srinakharinwirot University (SWU), through the Excellent Center for Sustainable Engineering (ECSE) of the Faculty of Engineering, provided community outreach programmes for the local community to learn about the importance of energy efficiency and clean energy. The programmes were delivered as hands-on training workshops in farming communities in Nakhon Nayok Province, where SWU operates its Ongkharak campus, and covered renewable (solar) energy, energy saving, the reduction of energy and fuel costs, and clean fuel from agricultural biomass. Both programmes were held on site in the local community, and project reports, photographs and outcomes are publicly available on the ECSE website.
Programme 1: Integrating Solar Energy Knowledge for Sustainable Development – Agricultural Innovation for Farming Communities in Nakhon Nayok Province
This academic service programme was organised by the Excellent Center for Sustainable Engineering (ECSE), Faculty of Engineering, SWU, during 1 March – 15 July 2025. The main community training workshop was held on 26–27 June 2025 at the Ongkharak Subdistrict Administrative Organization, Ongkharak District, Nakhon Nayok Province. A total of 129 people took part: 84 farmers from Ongkharak and neighbouring subdistricts, 14 Faculty of Engineering staff and 31 students. The trainers comprised five SWU lecturers and one external expert from Rajamangala University of Technology Thanyaburi.
The training helped the local community understand clean and renewable energy and how to use it efficiently in agriculture. Topics included:
• principles of solar energy technology and the basics of solar cell (photovoltaic) systems;
• equipment specifications, types of solar energy systems and basic operation;
• application examples and solar-powered agricultural innovations;
• impacts and benefits, sustainability and how to scale up the technology in the community.
A solar energy demonstration set and prototype for agricultural use was designed, built and tested together with the community, so that farmers could see how solar power can replace conventional energy sources. According to the project report, the programme enables farmers to reduce their energy and fuel costs, become more self-reliant in energy, and promotes energy conservation in the community. A satisfaction survey of 129 respondents showed that most participants were at the "most satisfied" level. The programme was also integrated with teaching in the courses EE292, EE314 and EE321 Renewable Energy.
Figure 1. Solar energy demonstration set built for agricultural use in the local community, Ongkharak District, Nakhon Nayok (June 2025).
Source: ECSE, Faculty of Engineering, SWU – Solar energy community programme 2025 (project page)
Figure 2. Farmers and community members learning how the solar-powered system works during the on-site training, 26–27 June 2025.
Source: ECSE, Faculty of Engineering, SWU – Solar energy community programme 2025 (project page)
Figure 3. Community participants at the solar energy training workshop at the Ongkharak Subdistrict Administrative Organization.
Source: ECSE, Faculty of Engineering, SWU – Solar energy community programme 2025 (project page)
Project report: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1D0MOPMd56eIsuutDbQpdmLaCtt-7WTtp/view
Programme 2: Workshop and Technology Transfer on the Production of Wood Vinegar and Multipurpose Charcoal
This workshop was organised by the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, SWU, under the ECSE academic service programme, on 1–3 April 2025 at the Rak Din Than Phalangngan Yangyuen Community Enterprise, Khao Phra Subdistrict, Mueang District, Nakhon Nayok Province. There were 50 participants (37 external and 13 internal), including farmers from Pak Phli, rice farmers from Wang Krachom, durian farmers and members of the community enterprise.
SWU transferred a 600-litre high-efficiency, low-pollution community kiln that uses hot gas from a biomass gas burner to convert agricultural residues into biochar and wood vinegar, producing about 200 kg of biochar and 400 litres of wood vinegar per burn. The project report states that the charcoal gives the community access to a clean fuel that can replace LPG cooking gas, linking the programme to SDG 7.2 (increasing the share of renewable energy). The workshop therefore raised local awareness of efficient energy conversion and of renewable, clean energy from biomass. Participant satisfaction was 99.28%, and the programme was integrated with the course MME550 Bio-Energy Conversion.
Figure 4. Participants from local farming communities and the SWU team at the wood vinegar and multipurpose charcoal workshop, 1–3 April 2025.
Source: ECSE, Faculty of Engineering, SWU – Wood vinegar and multipurpose charcoal workshop 2025 (project page)
Figure 5. Hands-on training with the high-efficiency, low-pollution biomass kiln at the community enterprise in Khao Phra Subdistrict, Nakhon Nayok.
Source: ECSE, Faculty of Engineering, SWU – Wood vinegar and multipurpose charcoal workshop 2025 (project page)
Project report: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qZ5C-6ZfwWCSprmAVFRoMZhJ-k5iOWy6/view
Summary
Through these 2025 community outreach programmes, SWU provided the local community in Nakhon Nayok Province with practical knowledge of the importance of energy efficiency and clean energy, including solar energy for agriculture, reducing energy and fuel costs, and producing clean fuel from agricultural biomass. A total of 179 participants took part in the two programmes, and the evidence is publicly available on the university website.