Minister Of Industry Says CCU Petrokimia Gresik Trial Has Started, Collaborating With Taiwanese Companies

Minister of Industry (Menperin) Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita. (Theresia Agatha/VOI)

JAKARTA - The government has confirmed that the pilot project for the implementation of Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU) technology has begun. One of them is useful for the production of soda ash (natrium carbonate).

Minister of Industry (Menperin) Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita said the project trial had started four months ago, in collaboration with a Taiwanese company, UWin Resources Regency Inc, along with a subsidiary of PT Pupuk Indonesia (Persero) PT Petrokimia Gresik.

"CCU technology already exists, we are working with one of the companies from Taiwan, his name is UWin. We are collaborating with one of the state-owned companies of PT Petrokimia," Agus said at the Green Initiative Conference (GIC) event at the Borobudur Hotel, Jakarta, Thursday, September 18.

Agus said that the CCU technology was implemented in the production process of PT Petrokimia Gresik, especially in the trash. According to him, the CCU trial has shown that the emission reduction data has reached 65 percent.

In addition, he revealed, the CCU technology from the Taiwanese company is relatively cheap, so it is hoped that there will be no more narrative that efforts towards developing the green industry need large costs and investments.

"This technology is already PROven and cheap. Not to mention if we talk about this technology, I can convey that in the trial around 70 to 80 percent can be reduced from one factory," he explained.

The former Minister of Social Affairs even added that the production of derivatives of the CCU project could produce soda ash or commonly known as caustic soda. Currently, Indonesia is an importer of soda ash with a very large nominal value.

The CCU trial project has already started and will last for the next two months. Furthermore, the government will create a regulatory framework related to the CCU project.

"We can imagine later if we have prepared the regulatory framework, we require industry players to implement CCU, how much soda ash and caustic soda products we can produce, which will reduce the burden of imports," explained Agus.

"So this is still in process, because it is still a trial and error for only 3-4 months. Later, when we are really sure that maybe 6 months, we will officially introduce it to the public," he added.