Minister of Industry of the Republic of Indonesia, Muhammad Sarmuji, stated that PT Petrokimia Gresik (Persero), an Agroindustrial Solutions company and member of the PT Pupuk Indonesia (Persero) holding, has the potential to make history as a pioneer in the application of Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU) technology in Indonesia. He conveyed this while inspecting the progress of the CCU technology pilot project in Gresik, East Java, Friday (16/10/2026).
The collaborative project involving the Ministry of Industry (Kemenperin), Pupuk Indonesia, Petrokimia Gresik, and UWin Resources Regeneration Inc. forms part of efforts to develop emission reduction technology while unlocking opportunities to increase economic value through the utilization of carbon captured from industrial processes.
The Minister of Industry noted that the CCU pilot project at Petrokimia Gresik marks an essential step in the development of the national green industry. According to him, the development of this technology is expected to open up opportunities for broader application across other industrial sectors.
“This will be history for Petrokimia Gresik as an industry pioneering the application of Carbon Capture and Utilization. We will disseminate this further because this pilot project delivers immense benefits,” Sarmuji stated.
CCU technology enables carbon dioxide (CO₂) from industrial processes to be captured and repurposed into products of economic value, one of which is soda ash or sodium carbonate. Based on the evaluation results of the pilot project, the technology recorded a CO₂ capture efficiency of 91.48 to 97.79 percent. Meanwhile, the second test in May 2026 yielded soda ash with a sodium carbonate (Na₂CO₃) content reaching 99.12 to 99.73 percent, which based on technical evaluation was declared to meet the Indonesian National Standard (SNI) 06-0598-1989.
According to Sarmuji, CCU technology possesses the potential to deliver dual benefits for the industry, namely supporting carbon emission reduction while producing economically valuable products. This potential offers an opportunity for industries to execute decarbonization without viewing the implementation of environmentally friendly technology purely as an additional expense. Nevertheless, scaling up toward an industrial capacity still requires further evaluation.
“Naturally, we must evaluate this continuously so that it can function on an industrial scale, not merely as a pilot project. We will establish a roadmap toward that goal,” he explained.
Meanwhile, President Director of Pupuk Indonesia, Rahmad Pribadi, expressed appreciation to the Ministry of Industry for its support and direction in developing CCU technology. According to him, the results of the pilot project at Petrokimia Gresik have demonstrated a proof of concept that opens opportunities to advance the technology toward a commercial scale.
“Today we witness a proof of concept, meaning a new technology that has been proven viable to produce beneficial outputs. Earlier, the Minister instructed us to scale this up commercially. The commercial calculations will be conducted as it progresses to commercialization,” Rahmad said.
He added that Pupuk Indonesia is committed to supporting decarbonization technology development as part of the transformation toward an increasingly sustainable fertilizer industry. Development toward commercial scale will consider technology evaluation outcomes as well as economic feasibility to ensure its implementation yields optimal benefits for the industry.
“We are committed to continuously supporting decarbonization efforts as directed and instructed by the Ministry of Industry,” he added.
Meanwhile, President Director of Petrokimia Gresik, Daconi Khotob, stated that the company's involvement in the CCU pilot project aligns with various sustainability initiatives already being pursued by Petrokimia Gresik. According to him, environmentally friendly industrial development needs to be supported through continuous innovation and efficiency enhancements.
“Petrokimia Gresik is committed to applying sustainability principles across company operations through efficiency, innovation, and environmental management. We also realize this commitment by serving as the site for the CCU pilot project alongside the Ministry of Industry and UWin. We hope this collaboration further drives a national industry that is more environmentally friendly and competitive,” said Daconi.
As a tangible manifestation of this commitment, Petrokimia Gresik maintains a decarbonization roadmap to support the targets of Enhanced Nationally Determined Contribution (ENDC) 2030 and Net Zero Emission (NZE) 2060. Up to 2025, the company recorded a Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emission reduction of nearly 400 thousand tons of CO₂ equivalent (CO₂e) through various decarbonization programs.
These initiatives encompass energy efficiency through the implementation of Ammonia II technology and Purge Gas Utilization, fuel switching, renewable energy utilization via Solar Power Plants (PLTS), CO₂ re-utilization in industrial processes, as well as the electrification of operational vehicles and equipment. These various efforts continue to be expanded to enhance efficiency while supporting increasingly eco-friendly industrial activities.
Furthermore, Daconi explained that the CCU project collaboration—which began with a Memorandum of Understanding in January 2025 and a kick-off in July 2025—involves Pupuk Indonesia and Petrokimia Gresik as providers of the site, utilities, and testing support facilities, including laboratory analysis. Meanwhile, UWin is responsible for the technology and equipment, and Kemenperin coordinates the monitoring and evaluation of the project.
As a follow-up to the initial testing phase, this collaboration is also directed toward testing technology for reducing fine particulate matter (PM2.5) air pollutants at Petrokimia Gresik's Coal-Fired Power Plant Unit. This phase is planned to run until July 2028 as part of the ongoing development and evaluation of industrial emission management technology.
“Sustainability is part of Petrokimia Gresik's commitment. Therefore, we support this collaboration by providing the location and facilities so that technological innovations can be tested in an industrial environment, in line with the company's role,” Daconi concluded
Attachments
| File | Type | Size | Download |
|---|---|---|---|
| 70 Kunjungan Kemenperin CCU FINAL | 158 KB | Download |
