InfoSAWIT, JAKARTA – Plantation and forestry sectors in Indonesia are optimist to play its roles to encourage decarbonization when many (countries) want to reduce carbon emission. Sinar Mas Agribusiness and Food, one of many palm oil industries emphasized that it would multi-party cooperation to succeed it.
Plantation and forestry industries are optimist to contribute in decarbonization reduction by having multi-party cooperation for it is the key. “We have to act fast and together to reduce decarbonization. We have been doing it in Sinar Mas Agribusiness and Food but we cannot do it by ourselves,” Chief Sustainability and Communication Officer, Sinar Mas Agribusiness and Food, Anita Neville said in a discussion forum with the theme ‘Dekarbonisasi Industri Indonesia, Pelajaran dari Implementasi Rencana Nol Emisi,’ Indonesia International Sustainability Forum (IISF) 2024 at Jakarta Convention Center, Friday (6/9).
She thought, it would be better to create the supporting ecosystem, such as, the government’s policies, available finance, and technical innovation to reach out the zero emission - goal together.
As a matter of fact, crude palm oil (CPO) through biodiesel and renewable powerplant contributed in the decarbonization. “We know that palm oil would massively play its roles in the transition. Renewable energy is the significant part of our decarbonization strategies. Until now, 92 percent energy used in our upstream business is the renewable energy. Most of it used circular approaches and changed our production wastes to be energy,” Anita said.
Executive Director Sinar Mas Agribusiness & Food, Jesslyne Widjaja said the same. “By increasing the (plantation) productivity and empowering the smallholders, we would increase the harvest productivity and encourage their welfare. With the right policies, sharing what we got from our fuel production, energy, and biomass sustainably, it would be some of the answers. This would collectively need actions,” Jesslyne said, in a discussion forum with the theme ‘Mendorong Masa Depan Transportasi Bebas Emisi’ at Jakarta Convention Center, Thursday (5/9).
By zero emission – roadmap, Sinar Mas Agribusiness and Food would focus on four things, such as, commitment to zero deforestation, rehabilitation in degraded peat, methane management from the CPO mills and use of renewable energy by substituting coal to biomass.
Jesslyne also said that the mixture of diesel to 35 percent biodiesel (B35) in Indonesia by using 12 million tons biodiesel had reduced up to 30 million tons of green-house gas emission, saved the exchange up to Rp 160 trillion by minimizing imported fossil fuel. Palm oil itsel is the most productive and efficient vegetable oil in the world.
"When Indonesia would increase more biodiesel mixture. as the industry, we would be ready to support it by having sustainable supplies as the solution,” Jesslyne said.
The company did many things, such as, the cultivation in circular approach, replanting program, and inclusive closed loop that met the planters, the buyer companies that also developer for the cooperation, and financial support schemes.
“With the multi-party sector’s supports and the right investment, we would potentially develop palm oil to answer food security, energy, welfare, and climate change mitigation issues through decarbonization,” Jesslyne said. (*)
This article has been published in Majalah InfoSAWIT, September 2024