PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI) attended the Conference of the Parties (COP)-27 held in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. This is a form of support to the Indonesian government in achieving the greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction target.
The Indonesian government's greenhouse gas emission reduction target is 31.89 percent with its own efforts and 43 percent with international assistance. This has been stated in the Enhanced Nationally Determined Contribution (ENDC).
President Director of PT Freeport Indonesia Tony Wenas said that this full support was given because his party was aware of the impacts of climate change that needed attention and made joint efforts to be able to achieve the GHG targets set by the Government.
"So we recognize that the impacts of climate change are something that is very worrying and needs to be of concern to us together. We need to make joint efforts to overcome this problem," Tony told CNNIndonesia.com, Tuesday (8/11).
Tony said, PT Freeport Indonesia is one of the companies participating in reducing emissions. The company aims to reduce carbon by 30 percent by 2030.
In order to achieve this target, PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI) is transforming technology in its mining operations. Currently PTFI's underground mining operations use electric trains to transport mine ore, and no longer use trucks with fossil energy.
"So there are no more large truck operations that use fossil energy and we are transporting the underground mine operation using electric-engined unmanned trains," Tony said.
This shift also has a positive impact on the company's productivity level, where in the Deep Mile Level Zone (DMLZ) underground mine that uses trucks can transport mining products on average 2 80 thousand tons of ore a day, using electric trains at the Grasberg Block Cave (GBC) underground mine can reach an average of 110 thousand tons a day.
"This is of course very significant in reducing carbon emissions. And the electric train could transport 110 thousand tons of ore every day. And if it's transported by truck, it will require a lot of fossil fuels," Tony said.
In addition, it also carried out transformations in the drying plant. Previously, PT Freeport Indonesia used fossil fuels to dry. Currently, it uses an electric-powered Vertical Plate Pressure Air Blow (VPA) that is more environmentally friendly.
"It also results in a very significant reduction in carbon," he said.
According to Tony, the reduction in carbon emissions carried out by his party has now reached 22 percent. To reach 30 percent by 2030 a number of steps and breakthroughs are being carried out by PT Freeport Indonesia.
"We are making other efforts to reduce carbon emissions by 30 percent by 2030," Tony said.
With this step, Tony is optimistic that the target of reducing carbon emissions by 30 percent by 2030 will be achieved.
"And even now we're doing studies to be able to increase carbon emissions by 30 percent by 2030 to 60 percent after 2030," Tony said closing the conversation.
Image source: Arsip Freeport Indonesia