GS Caltex announced on the 24th that it will secure bio raw materials by recycling palm wastewater generated at a palm oil plant in eastern Indonesia and will pursue measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
GS Caltex has been selected as a project company for the '2025 Greenhouse Gas International Reduction Project Feasibility Study Support Project' promoted by the Ministry of Economy and Finance and The Export-Import Bank of Korea. This project is part of the government's initiative to promote greenhouse gas reduction projects abroad for corporations starting in 2023.
Indonesia is the world's leading country in palm oil production and export, facing issues with palm wastewater treatment. Palm wastewater is typically treated through several stages of open ponds, during which a large amount of methane is released into the atmosphere.
GS Caltex has introduced the first palm water evaporation and concentration treatment facility in Indonesia. This method inhibits the decay of palm wastewater to reduce methane generation and recycles palm wastewater. Palm oil can be used for sustainable aviation fuel and other biofuels. The water and sludge recovered during the treatment process are reused as water for palm farms and compost.
GS Caltex plans to conduct a feasibility study for six months, and if positive results are obtained, it will determine the investment scale and timing. A company official noted, 'The palm wastewater evaporation and concentration treatment is easier than the existing methane capture method, and processing the palm wastewater immediately prevents decay, resulting in significant methane reduction effects.'