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Pertamina develops geothermal fertilizer project

Pertamina develops geothermal fertilizer project

Singapore, 14 November (Argus) — Indonesian geothermal power producer Pertamina Geothermal Energy (PGE) has developed a technology called GeO-Fert to process organic waste into organic fertilizer using geothermal steam. The technology could help reduce carbon emissions, lower the cost of chemical fertilizers, as well as reduce farmers' reliance on them. The project has generated 57.6t of organic waste into 28.8t of solid and liquid organic fertilizer so far, using geothermal steam from the Kamojang geothermal power plant, which has an installed capacity of 235MW. The production process reduced carbon emissions by 24,800t of CO2 equivalent (tCO2e)/yr, the company said. Two farmer groups in West Java manage the project, which supplies the organic fertilizers to more than 800 farmers. This project enables farmers to produce organic fertilizers on their own, cutting fertilizer purchasing costs by up to 26mn rupiah/yr ($1,555/yr), and increasing yields of various crops like leek, potatoes, cabbage, coffee and long beans by 50-75pc, the company said. Indonesia is a key agricultural producer of palm oil, rubber, cocoa, coffee and spices. It depends heavily on chemical fertilizers for its crops. State-controlled fertilizer producer Pupuk Indonesia currently has a fertilizer capacity of over 14.6mn t/yr. Fertilizers are vital for Indonesia to achieve food self-sufficiency. But the country will need to decarbonise its fossil hydrogen use of around 1.3mn-1.75mn t/yr, according to estimates from Pertamina and the Indonesian government, to meet its national target of net zero emissions by 2060. Harnessing renewable energy to produce organic fertilizers — like PGE's project, if upscaled — could contribute to its goal, By Huijun Yao Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.