Bogor, Ekuatorial – Indonesian scientists were testing out technology to absorb carbon dioxide back into the earth as part of climate change mitigation programs, said a senior scientist, on Thursday, in Bogor.
Scientists of Geotechnology Research Center, Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), have been testing carbonation technology to absorb carbon dioxide at limestone mound in Kerek sub-district, Gresik district of East Java, a location not far from Semen Indonesia factory.
The experiment involves injecting carbon dioxide gas on to the 50 x 50 meter with eight meter deep limestone. As a result, carbon dioxide will be stored in the limestone instead of released to the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide, one of greenhouse gasses, is considered as the culprit for global warming which lead to climate change.
“The potential of CO2 absorbed [by carbonation technology] covers 12.5 percent out of the stone’s weight,” said Anggoro T. Mursito, Lead Scientist at the Geotechnology Research Center.
Furthermore, Mursito said that LIPI had developed other carbon storage technology, including bubbling carbon dioxide into the limestone, compressing carbon dioxide, and the last one was compressing and sucking the gas back again.
For carbonation, he said they were using mineral clay with sodium and magnesium to enhance the ability to absorb carbon dioxide gas up between 1 – 11 percent, with the help of activator.
Other technology was using palm-bunch ash waste from power plants generated by palm bunch. Mursito said that palm ashes have potential to absorb CO2 up to 25 percent. Unfortunately, he said that these experiments were still limited to laboratory tests. “We are planning for bigger scale and thorough research for next year. But, that also depends on the funding,” he said.
Budi Setiawan of the Climate Change Adaptation National Action Plan, National Development Planning Board (Bappenas), said that the research will be included in the alternative scenario for reducing emission greenhouse gasses in Indonesia. “Almost all scenarios are coming from forestry sector,” said Setiawan. “But, if it’s working to be able to absorb carbon, then we will put this technology into the scenario.”
Indonesia has committed to cut its emissions for 26 percent by 2020 and additional 15 percent with international help. Januar Hakam[:].