JAKARTA - PT Bukit Asam Tbk (PTBA) is initiating the operation of several pieces of electric coal mining equipment instead of conventional ones.

Arsal Ismail, President Director of PTBA, said that the utilisation of electric supporting equipment is related to the end goal of net zero emission by 2060. “The electric mining equipment utilisation will save up diesel fuel by up to 7 million litres per year and reduce emission by 18,777 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e),” he said in the release quoted Thursday (24/8).

Said electric mining equipment consists of 7 units of electric shovels, 40 units of hybrid dump trucks, and 6 units of mining pumps. In addition to these, PTBA has operated 5 units of electric bus in Tarahan Port and 10 units of electric bus in Tanjung Enim Mining Unit.

The utilisation of those electric buses is projected to cut down carbon emission by 16 tCO2e per annum per bus and cut down oil fuel utilisation by 9,672 litre per annum per bus.

According to Ismail, several carbon emission reduction programs will continue to be applied in all business lines to attain optimum result. “It does not only include mining equipment, but the company implements these carbon emission reduction programs in road reclamation, replacing ozone-damaging substances with environmentally friendly ones, and pilot project of cofiring PLTU Mulut Tambang, South Sumatra,” he said. (LK/ZH)