SIPEF furthers its efforts in sustainable tropical agriculture with launch of bio-CNG facility
SCHOTEN, BELGIUM, March 19, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Belgian agribusiness, SIPEF, marks a climate-related milestone with the first production run of renewable bio-compressed natural gas (bio-CNG) from its Perlabian facility in Indonesia, as the Group is recognised in the SDG Leaders documentary series.
In February 2026, SIPEF completed its first production run of bio-CNG, marking an important step towards the start-up of commercial operations at its Perlabian facility in North Sumatra.
Commissioned in December 2025 in partnership with KIS Group, the plant converts methane from palm oil mill effluent (POME) into renewable gas, producing approximately 109,620 MMBtu of bio-CNG annually, and reducing CO₂ emissions by more than 54,000 tonnes each year. This achievement demonstrates how sustainable tropical agriculture can transform operational by-products into clean energy whilst strengthening business resilience and supporting local economic development.
"The launch of our bio-CNG facility demonstrates that sustainable tropical agriculture is not only possible, but also commercially advantageous," says Petra Meekers, Managing Director of SIPEF. "By converting methane from our palm oil mill effluent into bio-CNG, we're reducing emissions, creating local employment, and advancing our climate commitments, all whilst meeting rising global demand for essential crops."
SIPEF's bio-CNG plant forms part of the Group's climate ambition to achieve a 42% reduction in Energy & Industry emissions and a 30.3% reduction in Forest, Land, and Agriculture emissions by 2030 from a 2024 base year.
SIPEF’s bio-CNG milestone coincides with its feature in the SDG Leaders documentary series, profiling companies worldwide advancing United Nations’ (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The documentary showcases SIPEF's Balanced Growth Strategy, highlighting how it combines profitability with certification, innovation, nature-based solutions, and care for people and communities across its operations in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and Côte d'Ivoire.
Viewers see that, in 2024, 87% of the palm oil produced by SIPEF was certified by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO); the Group plans to reach 100% by 2030. It also showcases SIPEF’s commitment to zero deforestation across its operations and supplier areas, alongside 15,092 hectares of conservation land where biodiversity initiatives protect rare wildlife, including clouded leopards, Malayan sun bears, and critically endangered Sumatran tigers.
The documentary further demonstrates that SIPEF products are traceable to their source and highlights the Group’s long-standing commitment to its local communities. This includes providing stable employment and access to essential infrastructure, such as 47 medical centres and 50 schools. SIPEF also promotes economic participation through smallholder programmes in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, reaching more than 5,000 smallholders. The Group works with cooperative members and village groups to manage land for cultivation, purchase produce at market prices, and provide training, agricultural inputs, and market access.
Link to documentary: https://www.cnbc.com/advertorial/acumen/#SIPEF
Boilerplate:
SIPEF is a Belgian agribusiness group specialising in sustainable tropical agriculture. With operations in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and Côte d'Ivoire, the Group cultivates oil palm and bananas using a Balanced Growth Strategy to combine certification, innovation, nature-based solutions, and care for people and communities. For more information, visit www.sipef.com or view the company's 2024 Integrated Annual Report at https://www.sipef.com/hq/investors/annual-reports/.
In February 2026, SIPEF completed its first production run of bio-CNG, marking an important step towards the start-up of commercial operations at its Perlabian facility in North Sumatra.
Commissioned in December 2025 in partnership with KIS Group, the plant converts methane from palm oil mill effluent (POME) into renewable gas, producing approximately 109,620 MMBtu of bio-CNG annually, and reducing CO₂ emissions by more than 54,000 tonnes each year. This achievement demonstrates how sustainable tropical agriculture can transform operational by-products into clean energy whilst strengthening business resilience and supporting local economic development.
"The launch of our bio-CNG facility demonstrates that sustainable tropical agriculture is not only possible, but also commercially advantageous," says Petra Meekers, Managing Director of SIPEF. "By converting methane from our palm oil mill effluent into bio-CNG, we're reducing emissions, creating local employment, and advancing our climate commitments, all whilst meeting rising global demand for essential crops."
SIPEF's bio-CNG plant forms part of the Group's climate ambition to achieve a 42% reduction in Energy & Industry emissions and a 30.3% reduction in Forest, Land, and Agriculture emissions by 2030 from a 2024 base year.
SIPEF’s bio-CNG milestone coincides with its feature in the SDG Leaders documentary series, profiling companies worldwide advancing United Nations’ (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The documentary showcases SIPEF's Balanced Growth Strategy, highlighting how it combines profitability with certification, innovation, nature-based solutions, and care for people and communities across its operations in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and Côte d'Ivoire.
Viewers see that, in 2024, 87% of the palm oil produced by SIPEF was certified by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO); the Group plans to reach 100% by 2030. It also showcases SIPEF’s commitment to zero deforestation across its operations and supplier areas, alongside 15,092 hectares of conservation land where biodiversity initiatives protect rare wildlife, including clouded leopards, Malayan sun bears, and critically endangered Sumatran tigers.
The documentary further demonstrates that SIPEF products are traceable to their source and highlights the Group’s long-standing commitment to its local communities. This includes providing stable employment and access to essential infrastructure, such as 47 medical centres and 50 schools. SIPEF also promotes economic participation through smallholder programmes in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, reaching more than 5,000 smallholders. The Group works with cooperative members and village groups to manage land for cultivation, purchase produce at market prices, and provide training, agricultural inputs, and market access.
Link to documentary: https://www.cnbc.com/advertorial/acumen/#SIPEF
Boilerplate:
SIPEF is a Belgian agribusiness group specialising in sustainable tropical agriculture. With operations in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and Côte d'Ivoire, the Group cultivates oil palm and bananas using a Balanced Growth Strategy to combine certification, innovation, nature-based solutions, and care for people and communities. For more information, visit www.sipef.com or view the company's 2024 Integrated Annual Report at https://www.sipef.com/hq/investors/annual-reports/.
Claudia Gahan
Acumen Media
20 3553 3664
email us here
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