SINGAPORE, Sept 5 (Reuters) - The International Finance Corporation (IFC) has signed an agreement with Indonesian steelmaker PT Gunung Raja Paksi Tbk (GRP) (GGRP.JK) , opens new tab to support its shift to lower-carbon production and help it access green steel markets, it said on Thursday.

In its first investment in the Asian steel sector for more than a decade, IFC will provide $60 million to help upgrade GRP's electric arc furnace (EAF) and boost energy efficiency, and will also explore ways to finance the decommissioning of GRP's blast furnace.

IFC said its investment in Indonesia's largest private domestically-owned steel manufacturer could be the first of many projects aimed at tackling climate warming CO2 emissions in the steel industry.

Antonio Della Pelle, IFC's senior operations officer, said the World Bank's financing arm plans to roll out similar projects and "drive sector-wide decarbonisation" through the use of EAF technology, which uses electricity rather than the coal that fuels traditional blast furnaces, bringing down emissions.

IFC will also help GRP improve the performance of its current EAF operations and identify the products and sectors willing to pay a green premium on steel, he said.

GRP's chief executive Kimin Tanoto said the company, located in West Java province, was planning to invest up to $600 million to upgrade its entire plant and position itself as a leading regional green steel producer.

The company has already decided to write off a newly built and unused blast furnace, and hopes to apply for carbon credits when it is decommissioned in the new year. Della Pelle said IFC was also looking at various options to support the closure, including blended or sustainability-linked finance.

"(The decommissioning) was the biggest sore point for our shareholders," said Tanoto. "But the same thing is going to happen to the entire industry ... My message was that we needed to be brave."

The steel sector, responsible for around 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions, is coming under increasing pressure to switch to cleaner production methods as more countries introduce carbon tax regimes.

Europe's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) will come into effect in 2026 and force importers to pay a levy on steel products depending on how much carbon dioxide they emit.

GRP used to export around 80% of its flat steel products to Europe but it was unable to compete with giant Chinese manufacturers, but by raising the cost of traditional high-carbon steel products, CBAM could allow it to compete again in European markets, especially as green steel demand rises, Tanoto said.

"We actually embrace the introduction of carbon tax and policies like CBAM," he said, "With the introduction of the carbon tax, we are quite sure we will be very competitive in the future."

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https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/world-banks-ifc-signs-green-financing-deal-with-indonesian-steel-mill-2024-09-04/