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National Electricity Day: Tapping renewable potential
Green energy: An official checks solar cells at the solar power plant in Purwakarta, West Java
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Green energy: An official checks solar cells at the solar power plant in Purwakarta, West Java. (JP/Nurhayati)
Indonesia is very rich in renewable resources, including solar and wind power, hydropower, geothermal and bioenergy and biomass. All are relatively easy and promising to be tapped for generating power plants.
State-owned electricity company PLN has envisioned in its road map of power plant development called Business Plan for Power Provision (RUPTL) for the period of 2015-2019 to build a part of its power plant projects based on the renewable energy resources. It is in line with the government’s target of realizing 23 percent of its energy mix from renewable resources in 2025.
Perhaps the most promising ones are the solar power plant (PLTS) and the wind power plants. Both can be developed independently without reliance on power grids in remote areas. Both can also be combined to complement each other to deal with weather conditions in certain areas across the country.
Due to its development of technology, the PLTS has become more effective and efficient as a renewable source of power. In terms of regulation, the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry will soon issue Ministerial Regulation No. 19/2016 on the purchase of power from PLTS by PLN.
On the sidelines of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s foreign visit to Europe several months ago, PLN signed the Framework Agreement with Savills of the UK and NV VOGT Singapore Pte Ltd. on cooperation to build several PLTS in several areas of eastern Indonesia with a total capacity of 150 MW.
In terms of geothermal potential, Indonesia has the third-largest potential in the world after the US and the Philippines with a total reserve of 29,994 MW. But of the total, only around 4 percent has been utilized until now.
PLN is now seeking to increase its geothermal power plants with a number of acquisition plans, including the planned acquisition of Pertamina Geothermal Energy (PGE) and two geothermal projects owned by Chevron.
PLN has generated 4,200 MW from hydropower plants and planned to add another 2,000 MW from hydropower plants until the year 2019.
In developing biomass and bioenergy, PLN has completed several biodiesel and biomass projects by using trees and other plants or city waste, palm oil waste and other agricultural wastes. With the right policy designed by the government, bioenergy and biomass can be expected to significantly support power generation in Indonesia.
