JAKARTA (TheInsiderStories) - The Indonesian Solar Energy Association revealed Indonesia needs to build solar power plants more than 1,000 megawatts (MW) every year to meet the gap in the 2025′ National Energy Mix program, said the chairman in this week. The country aimed to achieve 23 percent renewable energy mix target according to the roadmap.
The chairman, Andhika Prastawa, said the contribution from solar power plants is projected to reach 6,500 MW in the next five years. Currently the installed capacity in Indonesia is still less than 200 MW. He asserted, “This is our big homework, considering the huge gap between what we have today and the targets.”
According to him, the efforts has made by the government to boost the development of solar power plant in Indonesia. One of them is by providing a legal umbrella for the use of roof power plant for state-owned power producer, PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) through the Energy and Mineral Resources (EMR) Ministerial Regulation Number 13 of 2019.
Based on data from the EMR ministry, the potential for solar power plant development in Indonesia reached 207.8 Gigawatt peak (GWp), with the realization reaching 0.15 GWp. Especially for North Sulawesi, the potential for solar power is 2.1 GWp, said the department.
According to the existing Electricity Supply Business Plan, in 2020 the additional capacity for new and renewable generators is targeted at 933 MW with solar power plants 78 MW. To support the government targets, last year, PLN joined with state-owned energy firm, PT Pertamina and PLN agreed to form a joint venture in the electricity business based on gas, LNG and renewable energy.
The agreement was carried out by their respective subsidiaries, namely PT Pertamina Power Indonesia (PPI) and PT Indonesia Power (PI). In this year, PLN targeting to operate six power plants and will have a capacity 4,000 MW. With the operation of the six power plants, is estimating the producer will have a capacity 66,565 MW.
The six power plants to be operated consisted of four steam power plants and two hydroelectric power plants. The first power plant is Java 7 and Cilacap power plant which has a capacity of around 1,000 MW, each. Then, Lontar power plant with total capacity 315 MW and coal-fired power plant Gati with 450 MW capacity.
The two hydro-power plants are located in Jatigede, West Java, with a capacity of 2×55 MW and Rajamandala power plant in Cimahi, West Java with a capacity of 47 MW. However, he said, the six power plants would not operate at the same time because it were still consolidating with the EMR ministry.
So far, the construction of the power plant is included in the mega project part of the 35 GW launched by the current president. In addition to large plants, PLN also continues to develop small power plants such as from new and renewable energy, solar panels and diesel for remote and isolated areas throughout Indonesia.
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