Indonesia officially launched a floating solar energy plant on Thursday (November 9) with a peak capability of 192 megawatts (MWp), making it the biggest in Southeast Asia. This initiative is an element of Indonesia’s determination to change to green and renewable energy sources. The floating solar energy plant is taken into account the biggest within the Southeast Asian region (ASEAN), and even the third largest on this planet.
The largest floating solar energy plant in ASEAN is positioned on the Cirata Reservoir and covers an area of 200 hectares. The USD 145 million investment covers three districts of West Java, namely Purwakarta, Cianjur and West Bandung.
The Cirata floating solar plant is anticipated to generate enough electricity to satisfy the needs of fifty,000 households. Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN)’s partnership with Masdar, an Abu Dhabi-based renewable energy company, covers a three-year implementation period.
Set in a green and luxurious area surrounded by rice fields, the solar energy plant, funded by Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, Societe Generale and Standard Chartered, consists of 340,000 solar panels.
During the inauguration, Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) stated that the plan is to develop the project to a maximum capability of 500 megawatts (MWp), while PLN indicated that it has the potential to generate as much as 1,000 MWp in the ultimate phase. In doing so, the Government of Indonesia reaffirmed its commitment to achieving the goal of zero emissions by 2060.
As a part of this effort, the Indonesian government can also be working to attain net-zero emissions within the energy sector by 2050 under the $20 billion Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) plan. Under this plan, Jakarta committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the energy sector from 290 million tonnes to 250 million tonnes by 2030.
Moreover, the President encouraged the optimal use of the complete potential of recent renewable energy (EBT) available in Indonesia. The president is optimistic that through the use of the technology available today, Indonesia can overcome various challenges in developing latest renewable energy.
