The Cirata floating solar farm in in West Java. (Photo: PLN)
Indonesia accelerates the implementation of Green Indonesia Project (Hijaunesia). According to senior officials from the public company Indonesia Power (IP), the development of their solar power plants has progressed faster than before, with many European companies participating in the bidding process.
Indonesia Power is a subsidiary of the Indonesia state-owned electricity company (PLN), and “Hijaunesia” is the company’s energy transition plan. The goal for this year is to construct five solar power plants with a total generating capacity of 500 MW.
The President Director of PLN IP, Edwin Nugraha Putra, stated in a press release that “the construction of these power plants involves parallel processes such as partners pre-selection including the EPC contractors, lenders selection, and licensing processes.”
He also mentioned that this project has garnered interest not only from potential partners and EPC contractors domestically, but also internationally, including Europe. Up to this point, there are already 33 bidders that have passed the Request for Quotation (RFQ) stage.
However, he still emphasizes in prioritizing the fulfillment of the Domestic Content Level (TKDN) requirements as mandated by relevant regulations, with the hope of creating a multiplier effect for the Indonesian industry.
Through Hijaunesia project, PLN Indonesia Power aims to develop renewable energy power plants with a capacity up to 2.78 GW by 2028, including the construction of solar and wind power plants with the collective capacity of 1,055 MW, facilitated through a strategic partnership scheme.
The government also actively working to establish a solar panel supply chain, especially considering the abundance of raw materials such as zinc and nickel ores. It is estimated that the solar photovoltaic potential could reach 207 GW annually.
Based on the data from Indonesian Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment (Kemenko Marves), it shows that the country’s nickel reserves amount up to approximately 9.4 billion metric tons, with the majority concentrated in Southeast Sulawesi Province at around 2.4 billion metric tons, followed by 160 million metric tons in North Maluku Province.
