(Photo: Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember)
The first marine floating solar power plant prototype in Indonesia, Solar2Wave, has been launched with the aim of meeting the electricity needs of the community and reducing reliance on fuel-based power plants.
The firms and universities that joined to launch the prototype last month are Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS) together with Cranfield University, Universitas Pattimura, Orela Shipyard, Gerbang Multindo Nusantara, Achelous Energy, and HelioRec.
Mochamad Ashari, Chancellor of ITS, said that the current expansion of floating solar power plants in Indonesia is primarily limited to lakes or reservoirs, which restricts their utilization area. "To maximize the potential and impact of these floating solar power plants," he added, "we are now extending their application to the sea."
"I Ketut Aria Pria Utama, Head of the Solar2Wave Indonesia research team, explained that the project aims to develop a floating solar panel system equipped with a built-in mechanism to address wave-related issues. According to ITS, the system comprises floaters and a surrounding breakwater specifically designed to mitigate the impact of strong waves on the solar panels.
The prototype consists of six monocrystalline and polycrystalline solar panels, with a combined capacity of 600 W. Furthermore, Solar2Wave includes an energy storage system. “The floating cubes utilized have also been certified and are resistant to ultraviolet light, anti-corrosion from seawater, chemicals, and oil,” I Ketut Aria Pria Utama added.
(Photo: Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember)
Following the prototype development at the Orela shipyard area in Gresik, the Solar2Wave pilot project will move up to the Gili Ketapang area in Probolinggo, East Java. The research team said that the choice of this location was based on factors such as the local demand for electricity assistance, social conditions, and accessibility to the Solar2Wave installation site.
The pilot project’s construction will have a capacity of 25 KW, aiming to reduce reliance on diesel-fueled power plants. “Solar2Wave is projected to support the daily electricity needs of the people as well as an ice cube factory, which is one of the key needs of fishermen in the Gili Ketapang,” I Ketut Aria Pria Utama added.
According to ITS, the initial research stage, spanning from Mar. 2023 to Feb. 2024, faced challenges in development, including uncontrollable ocean wave conditions, weather complexities, intricate maintenance, and unpredictable operational costs.
During the initial stage, Solar2Wave received £300,000 in funding from Innovate UK. For the research phase starting in Apr. 2024, the project is slated to receive £500,000 in funding.
Fredy Leiwakabessy, the Chancellor of niversitas Pattimura, said that the implementation of this project signifies the use of Indonesia’s marine resources to promote community welfare equality. He envisions that this initiative will expedite community welfare, especially in Maluku.
Recent research shows a shortage of suitable land for onshore solar farms in some Southeast Asian regions, underscoring the demand for innovative solutions. Consequently, floating solar is poised to play a key role in the region's solar expansion.
