Heaptalk, Jakarta – Through biomass utilization on the co-firing technology for the Steam Power Plant (PLTU), PT PLN (Persero), succeed on reducing the emissions until 1,05 million tons of carbon dioxide and produce clean energy of 1,04 terawatt hour (TWh) in 2023.
That achievement in 2023 has improved compared to the realization in 2022. Take the previous reduction emission as an example, PLN was able to add emission reduction to 450 thousand tons of carbon dioxide. Clean energy production also escalated beyond 77% from the realization in 2022 of 575 gigawatt hours (GWh).
The CEO of PLN Darmawan Prasodjo explained that his party continues to develop the technology to face the challenges of the times. Established since 2021, the coal substitution now with biomass is not only able to reduce carbon emission, but also improve the public’s economy.
“Co-Firing technology is a breakthrough for the national energy transition. That is because with this technology, many advantages can be achieved besides suppressing emission, also to lessen the usage of fossil energy. Co-firing is not only producing a reliable yet affordable electric for the citizen. It’s more than that, co-firing also supports the public’s economy through a direct involvement of the public on developing biomass,” said Darmawan.
For the rest of 2023, PLN has absorbed biomass for 1 million tons for 43 PLTU spread across the country. This number grows more than 71% compared to the realization of biomass absorption in 2022 for 855 thousand tons. Simultaneously, PLN continues to do technology trials until 2025 in order for all 52 PLTU in Indonesia to make use of co-firing.
By the end of 2023, PLN succeeded in implementing hybrid PLTU where 100% biomass operates for 15 days in a month at PLTU Sintang, Kalimantan Barat. This success was the first and the longest in Indonesia, along with the answer for a future of clean energy in the country.
“A hundred percent of the biomass usage is a form of PLN Group consistency in providing clean energy for a better Indonesia. As a pioneer, I also hope that this success can become a motivation to be soon implemented in other PLTU,” explained Darmawan.
Not stopping there, the improvement of the local economy can also be supported through the biomass supply chain. The biomass ecosystem has also been developed by collaborating with local communities, Cooperatives and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), until local governments around the location of biomass sources.
Darmawan gave an example, since March 2023, PLN has worked together with the DI Yogyakarta Provincial Government on developing the Green Economy area to support the effort of Net Zero Emissions (NZE) 2060 based on the contribution of local communities.
“As a state-owned company (BUMN), we are not only responsible for providing clean energy. Our developed innovation is also targeting several aspects, supporting the local economy, preserving forests, and rehabilitating barren land and eliminating dependence on fossil fuels,” he concluded.
Editorial team: Wulan Dari, Prazna Alyfia Ghefira
