Abu Dhabi-based clean energy major Masdar and PT PJBI, a subsidiary of Indonesia’s state electricity company, have announced the formation of a joint venture to drive the development of Indonesia’s first floating solar project.
The new company, PT Pembangkitan Jawa Bali Masdar Solar Energi (PMSE), was formally announced at a ceremony at the Cirata reservoir in West Java, where the project will be located.
The event was held as part of UAE-Indonesia Week to mark the close ties between the two nations.
“This partnership will help to strengthen the already-powerful ties of friendship and bilateral collaboration between the UAE and Indonesia,” said Abdulla Salem Al Dhaheri, the UAE Ambassador to Indonesia and the ASEAN region.
“The UAE has committed to not only diversifying its energy mix but to extending its expertise outside its own borders. The Cirata project marks the UAE’s first investment in Indonesia’s renewable energy sector, and will contribute to the nation’s sustainable development.”
Construction of the Cirata Floating Photovoltaic Power Plant project, which is the largest of its kind in southeast Asia and one of the largest in the world, is scheduled to start in the first part of 2021.
Since Masdar announced the 145MW plant at Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week in January, it has been designated a national strategic project by the Indonesian government, giving it priority status and recognising its economic and social benefits to the nation.
Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi (pictured above), CEO of Masdar, said: “This project marks our entry into southeast Asia, where we see tremendous potential, given the region’s rapid economic growth and commitment to sustainable development. It also demonstrates the continuing strong relationship enjoyed between the UAE and Indonesia, and will support the transfer and exchange of knowledge between our two countries.”
Upon completion, the project, which will be located on a 250-hectare plot on the 6,200-hectare reservoir, will power 50,000 homes, offset 214,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions and contribute to the creation of up to 800 jobs.
Indonesia, the world’s largest archipelago, is targeting 23 percent of its energy mix coming from renewables by 2025 under its Electricity Infrastructure Acceleration Program.
The government is currently considering plans to develop an additional 60 floating PV plants, capitalising on its more than 600 lakes and reservoirs, and helping to preserve precious land resources.
Scaling up renewables could save Indonesia as much as $51.7 billion per year when the impacts on air pollution and climate change are included, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).
Follow us on
