ASIATODAY.ID, JAKARTA – The Indonesian Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources is encouraging various efforts to optimize the use of geothermal energy for electricity.
One that is being developed is the PT Pertamina Geothermal Energy (PGE) Co-Generation Geothermal Power Plant project, namely a capacity optimization project implemented in fields that are already in commercial operation.
The business scheme used for this project is a partnership between PT PGE and PT PLN through PLN Indonesia Power to form a Joint Venture.
“For geothermal, there is also Co-Generation, added from existing. There are already targets from 2027-2029 for COD,” said Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Arifin Tasrif in Jakarta, quoted Wednesday, August 7 2024.
The potential for the Co-Generation project is in the Lahendong, Ulubelu, Lumut Balai, Hululais, Kamojang, Sibayak and Sungai Banyak Geothermal Working Areas. These projects are expected to operate in the 2027-2029 period.
Currently, this co-generation geothermal power plant project has reached the stage of signing the Joint Development Agreement (JDA) on May 30 2024. JDA’s main focus is the Ulubelu Bottoming Unit geothermal power plant project which is planned to be developed with a capacity of 30 MW and the Lahendong Bottoming Unit geothermal power plant with a development plan of 15 MW. These two projects are targeted for COD in 2027.
Apart from that, optimizing geothermal power plants is also carried out by prioritizing excess energy from geothermal power plants, namely the excess electricity in geothermal power plants that are already operating. Excess energy originating from geothermal power plants is prioritized for dispatch into the PLN electricity system.
For the geothermal power plants operated by PT PGE, namely the Kamojang, Ulubelu, Karaha, Lahendong and Lumut Balai geothermal power plants, there is an optimization potential of up to 1,081 GWh. This value is obtained from the remaining total net generation capacity of 5,528 GWh minus the distribution capacity to PT PLN of 4,447 GWh.
Meanwhile, for PT Geo Dipa Energi’s geothermal power plants, namely the Dieng and Patuha geothermal power plants, there is an optimization potential of 134 GWH. Then for the SMGP geothermal power plant and the Sokoria geothermal power plant amounting to 365.8 GWh; Star Energy Group (Salak geothermal power plant, Darajat geothermal power plant, and Wayang Windu geothermal power plant) amounting to 494.8 GWh; and the Sarulla geothermal power plant operated by Sarulla Operations of 24 GWh.
Then, minimizing curtailment in the North Sulawesi-Gorontalo (SulutGo) system was also carried out to optimize geothermal power plants. Currently there are problems with several electricity systems that contain geothermal energy, for example the SulutGo system. In this system there is an imbalance between the supply of electricity in the SulutGo area and the growth in demand, resulting in the electricity status being over capacity.
Currently, it is possible to implement alternate shutdowns for fossil generators, while still considering the efficiency of the difference in the price of generation from geothermal power plants and from geothermal power plants. Therefore, it is necessary to expand PLN’s transmission and distribution network to maximize the use of geothermal energy to meet the captive power of mining and industry in Sulawesi. (AT Network)
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