Sidrap I Wind Farm Ready to Operate

Starting in 2018, the 75-megawatt Sidrap I wind farm (PLTB) in Sidenreng Rappang regency, South Sulawesi, will start operating.

Kompas/Wawan H Prabowo

Wind turbines operate on Sunday (31/12) at the country’s first wind farm (PLTB) in Mattirotasi village of Watang Pulu district, Sidrap (Sidenreng Rappang) regency, South Sulawesi. The year 2018 has given birth to new hope for the future of Indonesia’s energy security. Twenty-two of 30 turbines have been installed at the 75-megawatt Sidrap I power plant, which will be inaugurated at the end of January.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS – Indonesia is entering a new chapter in renewable energy management. Starting in 2018, the 75-megawatt Sidrap I wind farm (PLTB) in Sidenreng Rappang regency will start operating to serve the electricity needs of around 70,000 customers in South Sulawesi.

Sidrap I is the nation’s first commercial-scale wind farm with a total budget of US$150 million, or around Rp 2 trillion. The wind farm has 30 turbines, each 80 meters tall with blades 57 meters long. Twenty turbines had been installed up to Sunday (31/12/2017).

“We aim to install the rest in January, as the wind farm will be inaugurated at the end of January,” said Niko Priyambada, senior project developer at PT UPC Renewables Indonesia, which is developing the wind farm in Sidenreng Rappang (Sidrap), on Monday (1/1).

Niko said over the weekend that the wind farm development company would begin connecting the farm to state electricity company PT PLN’s network and conducting trials. These steps will be taken once all turbines are installed to ensure the farm is connected properly to PLN’s electricity system.

KOMPAS/WAWAN H PRABOWO

Wind turbines operate on Sunday (31/12) at the country’s first wind farm (PLTB) in Mattirotasi village of Watang Pulu district, Sidrap (Sidenreng Rappang) regency, South Sulawesi.

During his working visit to the Sidrap I wind farm recently, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Ignasius Jonan said that only a few Asian countries had developed wind as a source of electricity. The handful of countries include China, Japan and South Korea.

The National Energy Policy aims for renewable energy to contribute 23 percent to the national energy mix by 2025. This amount is equal to a renewable energy plant with a capacity of 45,000 MW. Less than 10,000 MW of 440,000 MW of Indonesia’s total renewable energy potential are currently being utilized.

Institute for Essential Services Reform director Fabby Tumiwa said that the economical factor remained the largest hurdle in developing renewable energy business in Indonesia.

“As technology development speeds up, the rates of electricity from renewable energy will be more competitive compared to electricity from fossil energy,” Fabby said.

(APO/REN/WAK)