Clean Energy Supply Needs Balance

Renewable energy sources in Indonesia such as hydro, wind, solar, and geothermal, must be used optimally in a measurable and balanced way.

KOMPAS/RENY SRI AYU

Tolo Wind Power Plant Turbine (PLTB) in Binamu District, Jeneponto, South Sulawesi, Wednesday (13/10/221).

JAKARTA, KOMPAS—The development of clean and sustainable renewable energy needs to be balanced in terms of supply and demand as well as the economy, without neglecting the development of oil and gas. Complicated licensing issues, fiscal incentives, and the intermittent supply of renewable energy require appropriate solutions.

The government has targeted a larger share of renewable energy sources in the 2021-2030 electricity procurement plan (RUPTL). Of the 40,600 megawatts (MW) in additional power generation until 2030, renewables including hydro, wind, solar, geothermal and biomass are to contribute 51.6 percent, while the rest is to come fossil energy sources such as coal, oil, and natural gas.

According to ReforMiner Institute executive director Komaidi Notonegoro, optimizing renewable energy was a necessity. However, its development must be balanced and should not neglect the development of fossil fuels like oil and natural gas. Indonesia was still not completely free from its dependence on fossil energy.

“The economic balance of renewable energy development needs to be considered. From the fiscal aspect, government intervention is needed, such as in the form of subsidies, because in some cases, the electricity produced from renewable energy is still expensive," Komaidi said on Sunday (10/24/2021) in Jakarta.

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Fossil fuels still accounted for 85 percent of the current national energy mix, while Indonesia still remains a net importer of oil. Renewable energy sources should therefore be developed as optimally as possible, Komaidi added.

Dadan Kusdiana, the director general of new and renewable energy and energy conservation at the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry, said in a virtual press conference this past weekend that until the third quarter of 2021, new and renewable energy accounted for 11 percent of the national energy mix. Indonesia was targeting new and renewable energy sources to contribute at least 23 percent of the energy mix in 2025.

We are trying to help remove obstacles related to the development of renewable energy.

"The additional installed capacity of renewable power plants is only about 376 MW, below the target of 854 MW," he said.

Dadan added that the number of renewable power plants must be increased in order to meet the 23 percent target. The government was also pursuing a strategy to replace fossil fuels with more environmentally friendly energy sources, such as by implementing cofiring (coal fuel mixed with biomass) and the use of palm oil biodiesel at coal steam power plants.

"We are trying to help remove obstacles related to the development of renewable energy, such as problems in funding, licensing, and construction," said Dadan.

Reliable supply

Kompas/Priyombodo

Workers carry out routine inspections of solar panels at the Papagarang Solar Power Plant (PLTS) on Papagarang Island, Komodo District, West Manggarai, East Nusa Tenggara, Friday (1/10/2021). Papagarang PLTS has a capacity of 380 kilowatts peak which has been the main source of electricity for the residents of Papagarang Village since 2019.

According to field observations, residents of areas still unable to access the electricity grid of state-owned electricity company PT PLN still relied on electricity generated by solar or wind power stations. For example, around 1,500 residents of Papagarang village on Papagarang Island, East Nusa Tenggara, depended on a solar power plant (PLTS) with a capacity of 380 kilowatt peak (kWp).

"During the rainy season when the sun does not shine fully, there are rotating blackouts because the [amount of] electricity stored in the batteries is not enough to meet the electricity needs of the village," said Papagarang village head Basir.

The situation was similar at the PLTS Oelpuah in Kupang, NTT. The 5-megawatt-peak (MWp) capacity PLTS, which was inaugurated by President Joko Widodo in January 2016, has around 22,000 solar modules. Each module has the ability to capture light at a certain temperature. Temperatures that exceed the normal range will gradually damage the installation.

"When it is cloudy, raining or in clouds block the sunlight, the electricity power will immediately drop in a matter of seconds," said Mateus Manggo, a technical operator at PLTS Oelpuah.

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Meanwhile, weather is another factor that affects the amount of electricity generated by the 75 MW capacity Sidrap wind power station (PLTB) in Sidenreng Rappang regency, South Sulawesi. The PLTB Sidrap sees seasons of strong winds and weak wind. The former usually occurs from May to October, peaking between July and September.

“At the change of seasons, the wind blows slowly. If the wind speed is below three meters per second, the turbine will not turn. Here, the average wind speed is 10-12 meters per second. If the weather is good, the wind speed can reach 12-20 meters per second," said Pribadhi Satriawan, the PLTB Sidrap operation manager.

PLN vice president director Darmawan Prasodjo said the intermittent power generation of renewables remained a problem. Not all renewable power plants were able to operate 24 hours due to weather issues.

As a result, additional supply from other sources of energy or extra electricity storage (batteries) was required.

“The cost of the batteries used to store energy is still high, around 30 US cents per kilowatt hour (kWh). It would help iff there was new battery technology that costs less. Even though power plants have switched to renewable energy, consumer demand for [fossil fuel] electricity remains high and might even increase,” said Darmawan (Kompas, 22/10).

The government has set its zero emissions target for 2060. Various fiscal incentives are being prepared, including a regulation on the buying and selling tariffs for renewable energy.

This article was translated by Hendarsyah Tarmizi.