Targeting on Maritime Economic Cluster, Govt Develops Solar-Powered Cold Storage
MINISTRY OF ENERGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES
REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA
PRESS RELEASE
NUMBER: 210.Pers/04/SJI/2020
Date: 16 June 2020
Targeting on Maritime Economic Cluster, Govt Develops Solar-Powered Cold Storage
Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (EMR) is developing the use of Solar Power Plant for cold storage in the fishery sector. The goal is to support maritime-based economic activities by involving the relevant ministries.
"We're in the process of building a pilot project with Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (MAF) to support the Solar Power Plants supplying cold storage of Ministry of MAF which have so far relied on PLN. There is an opportunity to make saving by using New, Renewable Energy (NRE)," said Director of Various New Energy and Renewable Energy of Ministry of EMR, Harris Yahya, in virtual dialog held on Thursday (11/6).
Harris explained that Directorate General of New, Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation (NREEC) was formulating programs to develop maritime economic cluster by identifying the potential for NRE development and discussing the business format for electricity provision. "We hope to finish these programs in August 2020," said Harris.
Special in the maritime and fisheries sector, the most potential use of solar energy is to power cold storage. Existing data shows 6 companies own cold storage with a total capacity of 3,850 tonnes and electricity needs 1,721 kVA. "I hope the NRE benefit will increase people's prosperity and electricity access," said Harris.
Another micro-scale potential is rooftop Photovoltaic (PV) Power Station. The government has even facilitated the construction of rooftop PV power station. "In Indonesia, the mechanism is very simple. You only have to install a power meter to the rooftop PV, there's the export-import meter, and the difference between the exports and the imports will be paid by customers," Harris explained.
For information, people's interest in rooftop PV power station has increased significantly. Until the end of December 2019, there were 900 out of 1,673 new customers who installed rooftop PV power station after the issuance of rooftop PV regulation in December 2018.
Unlocking Potential in New Normal
The NRE development in Indonesia, according to Harris, is very likely to be accelerated amid the Covid-19 pandemic so that it is possible to realize the 9,000 MW target of additional NRE capacity in 2024. This number includes addition from hydro of 3,900 MW, bioenergy 1,200 MW, geothermal 1,000 MW, and solar panel 2,000 MW.
"This condition shows that we're focusing on NRE development, including the intermittent energy. Globally, prices of solar PV or solar panel are decreasing, and the same goes with the installation costs," explained Harris.
Harris said Ministry of EMR was in the process of restructuring and refocusing because the NRE development had not run optimally. "Although rising, the NRE development still needs extra efforts, particularly in relation to the implementation of NRE diversity," explained Harris.
According to Harris, the NRE development in Indonesia often refers to PLN's Electricity Procurement Plan (RUPTL), while in fact there are other potentials that can be developed in addition to those planned by PLN. For this reason, the NRE development must be carried out on both commercial and non-commercial basis. "For example, there is a huge NRE potential in North Kalimantan that if it's developed, we can get 9,000 MW of electricity just by implementing Hydroelectric Power Plant in the watershed of one river on a cash cap basis," Harris concluded. (IY)
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