Floating Solar Power Plant, a Strategic Option to Add Solar Energy without Opening Land

JAKARTA - Floating solar power plants (PLTS) are considered a strategic option to increase national solar energy capacity without having to open new land, amid the need for accelerated energy transition and land space limitations.

PT PLN Nusantara Power (PLN NP) places the Cirata Floating PV Plant in Cirata Dam, West Java, as an example of the development of large-scale floating solar energy in Indonesia.

Operating since November 2023, the Cirata Floating PV has a peak installed capacity of 192 megawatts (MWp) or equivalent to 145 megawatts of alternating current (MWac) and is recorded as the largest in Indonesia and the ASEAN region.

The Cirata Floating Solar Power Plant is capable of producing up to 300 gigawatt hours (GWh) of green electricity per year and contributes to reducing carbon emissions by around 214,000 tons of carbon dioxide (CO₂) per year.

This plant is also integrated with the Cirata Hydroelectric Power Plant (PLTA) which has been operating since 1988, thus strengthening the reliability of electricity supply in the Java-Bali system.

PLN Nusantara Power President Director Ruly Firmansyah said Indonesia's renewable energy potential, especially floating PV, is still very large to be developed.

"With hundreds of dams and reservoirs in Indonesia, floating PLTS opens up a huge opportunity to accelerate the clean energy mix without adding pressure to land," said Ruly, in an official statement on Thursday, December 18.

Ruly said the development of floating PV plants is in line with Indonesia's Net Zero Emission (NZE) target in 2060. PLN Nusantara Power places the development of green plants as part of the company's long-term strategy in supporting the national energy transition.

According to Ruly, floating PV plants not only support a mix of clean energy, but also play an important role in maintaining the stability of the electricity system, especially in areas with high peak loads during the day and afternoon.

For example, said Ruly, the floating solar power plant located at the Cirata Dam, West Java, is capable of producing green electricity of up to 300 gigawatt hours (GWh) per year and contributing to reducing carbon emissions of around 214,000 tons of carbon dioxide (CO₂) per year.

This plant is also integrated with the Cirata Hydroelectric Power Plant (PLTA) which has been operating since 1988, thus strengthening the reliability of electricity supply in the Java-Bali system.

"The success of this national strategic project is the foundation for the development of PLN Nusantara Power's green power plants in various regions," he said.

In addition to the Cirata Floating PV Plant, Ruly said PLN Nusantara Power is currently preparing the development of a Floating PV Plant at the Karangkates Dam as part of the optimization of the use of dam infrastructure for the generation of clean energy.

Through its subsidiary, PT PLN Nusantara Renewables, PLN NP also develops various other renewable energy projects, including the Jawa-1 PLTS Project in Batang, Pemalang, Paiton, and Sumenep, as well as the Mentari Nusantara Project which includes the construction of PLTS in various regions of Java and outside Java.

Ruly added that the development of floating PV requires collaboration across stakeholders and consistent policy support.

"PLN Nusantara Power is ready to optimize this potential through collaboration, technological innovation, and sustainable project management," concluded Ruly.