PLN Has Issued 8 Efforts To Press Carbon Emisi In The Electricity Sector

Illustration. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

PT PLN (Persero) will showcase eight of the company's efforts to achieve the target of Net Zero Emission (NZE) 2060 in the State-own Enterprises (SOE) International Conference on 17-18 October. This is an active manifestation of PLN as the heart of the economy and the driving force of Indonesia's energy transition. Deputy Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) I, Pahala N. Mansury strongly supports PLN's steps in achieving net zero emissions by 2060 and supports low-carbon development in line with the Paris Agreement and Indonesia's target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 31.89 percent by 2030. This is also in accordance with the Updated National Determined Contribution (NDC) released by the government last September ahead of COP27 next month. "The commitment of PLN in realizing decarbonization and mobilizing energy transitions includes accelerating the reduction in the use of coal PLTU assets and accelerating the development of new and renewable energy (EBT) to increase the portion of EBT in the energy mix," explained Pahala in his statement to the media, Monday, October 17. Meanwhile, PLN President Director Darmawan Prasodjo explained that as part of a global commitment to reduce carbon emissions, PLN has initiated 8 efforts. Coinciding with the SOE International Conference, he emphasized that PLN would explain to the delegates PLN's strategic steps in maximizing technology and innovation in reducing carbon emissions and encouraging energy transitions. "By collaborating, we also ensure that we will continue to provide reliable and clean electricity supply to encourage economic growth," said Darmawan. Darmawan detailed, to be able to accelerate NZE's target, first, PLN will gradually retire PLTU. This step is considered the most effective in being able to reduce carbon emissions in the electricity sector while reducing the use of coal as fossil energy. "Secondly, PLN in parallel also implements biomass co-firing technology at fossil-based power plants that are still operating to reduce the use of fossil energy and the resulting emissions. The economic movement of people's energy through co-firing that has been carried out by business entities and local governments will boost the community's economy," said Darmawan. Third, PLN will also accelerate the addition of clean energy-based power plants. Until 2025, PLN will add 3 GW of EBT-based generators with an additional total installed capacity of 20.9 GW from 2021 to 2030. "Fourth, PLN provides Renewable Energy Certificated (REC) services as one of the facilities that can be used by BUMN stakeholders, government, retail, business, and industry to jointly use EBT-based electrical energy," added Darmawan. Fifth, PLN also supports the electric vehicle ecosystem by intensively creating a cooperation scheme with partners through the SPKLU and SPBKLU development franchises together with banks, malls, offices, private sector, transportation service operators, motorcycle dealers and others so that thousands of SPKLU and SPBKLU will be facilitated by PLN. Sixth, PLN is also developing Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) so that it can become a large amount of carbon emission absorption technology at PLTU and PLTG. Seventh, PLN is also developing hydrogen technology to reduce emissions from fossil fuel power plants through the implementation of hydrogen and ammonia co-firing. Finally, PLN developed the Smart Grid & Control System technology. This application will increase system efficiency while reducing emissions through digitization in each line of business processes. “ Technology development and innovation are able to reduce prices from the development of EBT. This answers a dilemma between clean but expensive energy or dirty but cheap energy. This can be answered, that in the future clean and cheap energy can be achieved,” Darmawan concluded.