PLN EPI Aims For Biomasa Use For Cofiring 2.2 Million Tons

President Director of PT PLN EPI Iwan Agung Firstantara. (Photo: Doc. ANTARA)

JAKARTA PT PLN Energi Primary Indonesia (EPI) has proposed a significant increase in the use of biomass for cofiring in 2024.

President Director of PT PLN EPI Iwan Agung Firstantara said that PLN EPI is implementing a co-firing program, namely coal substitution with biomass at a certain ratio.

This program is a concrete step towards achieving Net Zero Emission (NZE) in 2060.

"In 2021, PLN Group has used 250,000 metric tons of biomass for PLTU cofiring. In 2022, this number rose to 500,000 metric tons, and in 2023 it reached more than 1,000,000 metric tons. This year, our target is to provide 2.2 million tons," said Iwan in his remarks at Focus Group Discussion (FGD) with the theme Risiko, Challenges, and Mitigation in Supply Chain Order and Components Forming Coal Prices and Biomass as well as Other New Renewable Energy (EBT)", Wednesday, July 24.

The use of biomass for co-firing and coal replacement has received support from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources.

Ministerial Regulation (Permen) of Energy and Mineral Resources Number 12 of 2023 concerning "Utilization of Biomass Fuel as A Mixture of Fuel in Steam Power Plants" has been issued to provide a legal umbrella for the use of biomass.

Bioenergy Director, Directorate General of New, Renewable Energy, and Energy Conservation (EBTKE) of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources Edi Wibowo said this regulation is still waiting for harmonization with the Minister of Finance Regulation which is currently in the process of being revised. Edi hopes that the potential of biomass in Indonesia can be developed optimally.

"Indonesia needs to develop a sustainable source of alternative bioenergy and not compete with food production, namely by utilizing waste or waste/libah such as agricultural waste, plantations and forestry as well as urban organic waste, and special energy plants," he said.

The Ministry of Finance also provides full support for the co-firing program. Hilman Qomarsono, Head of the Loan Risk Section at the SOEs of the PRKNDJPPR Directorate, stated that the Minister of Finance had given directions to optimally support the development of the biomass ecosystem.

Deputy for Coordination of Environmental and Forestry Management at the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs, Nani Hendiarti, said that co-firing and utilization of biomass contributed to the creation of job opportunities.

"The availability of quite a lot of biomass, if managed properly, can be an energy source for co-firing programs and create jobs," he said.

In this discussion, representatives from PT Elektria Konstruksi Nusantara West Kalimantan, Novariandi, explained that the factory continues to operate by absorbing local workers to process palm oil empty bunches into tank pellets supplied to PLTU.

Commissioner of PT Solusi Hutama Mahesa, Roeswandi said, biomass provides opportunities for the community around the PLTU to be involved in this business.

"Biomassa comes from the front yard, so people know they are neighbors with PLTU," he said.

Secretary General of the National Energy Council (DEN), Djoko Siswanto emphasized the importance of the energy transition towards the use of green energy.

"The purpose of the revision of the National Energy Policy (KEN) is to provide direction in efforts to realize the Energy Management policy based on principles of justice, sustainability, integration, efficiency, productivity, and environmental insight in order to create national Energy Independence, National Energy Resilience, and fulfill Indonesia's commitment to Decarbonization," he said.

Djoko added, optimizing the use of biomass through the co-firing program can be an effective strategy in reducing dependence on coal and increasing the use of renewable energy.