EBT Sources Are Still Intermittent, PLN Boss: The Key Is BESS

President Director of PLN Darmawan Prasodjo (doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - President Director of PT PLN Darmawan Prasodjo revealed that the battery energy storage system (BESS) is the key to accelerating the new and renewable energy-based electricity mix (EBT).

He explained that this was because most of the EBT sources in Indonesia were still intermittent. He imitated the PLTS which can still be used when the sun shines hot and will decrease when it is cloudy.

"One of the keys is the Battery Energy Storage System. Because once we talk about EBT, it turns out that it is energy-based on natural forces. If it is without clouds, it is abundant, cloudy, it will decrease," Darmawan said in his remarks at the Electricity Connect 2024, Wednesday, November 20.

In addition to solar energy, this also applies to wind energy that gets full energy when the wind blows hard. Likewise with water energy that reaches maximum work during the rainy season

"So here there is a need for BESS strength so that we can overcome fluctuations," he said.

Furthermore, Darmawan also said that the BESS tariff was much more affordable. He said, in the past, the price of BESS reached 20 cents per kWh and fell to 13 cents per kWh, currently falling to 9 cents per kWh.

"In the past, talking about cheap energy, it's dirty, talking about clean energy, it's expensive. Now it's shifting, when we talk about clean energy, it's cheap," continued Darmawan

The average price of renewable energy continues to decline. He gave an example of wind energy which continued to decline to reach 12 cents.

"Likewise, for wind energy, there used to be around 20 cents per kWh, down to 13 cents per kWh, down to 12 cents of dollars per kWh, now it's much cheaper," explained Darmawan.