Increase The Capacity Of The Power Plant, To Maximize The Utilization Of New And Renewable Energy

Power Plant illustration. (Photo: Unsplash)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources targets the national power generation capacity to reach 74.8 Giga watts (GW) after 2019 reaching 69.1 GW, an increase of 4.2 GW from 2018 which amounted to 64.9 GW.

ESDM Minister Arifin Tasrif in Jakarta, Thursday, January 9, said that in order to increase the capacity of the generator, the government also continues to encourage the completion of the 35,000 MW program, most of which have been built.

In addition, the government will continue to encourage the development of transmission and distribution networks by utilizing the latest technology (smart grid and metering).

The capacity of the New and Renewable Energy (EBT) power plant also continues to be optimized, in accordance with the mandate of the National Energy Policy as stipulated in Government Regulation Number 79 of 2014 which targets the mix of new and renewable energy by 2025 to be 23 percent.

The additional capacity of the EBT generator in 2019 reaches 376 MW, the majority of which is the PLTP of 182.3 MW, namely the Balai Karimun PLTP, Sorik Merapi PLTP and Muaralaboh PLTP.

The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources is also revising Permen ESDM Number 50 of 2017 concerning Utilization of Renewable Energy Sources for the Provision of Electricity, and issuing a Presidential Decree to encourage more massive use of EBT.

For the Mandatory Biodiesel Policy, the use of B20 has been started since January 2016, and has gone well in the Public Service Obligation (PSO) sector. Since September 1 2018, the Government has expanded the mandatory B20 to the non-PSO sector, such as electricity, mining, railways, industry and sea transportation.

"The mandatory B20 is upgraded to mandatory B30 in January 2020. Biodiesel production in 2019 is targeted to be 7.37 million KL and the realization will reach 8.37 million KL. Domestic utilization is around 75 percent or the equivalent of 6.26 million KL, thus saving foreign exchange 3.35 billion. US dollars or Rp. 48.19 trillion. In 2020, biodiesel production is targeted at 10 million KL, "said Arifin.

The use of domestic coal for domestic purposes will continue to be encouraged by the government, one of which is proposing an incentive for the coal gasification program to become Dimethyl Ether (DME).

In 2019, the utilization of domestic coal will reach 138 million tons from the production of 610 million tons. Meanwhile, in 2020 it is targeted at 155 million tons of the production target of 550 million tons.

To increase mineral added value, in addition to continuing to encourage the construction of smelters to increase mineral added value and the multiplier effect of the economy, the government will also increase supervision of smelter construction as mandated in Government Regulation No.1 of 2017 along with Permen ESDM as its derivative regulations.

Until 2019, 17 smelters have been completed and in 2020 it is targeted that 8 smelters will be built.