Synergy Between Pertamina And PT Perkebunan Nusantara III Produces Green Energy

A biogas power plant that utilizes palm oil effluent in Sei Mangkei, Simalungun, North Sumatra. (photo: doc. between)

JAKARTA – The synergy of PT Pertamina (Persero) through subholding Pertamina NRE with PT Perkebunan Nusantara III (Persero), is now able to utilize palm oil liquid waste to produce green energy from the biogas power plant (PLTBg) Sei Mangkei, North Sumatra.

Palm oil liquid waste, which is often disposed of because it is considered worthless, can now be processed into fuel for power plants that have the potential to reduce methane gas emissions.

"This strategic collaboration is to increase new renewable energy in the energy mix, as well as reduce carbon emissions," said Pertamina NRE Chief Executive Officer Dannif Danusaputro in a statement in Jakarta, Saturday.

The Sei Mangkei Special Economic Zone (SEZ) located in Simalungun has the concept of a green economic zone. Biogas and solar-based energy sources support the reliability of electricity in the region.

PLTBg Sei Mangkei has a capacity of 2.4 MW, which was built on an area of two hectares belonging to Perkebunan Nusantara III, by absorbing 288,350 cubic meters of palm oil liquid waste per year.

President Director of PTPN III Mohammad Abdul Ghani revealed that the open management of palm oil liquid waste produces methane gas which has a negative impact on the environment because it can accelerate global warming.

According to him, the presence of the Sei Mangkei PLTBg which utilizes liquid palm oil waste has the potential to reduce methane gas emissions by around 2,500 methane hydrocarbons or the equivalent of 70 thousand tons of carbon dioxide per year.

"As a form of commitment from PTPN Group in developing new and renewable energy and supporting the achievement of the 23 percent mix target by 2025, we have realized this through the development of PLTBg and the biogas co-firing program in the PTPN Group's oil palm plantation unit with Pertamina NRE," said Ghani.

Furthermore, he said that the development of the Sei Mangkei PLTBg has provided many benefits for the company, including reducing methane and carbon gas emissions, reducing fossil-based electricity consumption and becoming a new source of income.

"Utilization of palm oil liquid waste into electricity provides economic value for PTPN III of IDR 3.5 billion per year," he concluded.

In addition to building the Sei Mengkei PLTBg, Pertamina NRE is also building a solar power plant (PLTS) with a capacity of two MW which has the potential to reduce 2,000 tons of carbon dioxide per year.

Utilization of biogas and solar electricity will support the realization of the concept of a green economic zone in SEI Mangkei and support the efforts of industry players to obtain green certificates.