JAKARTA - Energy and Mineral Resources Minister, Arifin Tasrif, has called for the use of hydropower to accelerate Indonesia's energy transition and achieve net zero emissions (NZE) by 2060, reported Antara news agency.
"Currently, the role of hydropower is becoming increasingly important in efforts to accelerate Indonesia's energy transition to reach NZE by 2060," he said at the opening of the plenary session of the 2023 World Hydropower Congress (WHC) in Bali on Tuesday.
Hydroelectric power plants have contributed to the electricity network in Indonesia for more than 100 years, he added in a statement.
Tasrif said that Indonesia has hydropower potential of 95 gigawatts (GW).
Currently, the nation's installed capacity has reached 6.7 GW, and by 2030, the development of hydropower plants is targeted to increase this capacity further to more than 10 GW.
"Furthermore, it will be increased to 72 GW by 2060. Meanwhile, pumped storage will reach 4.2 GW," he informed.
According to Tasrif, the government is also prioritising the development of super grid transmission to improve inter-island connectivity by encouraging the use of hydro energy sources and other renewable energy.
"Hydropower is a type of renewable energy that can be used as a base load and also as a solution for intermittency of renewable energy variables, such as solar and wind power in the electricity grid," he said.
Currently, the construction of several hydropower plant projects is underway in Indonesia. They include the Jatigede PLTA with a capacity of 110 megawatts (MW) and the Asahan PLTA (174 MW), which are targeted to reach their commercial operation date (COD) in 2024.
They further comprise the Peusangan 1 and 2 hydroelectric power plants (88 MW) and the Merangin hydroelectric power plant (350 MW) that will start commercial operations in 2025, as well as the Batang Toru hydroelectric power plant (520 MW) whose COD will be in 2026.
"To increase the role of hydropower in the electricity system, Indonesia is also developing the first pumped storage, Upper Cisokan with a capacity of 1,040 MW, which utilises the water flow of the Cisokan River, West Java," Tasrif elaborated.
The government is also planning to develop green industries in Kalimantan by utilising hydropower.
Two large-scale hydropower projects are being prepared, namely the Kayan Hydroelectric Power Plant with a capacity of 9 thousand MW, which will supply electricity to the manufacturing industry.
Meanwhile, the 1,375-MW Mentarang hydroelectric power plant will supply electricity to the industry.
"By exploiting the huge potential of hydropower in Papua, the government also plans to build a green hydrogen industrial area, which will be built in several potential locations, namely Memberamo 1 (5,695 MW), Memberamo 2 (933 MW), and Edi Valen (630 MW)," he informed. - BERNAMA-ANTARA