Indonesia has commenced work on a 145 megawatt (MW) floating solar power plant, the biggest in Southeast Asia, after national power utility PLN (Perusahaan Listrik Negara) and UAE’s clean energy firm Masdar agreed to finance the project.

Indonesia aims to get 23% of its energy from renewable sources by 2025. The government has stated that by shifting away from coal, the country would be able to achieve net-zero emissions by 2060. Additionally, the government has recently announced that under its 2021-30 national electricity plan, it seeks to expand the share of renewable energy to at least 48%, up from 30% in its previous plan.

Zulkifli Zaini, PLN chief executive, expressed his views in an online briefing, stating that they can immediately begin the project’s construction phase with financial assistance. With the assistance of all stakeholders, they are evident that this clean energy project will be able to begin commercial operations on time.

The Cirata floating photovoltaic power project in West Java is a joint venture between PLN and Masdar. It is anticipated to be the largest in Southeast Asia when it commences its operations in November 2022.

In a statement published recently, Masdar said that the project was financed by Societe Generale, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp., and Standard Chartered Bank. Meanwhile, PLN has announced that it will begin to phase out its coal-fired power facilities, which now satisfy roughly 60% of Indonesia's energy needs.

Abdulla Salem Al Dhaheri, Ambassador of the UAE to Indonesia and the ASEAN region, recently commented that “achieving this historic milestone underlines the strength of the collaboration between Indonesia and the UAE”.

“The United Arab Emirates is dedicated on supporting and investing in sustainable energy initiatives all around the world. They are committed towards working with Indonesia to achieve long-term development goals, and will continue to support the country's clean energy transition”.

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