Jakarta, October 25, 2022 - PT Bukit Asam Tbk (PTBA) continues to expand its new and renewable energy (NRE) business portfolio as a step towards realizing its vision of becoming a world-class energy and chemical company that cares about the environment. This is also in line with the government's target to achieve Net Zero Emission by 2060 or earlier.PTBA has built a solar power plant at Soekarno Hatta Airport in collaboration with PT Angkasa Pura II (Persero). The solar power plant, which has been fully operational since October 2020, consists of 720 solar panel systems, with photovoltaics of 241 kilowatt-peak (kWp) maximum capacity, and is installed in the Airport Operation Control Center (AOCC) Building.
PTBA is also collaborating with Jasa Marga Group for the development of solar power plant on toll roads. On September 21, 2022, the 400 Kilowatt-peak (kWp) capacity solar power plant on the Bali-Mandara Toll Road was completed and inaugurated.
At the 2022 SoE International Conference in Bali on October 18, 2022, PTBA explored the potential for cooperation in PV mini-grid development at the Semen Indonesia Group (SIG) operational areas.
PTBA through its subsidiary, PT Bukit Energi Investama (BEI), will build solar power plant to support the operational activities of the PT Semen Padang factory, a subsidiary of GIS. The plan for solar power plant development includes Solar Power Rooftop and Solar Power Ground Mounted, which are targeted to operate commercially (Commercial Operation Date/COD) in 2023-2024.
"PTBA took these steps to gain experience in the operation, management, and maintenance of solar power plants, in order to prepare to enter large-scale solar power plant projects in the future," said PTBA President Director Arsal Ismail.
Currently PTBA has a number of ex-mining lands that can be used for the development of solar power plants. Among them are the post-Ombilin mining area in West Sumatra of 201 hectares and in Tanjung Enim of 224 hectares. The solar power plant potential in each of these lands reaches 200 Megawatts (MW).
"As the land ownership belongs to PTBA and there is no need for land acquisition, the investment costs for solar power plant development can be reduced and the electricity produced can be competitive. The ex-mining lands will be productive not only beneficial for the environment, but also of economic value," said Arsal.
PTBA also built a number of solar power plants to activate agricultural irrigation pumps through the CSR program. As of today, there are 5 solar power plants irrigation that PTBA has built in total. The first is solar power plant irrigation in Trimulyo Village, Pesawaran Regency, Lampung. Operating since 2020 with a capacity of 35 kWp, this solar power plant irrigation distributes water for 167 hectares of agricultural land.
Second, solar power plant irrigation in Talawi Village, Sawahlunto City, West Sumatra. This solar power plant irrigation with a capacity of 16.5 kWp has been operating since 2019 to distribute water to 62 hectares of rice fields.
Third, solar power plant irrigation in Tanjung Raja Village, Muara Enim Regency, South Sumatra. It has a capacity of 16.5 kWp and delivers water to 63 hectares of rice fields.
The fourth is solar power plant irrigation with a capacity of 27.5 kWp in Nanjungan Village, Lahat Regency, South Sumatra, which start operating on March 28, 2022. The irrigated land reaches approximately 100 hectares.
Recently, PTBA built solar power plant irrigation with a capacity of 42.5 MW to irrigate 150 hectares of rice fields in Rejosari Mataram Village, Central Lampung Regency, South Sumatra.
"The CSR program for solar power plant irrigation is expected to increase the socio-economic independence of the community, and optimize agricultural production. In addition, the use of renewable energy based on solar power is one of the efforts in the company's transformation for the use of environmentally friendly energy sources," he concluded.
