Clean Power eyes biomass power project in Maluku

By Nova Farida

Independent power producer Clean Power Indonesia plans to develop biomass power plants in Maluku Province using bamboos as feedstock to produce fuel for the plants.

Clean Power President Director Jaya Wahono told Petromindo.com recently that the Maluku provincial administration has expressed interest to team up with the company in developing the power plant project to help provide electricity supply to several villages in the province.

He said that the local administration was interested in similar project being developed by Clean Power in Mentawai, West Sumatra Province, where the local villagers develop bamboo plantations, from which the bamboos are then sold to the company.

?We recently met with the Maluku governor (Said Assagaff) and discussed about the (planned) power (project). This was just initial talks,? Jaya said.

He said that bamboo trees can be easily grown in Indonesia and can be harvested every year, thus providing sustainable supply of feedstock for planned biomass power plants. ?Each location of course has specific challenges. For Maluku, we don?t know yet how it (the project) would be implemented, we have yet to start the feasibility study,? Jaya said.

He, however, added that companies such as Clean Power which is engaged in the development of biomass-based power plants need incentives from the government particularly in terms of funding amid difficulties to get funds from local banks.

Clean Power is currently developing bamboo-based biomass power plants in Mentawai with total capacity target of 10 MW in 2023. In the initial phase, the company is developing three power plants in three villages with capacity of 700 kW, targeted to start operation in March of 2018.

Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak