Dutch firm interested to build biogas power plant in South Sulawesi

Dutch firm Inrada Group in partnership with local firm PT Cipta Kreasimas Indonesia is interested to develop a 100 MW biogas power plant in South Sulawesi using seaweed as fuel.

Cipta Kreasimas? President Director Ramlan Nawawi paid a courtesy call on South Sulawesi?s Governor Syahrul Yasin Limpo on Monday in the province?s capital of Makassar. He explained the plan during the visit, Antara news agency reported.

He said both firms plan to develop the power plant in Maros regency with an investment of US$1 million per MW. The firm will grow seaweed of Laminaria type ? which is categorized as non-food seaplant -- in the area as fuel for the power plant. The firm needs one hectare of sea area to grow seaweed to generate one MW of power. The Dutch firm has expertise to make the seaweed grow fast and it has built a similar plant in South Africa.

He said the firms have hold a discussion with state owned electricity firm PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) on the plan but they still disagreed on the price of power to be generated from the power plant. (*)