Govt to boost development of renewables power plants next year

The government aims to boost the development of renewable energy-based power plants next year, planning 128 projects, much higher than the initial plan of 78, Kontan reported on Saturday.

The paper quoted Secretary General of the Directorate General of New and Renewable Energy at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Dadan Kusdiana as saying that the ministry will prepare two schemes: directly appointing state-owned enterprises to develop the projects or invite private investors through tender.

?The number of renewable energy projects next year will be higher than our initial plan,? he said, but did not provide further details.

Elsewhere, Dadan said that the progress of renewable energy projects in the first half of this year has reached 63.9 percent of the full-year target. He pointed out that total investment by both the government and private investors during the January-June period of this year has reached US$876 million.

Meanwhile, Director General of New and Renewable Energy Rida Mulyana said that the geothermal sector accounted for the largest investment during the first half, totaling $567 million, with installed electricity capacity of 1,493.5 MW.

Other renewables power plants including solar, micro hydro, hydro and biomass power plants accounted for the remainder. He said that investment in the micro hydro power plant sector remains low as the new electricity tariff scheme for micro hydro power plants has yet to be implemented. (*)