By Dominikus
South Korean wave energy company Ingine Inc. is set to establish its first Indonesian 125-kilowatt onshore wave energy pilot plant by the end of 2025. The pilot, located in Tatar Village, Sumbawa Barat, marks a critical milestone in Ingine’s plan to scale up to 1.5 megawatts of commercial capacity by 2027, replacing diesel generators in remote island communities.
“This will be the first wave energy pilot in Indonesia. We are building it now, and it will be operational by the end of this year,” said Jeff Sung Won Lee, Managing Director of Ingine Wave Energy Systems Ltd, during the Asia Clean Energy Forum 2025.
The project is being developed in partnership with PT PLN Indonesia Power and backed by the UK Innovate Energy Catalyst Program, with two grant awards secured in 2023 and 2024. According to the presentation, Ingine is now seeking £2 million in seed funding in 2025 to match Indonesian investment and accelerate commercialization.
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Ingine’s technology is designed for shallow onshore installations, avoiding the high costs and risks of traditional offshore wave energy systems. “We don’t use subsea cables, which cost around US$3 million per kilometer and require expensive maintenance. Our system connects using simple ropes, making it cost-effective and ideal for remote island use,” Lee explained.
Once the pilot proves successful, Ingine plans to scale the system to 1.5 MW by 2027, fully replacing diesel in targeted microgrids. Long-term projections include expanding up to 23 MW, generating £6.9 million in revenue over five years.
The company also highlighted its impact-driven model. In Tatar Village, for example, the wave energy system is expected to support local agriculture and fisheries by providing reliable electricity for activities like coffee processing and corn farming.
“We’re not just generating clean energy. We’re building wave-powered local economies,” said Lee. “We welcome new partners to join us in scaling this across Indonesia and other remote islands in Southeast Asia.”
Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak
