Purnomo dedicates model plant of coal briquette in West Java

Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Purnomo Yusgiantoro on Friday dedicated a model plant which turns out coal briquette in Palimanan, West Java.

Built by the Indonesian ministry in cooperation with Japan?s ministry of energy and industry, New Energy and Industrial Technology and Mitsui Mining Company, the plant has the capacity to produce 5 tons of briquette per hour with the raw materials used comprising coal (76 percent), sugarcane waste (19 percent) and lime (15 percent).

The plant?s machineries and technology were financed with grants from the Japanese government. Meanwhile, the Indonesian government?s contribution included the plant?s building, boilers and compressors.

The try out period of the plant ended in August of this year, about nine months after the project construction was completed.

Purnomo, speaking in the dedication ceremony, said the plant was a strategic undertaking for Indonesia because it would serve as its launching pad for developing coal briquette technology.

Indonesia?s domestic demand for kerosene would decrease in the future if more and more consumers used briquette, the minister added. (godang/leo)