URI teams up with PLN to study on wind power in South Sulawesi
Friday, October 25 2013 - 10:24 AM WIB
American firm UPC Renewables Indonesia (URI) and PT Binatek Energi Terbarukan (BET) have signed a Memorandum of Undestanding (MoU) with state owned electricity firm PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) for a joint study on wind power potentials in Sidrap regency, South Sulawesi.
PLN said in a statement on Thursday that the agreement was signed on Thursday at PLN?s headquarters in Jakarta by PLN?s President Director Nur Pamudji, URI?s President Director Christopher A. Caffyin and BET?s President Director Erwin Jahja.
Under the MoU, the firms will jointly carry out a feasibility study on the possibility of building a windmill farm there. Aspects to be studied include power system stability, frequency and voltage fluctuation, power quality, load follower generation readiness, operational system characteristics and emergency alternatives in case of distribution system and power generations failures, the statement said.
According to Muhammad Sofyan, Renewable Energy Division Head at PLN, URI is interested to develop a 70-MW windmill farm there, to be called PLTB Sidrap.
?In view of the fact that power load in Sulawesi is still low, the windmill farm to be built by URI should pass through analysis, particularly on what will be its impact on the stability of power system there in view of the fact wind speed in Indonesia is relatively low at less than six meters per second.
?The study will be fully financed by the firms (URI and BET). PLN is interested to buy power from the windmill farm as long as the price is affordable and the study results show it will pose no trouble on PLN?s electricity system there,? he said.
Meanwhile, Erwin said windmill power potentials in Sidrap are good enough.
?We and URI would like to develop windmill farms in Indonesia. At present, we are developing a windmill farm in Samas, Yogyakarta. If the analysis result is good, we shall build another one in Sidrap. We are optimistic the project will be successful,? he said.
As at PLTB Samas windmill farm, the firms want to build 28 windmills with an average height of 100 meters. Each of the windmills is projected to be able to produce 2.5 MW.
Editing by Johannes Simbolon