Indonesia-Singapore Signed Three New Solar Power Projects

TheIndonesia.co - Indonesia and Singapore agree to develop three solar power plant projects. The first export of clean and renewable energy of 100 megawatts is targeted in 2024. The signing of the solar power plant project development cooperation was carried out between PT Trisurya Mitra Bersama and the State Electricity Company (PLN) Batam of Indonesia with Sembcorp Industries of Singapore.

The second agreement was carried out by Medco Power Energy of Indonesia with two Singaporean companies, Gallant Venture Ltd and PacificLight Energie Pte Ltd. The third was carried out by the Sunseap consortium of Singapore and the Agung Sedayu Group of Indonesia.

The development and purchase of the clean energy agreement were carried out in the Singapore International Energy Week activities which started on Monday, 25 October 2021. Indonesia’s Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Arifin Tasrif and Singapore's Minister of Manpower and Junior Minister of Trade and Industry Tan See Leng witnessed the three separate signings between Indonesian and Singaporean companies.
Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Arifin Tasrif explained, as part of the global commitment to prevent climate change, Indonesia is serious about developing new and renewable energy. Indonesia is blessed with abundant resources from solar, wind, water, geothermal, and underwater currents.

“Indonesia will not only be able to meet the demand for clean and renewable energy for domestic purposes, but also the surrounding countries. The first export of 100 MW from Pulau Bulan is the first milestone for Indonesia to provide clean and renewable energy," said Arifin.
Indonesia's Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources hopes that the development of new and renewable energy can encourage local industries to produce solar panels. In addition, it creates jobs and expertise in the field of new and renewable energy.

When opening the SIEW, Singapore's Minister of Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong said, Singapore has planned to become a low-carbon country. Singapore will switch the use of fossil energy to renewable energy. The alternatives are solar power and hydropower. Singapore has started to develop it by utilizing existing resources such as reservoirs and roofs of buildings. However, because of land scarcity, Singapore cannot fulfill this ambition on its own.

"For this reason, cooperation with neighboring countries and the region is important because Singapore needs a supply of low-carbon energy up to 4 gigawatts in the next 2035. For the first phase, we will import 100 megawatts of electricity from Pulau Bulan, Indonesia," said Minister Gan.
President Director of Medco Energi Internasional, Hilmi Panigoro, explained that the plan to export solar power from Pulau Bulan had started three years ago. Various studies were carried out and finally, they get a purchase commitment from the Energy Market Authority to supply Singapore energy needs.

"Now it's our job to make it happen. There are 1,000 hectares of land available so that it can produce 1 gigawatt. However, for the first phase, 100 megawatts will be exported and it is hoped that it can be realized in 2024," said Hilmi.

President Director of PT Trisurya Mitra Bersama Benjamin Subrata separately explained that his company and Sembcorp not only agreed to build a solar power plant in the Batam area but also in East Nusa Tenggara. "For Batam, we plan to start with 350 megawatts of which 50 megawatts will be used for Batam and the rest will be exported to Singapore. However, we will do a bigger project in Sumba and will develop it on an area of 6,000 hectares,” said Ben Subrata.