InfoSAWIT, JAKARTA – PT PLN (Persero) has made history by operating a new co-firing facility that uses Bio Compressed Natural Gas (BioCNG) derived from palm oil waste at the Belawan Gas and Steam Power Plant (PLTGU) in North Sumatra. This milestone marks the first time BioCNG has been used as a renewable energy source in Indonesia.
The Director-General of New and Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation (EBTKE) at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Eniya Listiani Dewi, welcomed the breakthrough. "I deeply appreciate this first-of-its-kind BioCNG co-firing in Indonesia as an effort to build new and renewable energy in the power generation sector. This innovation will increase the renewable energy mix, especially in North Sumatra," she said, as quoted by InfoSAWIT from Antara on Monday (18/8/2025).
The launch of BioCNG operations is a special gift for the 80th anniversary of the Republic of Indonesia and a crucial step in diversifying clean energy to support the nation's Net Zero Emissions (NZE) target by 2060 or sooner.
PLN's President Director, Darmawan Prasodjo, affirmed that the company will continue to optimize local energy potential. "By utilizing this renewable energy, we are not only providing environmentally friendly electricity but also strengthening energy sovereignty, creating new jobs, and driving the local economy," he explained.
The BioCNG used at PLTGU Belawan is processed from palm oil mill effluent (POME). As the world's largest palm oil producer, Indonesia has immense potential to convert palm oil waste into a sustainable renewable energy source. The benefits extend beyond reducing dependence on fossil fuels to include increasing farmer income, creating local processing business opportunities, and reducing environmental pollution around plantations.
Clean Production of up to 478 GWh per Year
Evy Haryadi, PLN’s Director of Technology, Engineering, and Sustainability, noted that utilizing BioCNG in North Sumatra has the potential to generate up to 478 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of clean electricity annually.
"With BioCNG integration, PLN has successfully reduced carbon emissions by up to 80,000 tons per year and saved fuel costs equivalent to Rp48 billion annually," she said.
PLTGU Belawan has an installed capacity of 1,184 MW, supplying 10.96% of Sumatra's electricity and 30.75% for the northern Sumatra region. Throughout 2024, PLN's biomass co-firing program generated 854,000 MWh, a figure projected to increase with the use of BioCNG. This initiative demonstrates PLN’s technological readiness and full commitment to accelerating the clean energy transition, reducing fossil fuel dependence, and developing sustainable renewable energy for Indonesia’s future. (T2)
