Abu Dhabi, UAE — Clean energy developer Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar) and PLN Nusantara Power (PLN NP) have signed an agreement to develop Phase II of the successful Cirata floating photovoltaic (FPV) power plant in Indonesia by up to 500MW, in a major expansion to Southeast Asia’s largest FPV plant.
The initial 145MW phase of the innovative floating PV project, located in the picturesque Cirata reservoir in West Java, Indonesia, is expected to come online later this year.
A recent regulatory development from the Ministry of Public Works and Housing in Indonesia now allows up to 20 percent of water coverage for renewable energy uses which will open up the Cirata expansion to a further 500MW, in addition to the 145MW expected to be operational this year.
The signing ceremony was witnessed by UAE Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, Suhail Al Mazrouei, Indonesia’s Minister of Defense, HE Prabowo Subianto, and Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister of Maritime and Investment Affairs, HE Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan.
Al Mazrouei said, “The UAE and Indonesia share a common vision of achieving sustainable development and realize that renewables are at the heart of this vision. I am pleased to see that this partnership has been taken to the next level. Such partnerships feed into our priorities for COP28, where the energy transition will be front and center with a concerted push to triple renewable energy capacity by 2030.”
Indonesia is a key strategic market in Southeast Asia for Masdar with an expanding portfolio of interests. Masdar developed the region’s largest floating solar facility, the 145 MW Cirata floating solar PV plant (Cirata Phase I) in a joint venture with PT PJB, now PLN NP.
In February 2023, Masdar entered the geothermal energy sector through a strategic investment in Pertamina Geothermal Energy (PGE). Masdar also opened an office in Jakarta, Indonesia, in 2021 to further strengthen links with key players within the region.
Indonesia has plans to increase its renewable energy mix and has pledged to reach net-zero emissions by 2060 or sooner. The Southeast Asian nation has committed to a 29 percent reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030, or a 41% reduction with international support.
Established in 2006, Masdar is active in more than 40 countries with a total combined electricity generation capacity of more than 20GW. It has invested, or committed to invest, in worldwide projects with a combined value of more than US$30 billion with ambitious growth plans to reach 100GW and 1 million tons of green hydrogen by 2030.