PLN completing 100 solar power plants in Indonesia's remote islands

PLN is close to completing 100 solar power plants with a total capacity of 18,150 kilowatt peak on dozens of small and remote islands in Indonesia.

These islands are located in West Papua, North Maluku, East Nusa Tenggara, South and Southeast Sulawesi and South Kalimantan.

“The progress [has gone] smoothly, and by the end of this year around 80 solar plants [will] have been constructed. The rest are expected [to be completed] next year,” said Perusahaan Listrik Negara operational director for eastern Indonesia, Vickner Sinaga.

The project costs around $63 million.

The government has initiated projects to add another 30,000 MW of power to the national grid by 2014 through a

fast-track program using coal, geothermal and hydroelectric resources. The preferred source differs by region, Vickner said.

For remote islands, solar power plants are more economical, partly because consumption in such areas is low, he added.

“In Java, it is better to use diesel power plants when there is a lack of power. Solar power plants with 100 kWp would only last for five hours in Java,” Vickner said.

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