Masdar, PLN launch largest floating solar plant in Southeast Asia

The 145 MW power plant can meet the demand of around 50,000 households.

United Arab Emirates Masdar and Indonesian state-owned utility PLN firm have started the operations of the 145-megawatt (MW) Cirata floating solar power plant in Indonesia, the largest of its kind in Southeast Asia.

In a statement, Masdar said the power plant occupies a 250-hectare plot of the Cirata Reservoir in West Java Province.

The project can provide power to around 50,000 homes and scout about 214,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.

“It is symbolic of the ambition of HE Joko Widodo President of Indonesia, his Government, PLN Group and Masdar, that our first project in the country should also be the largest floating solar plant in the region,” said Dr Sultan Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, COP28 President-Designate and Masdar Chairman.

“With just a few days to go before COP28 in the UAE, it is exciting to see tangible progress being made on further ramping up of renewables capacity as we collectively seek to deliver unified action on climate change that will work for all parts of the world,” he added.

The parties recently signed an agreement to develop the second phase of the project which included an additional 500 MW capacity.