RI GOVERNMENT IS DEVELOPING SOLAR ENERGY FOR THE FISHERIES SECTOR

The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) is developing the utilization of solar power plants (PLTS) for refrigeration in the fisheries sector. “We are in the process of making a pilot project with the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) to support PLTS cold storage in KKP which so far has been relying on PLN (Electricity State-Owned Company). There is an opportunity to be able to make savings from the use EBT (New Energy & Renewable Energy)”, said Director of the EBT and Mineral Resources, Harris Yahya confirmed in Jakarta last Wednesday.

Harris explained, the Directorate General of EBTKE is developing a maritime economic cluster development program by identifying the potential for developing EBT to discuss the form of electricity supply business. “It is expected to be completed by August 2020,” he said.

Specifically in the marine and fisheries sector, cold storage is one of the most potential to be exploited by utilizing solar energy. From the available data, there are as many as 6 (six) of the companies that have cold storage with a total capacity of 3,850 tons requiring electric shock of 1,721 kVA. Hopefully this EBT benefit can improve the welfare and access to electricity to the community,” he added.

Another potential that can be developed on a micro scale is PLTS Roof. This condition is made easier by the ease of the mechanism provided by the government in building the power plant. *In Indonesia the mechanism is very simple. Just installing a solar PV rooftop meter, there is an export-import meter, the difference between the import and export is paid by the customer,” Harris said.

Public interest in PLTS Roof continues to experience significant growth. Until the end of December 2019, there have been more than 900 of 1,673 customers of new PLTS Roof since the regulation was issued in December 2018. (source: Antara News, edited by ARPI).