UAE’s Masdar, Indonesia’s PLN Ink Deals to Boost Floating Solar Projects

UAE’s Masdar and Indonesia’s PLN Sign Landmark Deals to Expand Floating Solar Power

Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company PJSC — Masdar, the UAE’s top clean energy developer, has teamed up with Indonesia’s state-owned electricity company, PT PLN (Persero), to advance the development of floating solar power projects in the region. This is a major step toward increasing Southeast Asia’s capacity for renewable energy.

The key agreements were signed during the official state visit of the President of the Republic of Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto, to the UAE. The signing ceremony was presided over by Masdar’s Chief Executive Officer, Mohammed Jameel Al Ramahi, and Dr. PLN President and Director, Dharmawan Prasodjo, who stressed the close cooperation between the two organizations.

One of the key outcomes of the partnership was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly develop a large-scale floating solar photovoltaic (FPV) project at the Jadiket Dam Reservoir in West Java. The move comes after Masdar successfully bid for the project in the Hijaunesia 2023 competition by offering the most attractive price. Work on the Jadiket Floating Solar Power Plant is expected to begin later this year, with completion expected in 2027.

This latest development comes as Mustar and PLN signed a principle agreement to explore the potential extension of the Sirata Floating Photovoltaic Power Plant, Indonesia’s largest floating solar power project to date. With an installed capacity of 145 MW and a start-up date of November 2023, the Sirata project is a key part of Indonesia’s green energy revolution.Over 50,000 households receive clean electricity from the facility, which also keeps over 214,000 tonnes of carbon emissions out of the atmosphere annually.

Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, CEO of Masdar, spoke at the event and emphasized the strategic importance of these partnerships:

“The Jatigede project will serve as another strong pillar in our growing partnership with PLN. These agreements demonstrate our shared resolve to hasten the implementation of renewable energy alternatives while also reaffirming our long-term commitment to Indonesia.

Dr. Darmawan Prasodjo of PLN echoed these remarks and reiterated the company’s commitment to helping Indonesia achieve its energy transformation objectives:

“We at PLN are steadfastly dedicated to spearheading Indonesia’s shift to a more sustainable energy future. This kind of cooperation is crucial to creating the international alliances needed to confront the climate catastrophe.

Indonesia, with its expansive geography comprising over 17,000 islands and more than 600 natural lakes and reservoirs, presents an ideal environment for the deployment of floating solar technologies. Indonesia has made achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 a distinct goal in its climate action plan. Additionally, President Prabowo has laid forth a bold plan to install over 75GW of renewable energy capacity in the next 15 years.

The new accords represent yet another significant step in strengthening the economic and sustainable development alliance between the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia. Masdar has gradually increased its presence in the nation since setting up its regional office in Jakarta in 2021, and in 2023 it entered the geothermal energy market.

Globally, Masdar has been scaling its renewable energy portfolio at an impressive pace — growing from 20GW of capacity in 2022 to an estimated 51GW by the close of 2024. The company is targeting a global capacity of 100GW by 2030, while simultaneously positioning itself as a world leader in the production of green hydrogen, a key enabler in the transition to a low-carbon future.