Floating solar plant in Indonesia to become world's largest

Floating solar plant in Indonesia, which was commissioned last month, will be expanded to become the world's largest floating photovoltaic plant. The existing 145-megawatt solar park on the Cirata reservoir in West Jakarta is expected to be expanded by a further 355 megawatts.

The plant already generates enough renewable energy to meet the electricity demand of around 50,000 households, while saving 214,000 tonnes of carbon emissions annually.

UAE energy company Masdar has signed a cooperation agreement with Indonesian state-owned energy company Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN). Building on their previous cooperation, the companies presented a joint study at the COP28 climate conference on tripling the capacity of the Cirata floating solar plant to 500 MW.

The companies also agreed to explore the possibility of building additional renewable energy installations and the associated opportunity to produce green hydrogen.

Good conditions for solar power plants

With favorable conditions for solar power, the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia are well positioned to become hubs for green hydrogen production. Both countries have ambitious goals for achieving carbon-free energy, and the deepening cooperation between Masdar and PLN is making a significant contribution to them.

"To solve the climate crisis, we need more smart projects like Cirata. With its robust economy and abundant renewable resources, Southeast Asia is a key investment destination for Masdar. Through our deepening cooperation with PLN, we will continue to pioneer innovations in solar energy, green hydrogen and other key areas to support the region's energy transition." said Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, CEO of Masdar, at the COP28 conference.