JAKARTA — Efforts to accelerate the clean energy transition in Indonesia are moving forward. PT Bukit Asam Tbk (PTBA) has officially partnered with PT Pertamina New & Renewable Energy (Pertamina NRE) to explore collaboration on developing solar power plants (PLTS) within the company's operational areas. The primary focus of this collaboration is to optimize the use of post-mining land, giving it a "new life" as a source of green energy.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by both parties, marking a significant milestone in strengthening the national New and Renewable Energy (NRE) portfolio and supporting the Indonesian government's Net Zero Emission (NZE) target.

A Solution to the Challenge of Securing Solar Power Plant Land
PTBA President Director Bambang Ismawan revealed that land availability and acquisition have historically been major obstacles in large-scale solar power plant development. Conversely, PTBA possesses vast tracts of post-mining land that have already undergone reclamation.

"One of the challenges for solar power plants is land provision. On the other hand, we have extensive post-mining land that has been reclaimed. It would be ideal if, following reclamation, these areas could serve as new energy sources," Bambang stated.

In this initial exploratory phase, over 250 hectares of post-mining land—deemed highly promising—have been prepared for integration into solar panel infrastructure projects.

Strengthening the NRE Portfolio and Sustainable Technology
Meanwhile, PTBA’s Director of Downstreaming and Product Diversification, Turino Yulianto, emphasized that mastering technology is crucial to realizing a sustainable energy future without compromising energy security or economic growth.

In addition to actively developing coal downstreaming projects—such as Coal-to-DME, Synthetic Natural Gas (SNG), and Potassium Humate—PTBA continues to consistently expand its green energy business portfolio. To date, the total capacity of the solar power portfolio operated by the company has reached 1.2 megawatts-peak (MWp) and is set to grow further through strategic synergies, such as the one with Pertamina NRE.

Through this collaboration between State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs), assets previously associated with extractive mining activities are being transformed into hubs for future energy. This initiative is expected not only to significantly reduce carbon emissions but also to unlock opportunities for green funding, thereby supporting environmentally friendly national energy independence.

Source : https://kumparan.com/kumparanbisnis/pt-bukit-asam-dan-pertamina-nre-garap-plts-di-lahan-pascatambang-250-ha-27iRDNHqJoj