Jakarta—The world is entering a new era where renewable energy is no longer an expensive option. Darmawan Prasodjo, President and Director of PT PLN (Persero), stated that the innovation of Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) technology has opened up opportunities for clean energy to become more economical, replacing the old stigma that environmentally friendly energy is always high-cost.
“In the past, there was a view that if you want cheap energy, you choose dirty energy. Clean energy, on the other hand, is expensive. But now, this paradigm has changed. Clean energy is now not only environmentally friendly but also pocket-friendly,” Darmawan said in an official statement at the Electricity Connect 2024 forum on Wednesday, November 20.
Darmawan explained that BESS is one of the key technologies used to solve the main challenges of renewable energy. Energy sources such as solar and wind depend on natural conditions that are not always stable, so storing surplus energy is crucial to ensure sustainable supply.
“For example, the sun shines brightly during the day, but peak electricity demand is often observed at night. This is where BESS technology comes in, storing excess energy during the day for use when demand increases,” he explains.
Early in its development, BESS technology was expensive, costing over 20 cents per kWh. However, that cost has fallen dramatically thanks to improved technological efficiencies and larger production scales. “Now, the BESS price has dropped to only about 9 cents per kWh and continues to improve. This makes renewable energy more affordable and able to compete with fossil energy,” Darmawan added.
According to him, this development is a major breakthrough in Indonesia’s energy transition. With the support of technologies such as BESS, PLN is optimistic that it can accelerate the achievement of clean energy targets while ensuring that electricity tariffs remain affordable for the community.
“This innovation is about lowering costs and ensuring energy sustainability. With increasingly sophisticated technology, we no longer need to choose between cheap or clean energy. We can have both,” he concluded.
The Electricity Connect 2024 forum is a discussion platform for stakeholders in the energy sector to share views and solutions towards a cleaner and more efficient energy future. Developing technologies such as BESS is believed to be a game-changer in realising a sustainable energy transition in Indonesia. (Hartatik)
