Jakarta – PT Pertamina Geothermal Energy Tbk (PGE) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with PT Pertamina Power Indonesia (Pertamina NRE) and Genvia, a French company that focuses on electrolysis research based on Solid Oxide Electrolyzer (SOEL), which is claimed to be able to reduce electricity consumption by 30% in the production of green hydrogen.
The project will be carried out in the Ulubelu Area as part of a pilot project to optimise PGE’s geothermal energy potential outside the electricity sector. “SOEL technology will be very important in lowering the levelled cost of green hydrogen production,” said PGE President Director Julfi Hadi at the Indonesia-France Business Forum in Paris, France, on Monday, September 26.
Julfi Hadi emphasised that using Genvia’s SOEL technology in PGE’s combined heat and power (CHP) geothermal power plant will be an important breakthrough. “This collaboration not only improves energy efficiency but also strengthens our position in the global green energy market,” he said. According to Julfi, using this technology opens up opportunities to create new sources of revenue from economically competitive green hydrogen.
The MoU signed continues the initial study conducted by Pertamina NRE and Genvia in July 2024. The study aims to create an attractive economic model for green hydrogen based on geothermal electricity in the global market.
John Anis, CEO of Pertamina NRE, revealed that this project is important in decarbonization efforts. “We at Pertamina NRE are excited about the collaboration with Genvia, which we believe will significantly accelerate the development of green hydrogen in Indonesia. This collaboration confirms our commitment to explore innovative solutions to achieve more cost-effective hydrogen production and maximize Indonesia’s green energy potential, such as geothermal,” he said.
According to him, developing green hydrogen technology will enrich Pertamina’s green energy portfolio and solidify Indonesia’s role in the world’s clean energy agenda. “We believe that this will bring many benefits to Indonesia, including reducing carbon emissions,” he added.
Genvia itself is a company formed through a public-private partnership, involving several major players such as CEA (French Alternative Energy and Atomic Energy Commission), Schlumberger, Vinci Construction, and the Occitanie regional government in France. The main focus is to accelerate the development of cleaner hydrogen technologies that are more environmentally friendly and efficient.
The SOEL technology developed by Genvia is expected to be a solution to the economic challenges in green hydrogen production in Indonesia and the global market. Florence Lambert, President Director of Genvia, expressed her enthusiasm in collaborating with Pertamina. “Through collaboration with Pertamina NRE and PGE, we see great potential in combining Genvia’s advanced technology with Indonesia’s abundant geothermal resources to drive a sustainable energy future. By exploring the potential of high temperature SOEL technology, we aim to unlock new efficiencies in green hydrogen production,” Lambert said.
From this collaboration, Pertamina hopes to increase Indonesia’s capacity to achieve the net-zero emissions target and strengthen national energy security through diversification of new renewable energy sources. (Hartatik)
