Jakarta – State electricity company, PT PLN (Persero) is increasingly using biomass to partially replace coal (co-firing) during the energy transition period for coal-powered plants (PLTU). One of them is the Jeranjang PLTU co-firing program in West Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB).
PLN’s General Manager for the NTB Main Unit, Sudjarwo, explained that throughout 2022, PLN had implemented co-firing technology at two PLTU locations in NTB, namely the Jeranjang PLTU located in Taman Ayu Village, West Lombok, and the West Sumbawa PLTU in Taliwang, West Sumbawa Regency.
Co-firing refers to the practice of burning two different types of fuel simultaneously in a power plant. In a PLTU, co-firing usually involves adding biomass to the coal before it is burned in the boiler.
“The type of co-firing used is waste that has been processed into ‘solid recovered fuel’. It could be rice husks, sawdust or wood chips or pieces,” said Sudjarwo in a written statement this week.
Through this co-firing program, PLN not only intends to replace coal with biomass, but also builds a reliable biomass supply chain by involving the community, which in its supply has a direct economic impact for them.
According to Sudjarwo, this co-firing community economic program is also PLN’s concrete step in responding to global problems. To continue to maintain the continuity of the supply of biomass, PLN has also initiated supply chain development through mentoring programs, small-scale development pilot projects to the commercialization of biomass involving various elements of society.
Meanwhile, Barwan, a distributor of sawdust biomass used for co-firing in Jeranjang PLTU, admitted that in one month, he could provide up to 300 tons of sawdust.
He said, the process of providing sawdust or wood chips must go through several stages before they are ready to be used for co-firing. It starts with collecting sawdust at a wood collection or cutting site, then packing it in sacks and taking it to the shelter first to dry, before sending it to the Jeranjang PLTU. (Hartatik)
Banner photo: Mamang Kalem/shutterstock.com
