Jakarta (Indonesia Window) – The Indonesian Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources is pushing an addition of the capacity of solar power plants by 2,089.4 megawatts (MW).

"We are massively pushing solar energy with a target of increasing the power plants capacity of 2,089.4 MW. This is the right time to accelerate," the Director of Various Renewable Energy at the Ministry’s Renewable Energy Directorate General, Harris, said in a statement received by Indonesia Window here on Friday.

The target is achieved by developing large-scale solar power plants, one of which is in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) with an aim to reduce the cost of providing electricity.

In addition, the government is also developing power plants in ex-mining areas with a total capacity of ​​2,300 MW, namely, in Bangka Belitung of 1,250 MW, as well as in East Kalimantan province’s districts of West Kutai and Kutai Kartanegara of 1,000 MW and 53 MW respectively.

Some floating solar power plants will also be built with a total capacity of 857 MW in Wonogiri and Mrica eeservoirs in Banjarnegara, Central Java province; Sutami reservoir in Karangkates and Wonorejo reservoirs in Tulung Agung, East Java province; Jatiluhur and Saguling reservoirs in West Java province; and Singkarak reservoir in West Sumatra province.

The government is also developing cold storage solar power plants in coastal areas or maritime economic clusters by optimizing the state funds in collaboration with the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries.

Meanwhile, in frontier and outermost areas in eastern Indonesia, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources will develop hybrid solar power plants.

Reporting by Indonesia Window