On Tuesday, 3rd November 2020, a mini Web Seminar with a topic of “Biomethane Development in Indonesia and the European Union: Opportunities, Challenges, and Lessons-Learned in Its Use as Bio-CNG” was held by RDI and under the Digital Global Biogas Cooperation (DiBiCoo) project, inviting experts from GIZ Indonesia and GIZ Munich/Feldafing as well as the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (MEMR) as speakers. Dr. Niken Prilandita, RDI Research Fellow, who was the Web Seminar Moderator, made a welcoming speech about the current Bio-CNG situation in Indonesia. Bio-CNG is made through removing H2S and CO2 content from Biogas into Biomethane which then compressed into a high pressure. The key issue in Indonesia, is the limited regulations made on the usage and utilization of Bio-CNG for Indonesian producer and consumer. After her statement, a video introducing DiBiCoo was also presented (available here), after the video has concluded, she then proceeded to give the floor to Dr. Johannes Anhorn from GIZ Regional Office in South Munich, continued then by Trois Dilisuhendri as the representative from MEMR, and Windri Aji Brata who is a GIZ ExploRE Advisor.
The first speaker was Dr. Johannes Anhorn, who brought the topic of “Supporting the Biogas Sector in Indonesia through Regional Collaborations” as he is also DiBiCoo’s project coordinator, he first elaborate and introduce the audience to DiBiCoo. DiBiCoo is a collaboration project between different countries to allow cooperation between biogas technology exporter countries and countries with emerging markets and DiBiCoo is also helping emerging countries in terms of transfer of knowledge and capacity building. Its mission is to establish a platform for business collaboration in renewable energy market from emerging countries and simultaneously reducing carbon dioxide emission. There are 5 key components in DiBiCoo which are information, cooperation, digital platform, demo projects/cases, and policy. The digital platform is aimed to allow networking and B2B matchmaking between the users in hope that new cooperation and exchange of information could take place within the platform. It also act as a database that could be used for biogas institutions stakeholders to find the right partner for their project. In addition, it also provide trainings, workshops, and seminar for its participant. To participate in DiBiCoo, interested institution or individual could head to DiBiCoo website at http://dibicoo.org/ to contact the team directly or they can reach out to RDI who act as DiBiCoo’s partner in Indonesia.
Moving on to the second speaker, Trois Dilisuhendri from MEMR presented the topic of: “Biogas and Bio-CNG Regulatory Framework in Indonesia”. Although the presence of Bio-CNG in Indonesia is new, but it has the potential to bolster the MEMR mission to put renewable energy in the share of 23% Indonesian 2025 energy mix, especially in biogas sector where gap between RUEN target and existing condition is extremely high (463.2 million m3/year). Out of 11 MEMR’s strategies in developing bioenergy in Indonesia, there are 2 point that discussed specifically about biogas which are point 7 and 8. Point 8 mentioned the use of Bio-CNG for commercial use in transportation, industry, and as LPG substitute. In terms of regulations, until this point there are several SNIs about biogas that have been published. One of them is SNI 8019:2014, about quality standard for high-pressured biogas that, that would be adjusted in 2021 to fit the need on Bio-CNG implementation. As for technology and project assessment, the MEMR has done some feasibility study for implementation of Bio-CNG in Central Borneo and East Borneo using POME and in Lombok where it used corn and husk as feedstock. PT. Dharma Satya Nusantara also in the process of building Bio-CNG based power plant with capacity of 2×500 kW. Overall, Indonesian government is looking forward to developing Bio-CNG plant to exchange the use LPG in large scale industry because not only it complies with the mission of energy security and energy utilization EBTKE Task Force in reducing LPG imports, but it could also help electrification in remote areas, reducing Indonesia foreign exchange, and eliminating greenhouse gas.
The last speaker is Windri Aji Brata with topic of “Opportunities and Challenges for Biomethane from POME in Indonesia”. As a member in GIZ Indonesia’s Project ExploRE, Windri explained the latest situation of Bio-CNG based POME and its potential in Indonesia. The ExploRE program is funded by German’s Ministry of Environment and Nuclear Safety that is partnered with Indonesian Government as well with its institution such as Financial Services Authority Indoneisia, Ministry of Finance, MEMR, and many more. The ExploRE Project involves desktop study of biomethane development from POME in Lombok, and Biomethane Plant monitoring are several projects of ExploRE in helping the MEMR in expanding the prospect of biogas. Windri stated that out of 800 palm oil plants, only 94 build a biogas plant with 57 are used for captive power, 37 of them sell the product as excess power, and only 5 of them are developed by Independent Power Producers (IPP). For Biomethane, there is only one plant in East Borneo that producing it. Indonesia itself has biogas potential of 1058 MW and currently only 106 MW is utilized. If people could look from economic point of view, Bio-CNG could be priced at 4.919 IDR/Diesel Liter Equivalent which is lower than diesel price and other fossil fuel, it is only slightly more expensive when compared with city gas. That number was taken by considering POME as the feedstock from palm oil plant with capacity of 60 tons. Biomethane could be used for city gas, vehicle fuel, diesel replacement, and LPG replacement though with its obstacles and benefits for each of them. One thing for sure is the Bio-CNG market should be located around 50-100 KM of the Bio-CNG power plant otherwise logistic could be a big issue, so that is the challenge for now.
In the end of the web seminar, each of the speakers gave their closing statements. It can be concluded that every representative are looking forward to collaborate and build Bio-CNG market in Indonesia as it is everyone goal to leave the non-sustainable fossil fuel and reduce the world greenhouse emission.
For more information on the Digital Global Biogas Cooperation (DiBiCoo) program, visit the website here, and DiBiCoo social media platforms, Twitter: @DiBiCooEU, Facebook (here), and Linkedin (here). Updates of RDI’s activities can also be accessed through our social media. Instagram & Twitter: RDI_Global / Linkedin: Resilience Development Initiative. The recording of this webinar can also be accesed via youtube: https://youtu.be/y0aFtkDm0HU