PLN Stands Ready to Use B30 for Diesel-Fueled Power Plants

PT PLN (Persero) has has declared its readiness to operate Diesel-Fueled Power Plants (PLTDs) using B30. There are at least 4,435 PLTDs which are ready to use a blend of 30 percent by volume biodiesel with 70 percent by volume petroleum diesel. Currently, those PLTDs use B20 so that it is possible to use B30.

“We can use B30 anytime. We are ready when the Government is,” caretaker to President Director of PT PLN (Persero) Djoko Abdumanan said as quoted by Liputan 6, (17/6/2019).

The government will make it mandatory for biodiesel to have a bio-content of 30 percent from 2020. The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources is carrying out the road test of B30 on vehicles which will be completed by October 2019.

Djoko said the use of B30 on 4.435 units of PLTD is expected to absorb 660 kiloliter (KL) FAME which is more than the use of B20 that absorbed 451,723 KL. The 4,435 PLTDs across the country are able to generate a power capacity of 4,077 megawatts. “The use of B30 will increase FAME absorption.”

PLN is also preparing to use crude palm oil (CPO) on its power plants. A trial of CPO on PLTDs is being carried out at PLTD Batakan in Balilkpapan, East Kalimantan with a power capacity of 50 megawatts; at PLTD Supa in Pare-Pare, Sulawesi Selatan with a power capacity of 62 megawatts, PLTD Kanaan in Bontang, East Kalimantan a power capacity of 10 megawatts; and at Gas-Fueled Power Plants (PLTMG)  Jayapura in Papua with a power capacity of 10 MW. *** (Source: Liputan 6)