Indonesia’s first wind farm launched in Sulawesi

Indonesia’s first wind farm was recently inaugurated by the country’s President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo. The 100-ha Sidrap Wind Farm in Sindereng Rappang regency, South Sulawesi, is the first wind power project in the country and the largest of its kind in Southeast Asia. It will produce 75MW of electricity and can power up to 70,000 households, and is part of the 35,000 MW electricity programme by the government.

“Seeing that all the blades of the wind turbines in Sidrap rotate, it means there is enough wind here. I feel like I’m in the Netherlands, although I’m in Sidrap,” said President Jokowi in his speech.

The wind farm project was constructed by UPC Renewables, in collaboration with a local firm, with a total investment of US$150 million.

The electricity produced from the farm will be channelled to the networks of state-owned electricity company PLN and will be distributed to South Sulawesi, Southeast Sulawesi and West Sulawesi.

The President also said a similar project was being developed in Jeneponto, with the construction 80% completed. He added that another project was being developed in Tanah Laut, East Kalimantan, while another is set to be developed in Sukabumi, West Java.

The President said that the projects were viable since Indonesia is rich in sources of renewable energy, including geothermal and solar energy.

He added that power plants that sourced renewable resources had a total capacity of 2,000 MW and would continue to be developed to reach the target of a 23% contribution of renewable energy to the country’s electricity production by 2020.