Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo recently launched a substantial floating solar power facility in West Java province. The 192 MWp project, valued at 1.7 trillion rupiah, is a step toward the country’s shift to renewable energy from coal. Developed by PLN Nusantara Power in collaboration with Masdar, a branch of the UAE’s Mubadala Investment Company, the solar infrastructure sits on the Cirata reservoir, complementing the existing 1,008 MW hydropower plant at the dam.
This installation is the world’s third-largest floating solar plant, and there are plans to expand it to potentially reach 1,000 MWp. Only 4% of the reservoir’s surface is currently occupied by the 13 arrays, leaving room for significant growth. Regulations permit the use of up to 20% of the reservoir’s area for the solar plant, and discussions are ongoing with Mubadala regarding the next phase of expansion.