Photo 1. Participants and speakers of the workshop took a photo together before the workshop started. 

The ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE) co-organised a mini workshop titled “Biomass Co-firing Implementation and Opportunities in Southeast Asia” in collaboration with China Energy Technology and Economics Research Institute (CETERI) on 9 January 2024, in Jakarta, Indonesia. The workshop is held as part of the joint research project between the two organisations, which aims at promoting clean coal technology implementation in Southeast Asia, particularly biomass co-firing. 

Accordingly, the workshop was organised in hybrid mode, discussing biomass co-firing applications in coal-fired power plants in Southeast Asia in general, and in Indonesia and Vietnam in particular. ACE invited participants from business players in the coal-fired power plant industry, relevant policymakers from Indonesia and Vietnam, a research institution, and a service provider in the biomass industry. 

Dr. Nuki Agya Utama, Executive Director of ACE, gave a short remark to open the workshop. He noted that Southeast Asian countries, experiencing robust economic growth, anticipate a rapid energy demand growth, with coal playing a significant role, posing a challenge to emission reduction efforts. He advocated for the adoption of clean coal technology becomes crucial to balance energy security, affordability, and environmental goals. He also briefly outlined how the joint study addresses challenges and gaps that have hindered or will obstruct wider CCT application in the region. 

Prof. Wang Xuelian from CETERI also gave her opening remark, starting by emphasising their collaboration with Indonesia and other ASEAN Member States through strategic agreements, with the 2021 MoU signing being the latest example, which led to the current joint research project on clean coal technology. Prof. Wang also stated that CETERI, which is part of China Energy Group, has always focused on supporting green energy, including clean coal power generation using the latest technology such as efficient coal power generators and carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS). 

The workshop is divided into two sessions. Suwanto, Senior Research Analyst of ACE led and moderated the first session, in which three speakers presented their works on clean coal technology applications and development. Slamet Handoko from the ASEAN Centre of Excellence for Clean Coal Technology and the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources of Indonesia opened the session by presenting the role of clean coal technology (CCT) in securing energy supply in Southeast Asia. He used Indonesia as the primary example as it is the largest coal consumer, producer, and exporter in the region. He noted that Indonesia is serious about promoting biomass co-firing to mitigate emissions, as shown by more than 60% of state-owned coal-fired power plants having implemented the technology by 2022. He also pointed out biomass supply security as one of the most prevalent challenges in the implementation of biomass co-firing and explained how the advancement of pyrolysis technology may answer this issue. 

Toto Wardoyo from PT PLN Indonesia Power as the next speaker shared his company’s journey in biomass co-firing implementation. He stated that PT PLN Indonesia Power has tried seven types of biomasses in around 12 coal-fired power plants to evaluate their performance. He then showed some power plants that have sustained biomass co-firing applications, including Suralaya PGU, which is one of the largest coal-fired power plants in Indonesia, and Sintang PGU, which has conducted a series of 100% biomass firing tests.  

Sigit Ardianto from PT PLN Nusantara Power continued the session by presenting how his company’s missions actively support Indonesia in achieving the national climate targets. He explained that PT PLN Nusantara Power has made progress in biomass co-firing, with nearly all their coal-fired power plants having held trials, while also producing 525 GWh of power from biomass until 2023.  He also emphasised Tembilahan power plant as one of the most successful power plants that have run biomass firing tests, which hit a 100% ratio without any major issues. 

In the second session, the workshop talked about how to advance the current progress of biomass co-firing implementation, which was led by Dr. Ambiyah Abdullah from ACE. The first presenter was Moristanto from the Directorate General of New, Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation of Indonesia. He explained the latest regulatory updates on biomass in Indonesia, specifically Ministerial Regulation No. 12 in 2023 on the utilisation of biomass as a fuel mixture in coal-fired power plants. He also showed the roadmap of biomass co-firing implementation roadmap, which suggested a rapid increase in 2025 onwards. 

The next presentation was delivered by Huyen Nguyen Thi Thu from the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam. She stated that by 2030, thermal coal power plants in Vietnam will have 30 GW capacity, in which a two-decade transition to biomass and ammonia for plants will be implemented contingent upon cost-effectiveness. She also stressed that the progress The next presentation was delivered by Huyen Nguyen Thi Thu from the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam. She stated that by 2030, thermal coal power plants in Vietnam will have 30 GW capacity, in which a two-decade transition to biomass and ammonia for plants will be implemented contingent upon cost-effectiveness. She also stressed that the progress of biomass and the technology of co-firing with biomass can be expanded if there is an adequate supply of raw materials, effective land utilisation, suitable electricity pricing, and favourable conditions in the transmission grid. 

Arief Noerhidayat from PT Comestoarra Bentarra Noesantarra had the opportunity to present his company’s work during the last 5 years. One of the company’s visions is to manage waste by turning it into alternative energy sources, including biomass, eventually to help Indonesia transition away from fossil fuels. Yet, he believed that coal would remain critical in our energy supply mix, and biomass can smooth this transition by providing a way to minimise emissions from the existing coal-fired power plants while we ramp up renewable energy penetration. 

Finally, Ryan Bhaskara from the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia in his presentation explained how to navigate the economic risks of biomass co-firing in Southeast Asia. Besides biomass supply security issues, which involve sustainable sources and appropriately large storage and treatment facilities, the pricing of biomass is key to the economics of co-firing applications. Besides, land competition can become an issue, considering high biomass supply requires large areas for plantation and may compete with other crops for food supply.  

The workshop concluded with Shania Manaloe, Research Analyst of ACE as the MC explaining the key takeaways from the workshop and the ways forward for ASEAN to advance biomass co-firing in coal-fired power plants in the region.