Page 15 - AsiaElec Week 09 2021

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“Aside from strong favourable market in 2006, Masdar now has an operational or 190 of these turbines. When complete, it will
conditions, relations between the UAE and under-development generating capacity of have a generation capacity of 3,600 megawatts.
Indonesia are also very strong,” Al Awadhi more than 10GW, with a presence in the solar The world’s first offshore wind farm, built
said. “The [Indonesian] government is also sector of countries such as Jordan, Morocco, 30 years ago off the coast of Denmark, had an
considering plans to develop an additional 60 Egypt and Armenia. The company recently output of 5 megawatts. The number of days
floating photovoltaic plants – capitalising on entered the US solar market and penned a required to build each unit has been reduced
its existing natural resources, with the country deal with EDF to work on renewables projects from 28 days to only half a day, and the cost of
containing over 600 lakes and reservoirs.” in Israel. construction has rapidly declined, as has the
Masdar recently formed a joint venture With the initial success of the PT PJBI cost of power generation.
with PT PJBI, a subsidiary of Indonesia’s collaboration in Indonesia, Al Awadhi said “We are surprised at the low prices offered
state electricity company PT PLN, to drive the firm is looking to maintain its growth in by European companies,” said Toshiaki
development of the 145MW floating solar Southeast Asia through similar collaborations: Kushima, deputy mayor of Yurihonjo, Akita
project at the Cirata reservoir in West Java. “Partnerships lie at the heart of our business Prefecture. European companies are interested
The plant will be built on 4% of the and investment philosophy.” in a large-scale wind farm off the coast of
reservoir’s water surface, with approximately Yurihonjo. The tender will take place in May.
350,000 solar panels arranged into multiple According to an estimate by the
islands anchored to the bottom of the International Renewable Energy Agency, the
reservoir using mooring lines. It will be RENEWABLES world’s electricity demand will increase to
connected to the 150kV Cirata switchyard, 48 terawatt-hours by 2050, 2.2 times that of
located 4km from the power project. Japan lags as economies 2017. This is because electricity will replace oil
After signing a power purchase agreement and coal in the transportation and industrial
for the facility early last year, Masdar is worldwide shift to sectors.
benefiting from PT PJBI’s local knowledge, as Moreover, as economies aim for carbon
two companies work on achieving financial renewable power neutrality, investment in green electricity
close, with construction slated to start in the generation that does not emit carbon dioxide
first half of 2021. The 21st century is becoming the age of will grow. The amount of electricity generated
Al Awadhi said that operating in Indonesia renewable power as economies around the by renewables will increase 7.5 times, and
requires the right network and local world ramp up their decarbonisation efforts. their share of the total will rise from 25% to
knowledge to deliver results, especially in But as the costs of solar and wind generation 86% in the same period.
areas such as site access, permitting, offtake dramatically decline, Japan is lagging behind
and regulations. “PJBI is playing a significant in its efforts to implement green electricity.
role in bringing the project to closing, In the port of Rotterdam, in the
particularly on the permitting work stream, Netherlands, a demonstration unit of the
on land-related matters and other crucial local world’s largest wind turbine, manufactured
activities. On our side, Masdar contributes by General Electric, has been built. It is 260
with its technical know-how through its meters high, with 107 meter blades, and
extensive renewable energy and clean each rotation produces enough electricity to
technology development experience across 30 power one household for about two days. The
countries around the world.” Dogger Bank wind farm off the coast of the
Founded by the Abu Dhabi government U.K., which is under construction, will boast

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