Indonesia Starts Building 92 MW Floating Solar Plant
Indonesia’s state utility PLN has started building a 92 MW floating solar plant on West Java’s Saguling reservoir, set to open in Nov 2026. It will produce 130 GWh yearly and cut 104,000 tons of CO₂. PLN calls it a key step toward adding 42.6 GW of renewables by 2034, including 17.1 GW of solar.
Indonesia’s state utility, Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN), has officially started the construction of a new 92-megawatt-peak (MWp) floating solar power plant, furthering the nation’s ambitious renewable energy goals. The project is located on the Saguling reservoir in West Java province, approximately 180 kilometers from the capital, Jakarta.
PLN announced Friday that the plant is scheduled to begin commercial operations in November 2026. Once active, it is projected to generate over 130 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of clean electricity annually. This output is expected to cut the country’s carbon emissions by an estimated 104,000 tons per year.
“The Saguling floating plant will be an important marker of Indonesia’s clean energy transformation,” PLN Chief Executive Darmawan Prasodjo said in a statement, highlighting the project’s strategic importance. While the total investment for the Saguling plant has not yet been disclosed, it represents a key step in the country’s energy transition.
Building on Success
The Saguling project is not Indonesia’s first foray into large-scale floating solar. It follows the landmark launch of the Cirata floating solar farm, also in West Java. The Cirata facility, a 1.7 trillion rupiah ($108.7 million) joint venture between PLN’s Nusantara Power unit and the United Arab Emirates’ renewable energy firm Masdar, is currently the largest floating solar plant in Southeast Asia.
The construction at Saguling signals Indonesia’s commitment to scaling up this technology. Both projects are crucial components of the government’s long-term energy plan, which aims to add 42.6 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy to the national grid by 2034. Solar power is set to be a major contributor, accounting for 17.1 GW of this new capacity. These projects demonstrate a clear strategy of utilizing the nation’s vast water surfaces to generate clean power.
Indonesia’s Renewable Energy Drive
As the world’s largest archipelagic state, Indonesia possesses numerous inland water bodies, such as reservoirs and lakes, which are ideal for developing floating solar farms. This technology, often called “floatovoltaics,” provides a powerful solution to the challenge of land scarcity that can hinder the development of traditional ground-mounted solar plants, especially on densely populated islands like Java.
Indonesia, one of the world’s largest emitters of greenhouse gases, has historically relied heavily on coal for its electricity generation. However, the government has pledged to achieve net-zero emissions by 2060. To meet this target, it is aggressively pursuing renewable energy sources, with a particular focus on its significant solar, hydro, and geothermal potential. Projects like the Saguling and Cirata floating solar plants are central to this transition, showcasing a practical path for the country to reduce its fossil fuel dependency and embrace a sustainable energy future.
