Committed to Being a Net Zero Industrial Estate, Jababeka Inaugurates PLTS Atap and Jababeka Net Zero Forum

INDUSTRY.co.id - Cikarang – After announcing and signing a commitment towards a net zero industrial cluster at the B20 Summit at the G20 Summit series last November 2022, PT Jababeka Tbk realized a Rooftop Solar Power Plant (PLTS) and formed the Jababeka Net Zero (JNZ) Forum.

The inauguration of PLTS Atap in Jababeka-Cikarang Industrial Estate and the declaration of Jababeka Net Zero Forum took place at the President Executive Club, Wednesday (11/1/2023)

Jababeka-Cikarang Industrial Estate is currently part of the Net Zero Industrial Estate group initiated by the World Economic Forum (WEF), and is the first industrial cluster in Southeast Asia along with 11 clusters in various parts of the world that are already committed to realizing net zero emissions.

The inauguration of the PLTS Atap itself was accompanied by a declaration of the establishment of the JNZ Forum. The purpose of the forum is as a forum for companies in the Jababeka Industrial Estate to share knowledge, build partnerships and advocate for policies to realize decarbonization solutions in the Jababeka Industrial Estate.

“Real action to realize industrial decarbonization is our common challenge. A big movement started from one step, and the momentum of the Jababeka Rooftop Solar Power Plant ceremony and the establishment of the Jababeka Net Zero Forum is the first step in realizing the vision of decarbonization towards a Net Zero Industrial Estate,” said Tjahjadi Rahardja, Deputy President Director of PT Jababeka Tbk.

“And PLTS Atap Jababeka is a commitment from Jababeka to collaborate with Pertamina through Pertamina NRE by building rooftop solar power plants at Water Treatment Plants one and two with a total capacity of 230 kWp. The solar power plant has been built in the first phase that has been built and there will still be many further developments and other decarbonization technologies in the Jababeka (Area),” added Agung Wicaksono as Managing Director of PT Jababeka Infrastruktur

The inauguration of the JNZ Forum was marked by the awarding of appreciation plaques for companies that became co-signatory net-zero industrial clusters in the last B20 Summit series, namely Hitachi Astemo, Unilever, and L’Oréal with Pertamina. The establishment of the JNZ Forum is also a forum to collaborate on decarbonization to realize the Net Zero Industrial Estate, where the target of the Jababeka Net Zero Forum is to become carbon neutral by 2050.

In his remarks, Nicke Widyawati as President Director and CEO of Pertamina, said that the use of renewable energy solutions such as solar power plants can reduce carbon emissions from industrial activities. However, industrial companies or industrialists cannot declare 100 percent renewable energy if they are located within an industrial area, because it is the manager of the area who has to change it.

“For this reason, I would like to congratulate Jababeka as the first driving force in Southeast Asia, which declared a net zero region. And in this case Pertamina through Pertamina NRE gives a commitment to (participate) in building this. However, we are not present as a competitor but we are here as a collaborator for all companies that want to move to increase penetration in renewable energy. This is certainly the first step. We start from the small step and this is the first step. We will continue to realize net zero emissions in 2060,” said Nicke.

Pertamina New and Renewable Energy Chief Executive Officer Dannif Danusaputro, added, “I hope that these tenants in Jababeka are aware or have awareness to reduce carbon emissions. Because, we are part of Indonesia that has launched a net zero emission target and also has the ambition (to achieve) zero carbon emissions. So, as a businessman and industrialist who produces products, I really hope that all regional tenants have a roadmap to combat carbon emissions.”

The same thing was also conveyed by the Director General of EBTKE of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources of the Republic of Indonesia Dadan Kusdiana, who was present on behalf of the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources of the Republic of Indonesia, Ir. Arifin Tasrif.

He appreciated the collaborative steps taken by Jababeka and Pertamina for the successful construction of rooftop solar power plants and efforts in achieving the first net zero industrial cluster in southeast Asia and becoming one of 12 regions in the world. Dadan hopes that PT Jababeka Tbk with the construction of PLTS Atap and its JNZ Forum can become a role model for other industrial estates.

“Solar power plants for the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources place solar power plants as something strategic. Not only in terms of energy, but also (as) a driver from the economic side. We are now setting up an ecosystem. We go upstream, so that the supply chain occurs domestically and utilization occurs domestically. We also prepared the regulations as well,” Dadan said, in his remarks.

However, Jababeka realizes that achieving decarbonization requires strong synergy with companies within the Jababeka Industrial Estate. Periodic meetings at the JNZ Forum will be held to be able to establish synergy between Area managers and tenants so that the use of new and renewable energy (EBT) in the Jababeka Industrial Estate can increase.

Furthermore, Tjahjadi Rahardja explained that Jababeka will cooperate with tenants to compile a roadmap together for the Jababeka Industrial Estate to achieve net zero by 2050. Currently, there are 8 companies in the Jababeka industrial estate that have applied rooftop solar power plants with a total capacity of more than 3.2 MWp, and at least more than 4 MWp in the construction process.

In front of the 100 tenants present, Tjahjadi Rahardja did not forget to invite tenants and utility companies holding business areas in the Jababeka industrial area ranging from PLN, Cikarang Listrindo to Bekasi Power to contribute and jointly realize the Jababeka Net Zero cluster.

The Jababeka Net Zero cluster will also be discussed at the WEF Annual Meeting on January 16-20, 2023 in Davos.  Solar power plants as renewable energy are one of many other solutions for decarbonization in industrial areas such as energy efficiency, waste processing for circular economy, exploration of the use of hydrogen as an energy source, and others.

The inauguration of the PLTS and the Forum was continued with a Talkshow entitled “PLTS Atap to Support Net Zero”. Led by Accenture Management Consulting Manager Suka Pradita as moderator, the first talk show in a series of discussions to discuss various decarbonization solutions presented 3 speakers who shared their experiences in building rooftop solar power plants in industrial estates, namely CEO of PT Pertamina New & Renewable Energy Dannif Danusaputro, Managing Director of PT Jababeka Infrastruktur Agung Wicaksono, and Corporate Advisor (former General Manager) of PT Hitachi Astemo Bekasi Manufacturing Yuliar Iqbal.

The talk show was interesting with many Jababeka tenants asking questions. In the talk show, an important point was raised where the importance of synergy or collaboration between all stake holders. Because, the purpose of the JNZ forum is (1) to synergize the aspirations and goals of tenants in the Jababeka Industrial Estate, namely to achieve net zero, (2) for government partner forums to encourage environmental policy, both net zero clusters or nationally targets can be achieved as scheduled.