PLN mulls applying CCUS at coal power

plants
Wednesday, July 28 2021 - 09:07AM WIB

State-owned electricity firm PT PLN is considering of applying carbon capture,

utilization, and storage (CCUS) technology at its coal-fired power plants in the
future in a bid to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and realize its 2060
carbon neutral target.
The application of the CCUS technology is part of the utility’s strategy to cut
down carbon emissions in addition to the planned gradual termination of coal
plants.
PLN Director of Corporate Planning, Evy Haryadi, was quoted by news portal
binis.com as saying there are challenges in applying CCUS at coal power plants,
namely the technology and economic aspects.
She, however, expected that the economic challenge of the CCUS application
will gradually decline going forward as the technology becomes cheaper. 
Read also: Govt prepares strategy to realize 2060 net zero emission
"In the next 15 years we hope that this technology can be applied economically.
So if this is done, we only need to retire 1 GW of our old (coal) power plants
which we estimate by 2030 can be retired," said Evy in a webinar on the Future
of Coal in the National Energy Mix late on Monday.
Under the PLN scenario, the CCUS can be applied at its coal plants in 2035.  In
addition, a nuclear power plant is expected to enter the power system in 2040 to
help meet growing power demand.
Evy said that by only applying the coal plant phasing out strategy, PLN coal
demand will drastically reduce after 2030.
However, if using the CCUS scenario, Evy said that the coal consumption could
be maintained at a certain volume until 2060.
Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak