TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, inaugurated a waste management facility using a refuse-derived fuel (RDF) system in Cilacap, Central Java, today, July 21.

In the facility, waste will be converted into coal briquettes as alternative energy to replace coal.

With the calories of 3,000 similar to coal, briquettes are expected to be a regional-scale power plant, said Luhut in the inauguration event in Central Jakarta, Tuesday, July 21.

Luhut explained that the RDF facility will not only be built in Cilacap, but it will also be developed in 34 regions across the archipelago. The plan will be proposed to President Jokowi so that the project will begin at the end of 2020.

According to the minister, investment for the development of the RDF facility in each region could be suppressed by Rp70-80 billion by utilizing domestic technology. Therefore, he demanded the Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT) draft the design by next week.

“I ask BPPT as asserted by the President that every project must use local products. Indonesia must not import when possible,” said Luhut, adding that the budget absorption must be optimized in the country to boost public consumption, especially in the current COVID-19 pandemic.

The process of turning waste into briquettes takes about 41 days. The briquette is sold at Rp300,000 per ton (US$20) for industry, cheaper than coal as its selling price is around US$40-50 per ton.

Read: Waste No More

FRANCISCA CHRISTY ROSANA