TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Jakarta Acting Governor Heru Budi Hartono and the Jakarta Environment Agency inaugurated the construction of a refuse-derived fuel (RDF) plant in Rorotan, North Jakarta, on Monday, May 13, 2024.

“This facility will be one of the largest [waste-to-fuel facilities] in the world,” Heru said in his official statement on Monday.

He explained that the plant, spread across 7.87 hectares of land in Rorotan Village, Cilincing, is designed to handle up to 2,500 tons of waste per day, producing 875 tons of RDF each day. The construction of the project is funded by the Regional Budget (APBD) 2024, and it is projected to become operational by 2025.

Heru emphasized that the project is only a fraction of the city’s ambitious efforts to address the ciy's waste problem, reduce the tipping fees for Bekasi, and manage waste sustainably.

Asep Kuswanto, Head of the Jakarta Environmental Agency, highlighted the efficiency of waste transportation with the presence of the RDF plant, hoping it could also reduce the city's dependence on the Bantargebang TPST.

“Apart from reducing waste at a fairly efficient cost, this facility of course provides an opportunity for the Jakarta Government to increase its Regional Income (PAD) through RDF sales to off-takers, one of which is the cement industry,” said Asep.

RDF boasts of a calorific value equivalent to lignite coal, and it is a promising alternative to fossil fuels. The Jakarta RDF Plant is the second attempt by the provincial government to convert waste into alternative fuel after a similar facility at the Bantargebang TPST, which has been in operation since 2023.

ADINDA JASMINE PRASETYO

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