Bright Future of Biogas in Indonesia as The Heart of Green Development

Along with the various efforts to reduce GHG emissions, biogas and biomethane are present solutions from the energy sector, which demand continues to rise. DiBiCoo is a programme that focuses on accelerating the biogas market by facilitating collaboration between biogas developers in Europe
and emerging economies. Together with RDI Indonesia, DIBICoo organized a study tour and matchmaking event in Lampung and Bandung on May 30–31, 2022. The main purpose of the
activities is to share the best practices and challenges by seeing first-hand biogas plants established in Indonesia and providing direct networking sessions between biogas actors.

The Indonesian study tour is the last series of study tours facilitated by DiBiCoo. Lampung, one of the provinces with the best plantation potential in Indonesia, was chosen as the location for the study tour. From the size of the plantation area, there lies a potential for agro-industry waste for biogas plants. Three biogas plants in Central and East Lampung were selected—the Great Giant Pineapple (GGP) Company, the Hamparan Project GREE Indonesia, and the PD Semangat Jaya Mill. About 19 participants from 15 companies and organizations participated in this field visits including Ecody Agro Energi, Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS), and DSN Limited from Indonesia, as well as GIZ, German
Biogas Association, and WIP Renewable Energies Germany, GreenCape South Africa, Austria Energy Agency (AEA), Total Energies France, European Biogas Association (Beligum), and Esthonian Biogas Association.

Various insights were obtained from this one-day trip, including the integration of plantation with biogas plant, which forms a closed production system, waste treatment, and reuse of digestate for production process. The differences in scale between one site visited and others have also been sufficient to illustrate an overview of the different business models, technologies, operational and management strategies, and
challenges faced. Opened by Director of Bioenergy Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resource, Edi Wibowo, the session was started with the presentations from four biogas experts in Indonesia—Jaya Wahono from Clean Power Indonesia, Dody Setiawan from GIZ Indonesia, Harry Pujiansyah from Asindo Tech, and Shinta Mulyasari from Ecody Agro Energi. Through the four speakers, biogas opportunities in East Nusa Tenggara, Kalimantan, and Sumatera islands were exposed globally. Prior to the matchmaking session, several European biogas experts were also given the opportunity to share their projects, including James Mcgreer from Renewable Gas Forum Ireland, James Soo from Vaisala, and Galuh K from ÖKOBIT GmbH, discussing technology or project they are currently developing, as well as
challenges and alternative measures from their experiences. Apart from various restrictions due to uncertain post-pandemic conditions, the matchmaking event was held successfully in Bandung and has
had a major impact on the cooperation formed between Indonesia and various European biogas developers. The huge amount of waste and its advantages have the potential in contributing to emission
reductions, hence make biogas a promising prospect in the future.