Without digitalization, these power plants become less efficient.Jakarta (ANTARA) - State-run electric company PT PLN (Persero) is currently implementing a digital system in power plants in response to the intermittent challenge of the instability of renewable energy that still depends on natural and weather conditions.
PLN President Director Darmawan Prasodjo, during an opinion-hearing meeting here on Monday, noted that the instability of renewable energy burdens the power plants' system, thereby necessitating to put in place a digital system to handle the pressure.
This instability arose since during the era of nature-based renewable energy, the amount of electricity produced by power plants depended on the wind intensity.
As wind speeds increase, more electricity is generated and vice versa.
"Hence, for the last two years, we focus on digitalization," he noted.
Electricity fluctuations tended to occur solely during demand, thereby translating to the fact that electricity consumption rose in the noon and evening times but fell in the afternoon and midnight.
However, the emergence of renewable power plants, such as solar and wind energy used to produce electricity, are intermittent renewables in nature, thereby causing the company to often adjust its power plant operations.
When solar power plants produce electricity, then the utilization of fossil power plants that PLN owned will be reduced.
However, when the production of solar power plants decreases in the noon, then fossil power plants will be utilized to produce electricity.
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Five thousand sensors are present within power plants that necessitate the creation of an expert system from these sensors. When they experience an issue, such as overheating, it should be corrected immediately, Prasodjo explained.
"Without digitalization, these power plants become less efficient," he remarked.
PLN has conducted digitalization of power plants in its subsidiary companies, such as PT Indonesia Power and PT Pembangkitan Jawa Bali. Each has a digital system for power plants in the form of ICORE and REOC technology.
In addition, PLN unveiled Green Booster, which is a digital system to manage the addition of domestic renewable energy capacity.
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Translator: Sugiharto P, Fadhli Ruhman
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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