Pertamina celebrates 100 years of geothermal exploration in Indonesia
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A hundred years after the first geothermal exploration in Kamojang, the geothermal site is now supplying electricity and empowering local industries.
PT Pertamina Geothermal Energy (PGEO) recently commemorated the 100-year anniversary of the first discovery of high-temperature geothermal resources in Indonesia, specifically in the Kamojang geothermal field in West Java. The event was celebrated with a site visit of PT Pertamina (Persero) and media representative to the Kamojang site, where PGEO also presented the various community projects that are utilizing geothermal energy.
A 100-year geothermal legacy
“One hundred years ago, Indonesia’s geothermal potential was first discovered in Kamojang. Today, we see how that history has evolved not only into a reliable source of clean energy but also provides real benefits to the community. Through this visit, we want to demonstrate how geothermal development not only generates electricity but also protects the environment and encourages local economic growth,” said Pertamina’s Vice President of Corporate Communication, Muhammad Baron.
The discovery of deep geothermal resources in Kamojang first happened in 1926, when Indonesia was still under Dutch rule. Following experience in Italy, J.Z. van Dijk suggested that the volcanoes in Indonesia be investigated for their resource potential. Thus, five wells were drilled inside the fumarole area in Kamojang. Well KMJ-3, which was drilled to a depth of only 66 meters, discharged dry steam at a flowrate of approximately 10 t/h. Two other holes discharged two-phase fluid but the flow was ultimately not sustained. (Sumardi et al., 2021)
In 1971, the Indonesian and New Zealand governments backed a bilateral aid project that conducted prospecting in Kamojang and several other geothermal sites in Indonesia. This eventually led to drilling of more wells in Kamojang which validated the presence of a vapor-dominated system. By 1983, the 30-MW Kamojang-1 geothermal power plant came online. This was the first operational geothermal power plant in Indonesia. Today, PGEO owns and operates five geothermal power plants in the Kamojang field with a total installed capacity of 235 MW.
Geothermal empowering local communities
Beyond providing a clean and reliable source of electricity, geothermal also empowers host communities by providing energy to local enterprises. PGEO highlights the Geothermal Dry House technology, where direct geothermal heat is used to dry coffee beans. By using geothermal, the coffee drying time has been shortened significantly and drying is no longer reliant on weather conditions.
PGEO is also developing the Kamojang Agri-Aquaculture Energized by Geothermal (KANYAAH) program, where geothermal heat is being used in various ways for fish farming, crop processing, and production of environment-friendly organic fertilizer.
Source: Pasar Dana and Jakarta Kita
