ADB Approve $300m Geothermal Loan Indonesia

The Asian Development Bank has approved a USD 300 million loan to help PT Geo Dipa Energi, an Indonesian state-owned company, expand its geothermal power generation capacity by 110 megawatts in Java, the country’s largest electricity grid and a challenging market for the development of renewable energy. ADB will also manage a USD 35 million loan from the Clean Technology Fund for the project.

Indonesia has the world’s largest geothermal potential, with an estimated 29 gigawatts, and the world’s second-largest installed geothermal capacity of 2.1 GW. ADB, through its private sector finance operations, has had a long-standing interest in Indonesia’s geothermal sector, supporting projects at Muara Laboh, Rantau Dedap, and Sarulla. But the development of geothermal power remains slow, largely because the exploration phase is costly, lengthy, and high risk.

The Geothermal Power Generation Project will support the construction and commissioning of two geothermal plants at Dieng in Central Java and Patuha in West Java by GDE, a state-owned enterprise focused on geothermal exploration, development, and power generation. It will boost GDE’s capacity to plan and execute projects and undertake government-supported drilling, which aims to attract much-needed private sector investment to develop new geothermal areas. In addition, GDE will provide direct assistance to nearby communities, including women and other vulnerable groups, and help improve livelihoods.