Indonesia's biomass consumption target in 2024 nearly triples

JAKARTA, Jan 18 (Reuters) - Indonesia aims to triple its biomass consumption in power generation to 2.83 million metric tons in 2024, from 991,000 tons consumed last year in an effort to cut its emissions, an energy ministry official said on Thursday.

In the world's biggest thermal coal producer Indonesia, the fossil fuel accounted for 67% of the energy mix in power generation in 2023, putting the country among the world's top carbon emitters.

"We have sufficient coal, but this is an effort to phase down coal plants and reduce its carbon dioxide emission," Jisman Parada Hutajulu, a senior official at the energy ministry, told reporters.

Nearly a third of the biomass would come from sawdust, and the rest will come from woodchip, rice husks and palm kernel waste.

This year, 47 coal plants are expected to mix around 3% to 5% biomass in their fuel, up from 43 power plants last year, the ministry data showed.

Technically, coal plants can use up to 10% biomass blend without any significant modification, Jisman said.