Pertamina starts construction of green hydrogen pilot plant at Ulubelu geothermal site, Indonesia
Source：hydrogen-central.com
Pertamina starts construction of green hydrogen pilot plant at Ulubelu geothermal site, Indonesia
PT Pertamina Geothermal Energy (PGEO) has broken ground on the construction of the Green Hydrogen Pilot Plant in in Ulubelu in Lampung, Indonesia. The green hydrogen production facility, planned to be operational by 2026, will be supplied by electricity from the Ulubelu geothermal power plant.
Early studies on producing green hydrogen at the Ulubelu site were first announced in 2021. The pilot plant will serve as a center for technology learning, testing of commercial feasibility, and further studies on demand and product quality. The facility will integrate Anion Exchange Membrane (AEM) electrolyzer technology, making it a global pioneer in the use of this technology for green hydrogen production.
Yuliot Tanjung, Deputy Minsiter of Energy and Mineral Resource (ESDM), commended PGEO for carrying out a business transformation that now includes both geothermal power and green hydrogen. Renewable energies will eventually disrupt fossil fuel production, which is the core business of parent company PT Pertamina (Persero). With green hydrogen production, the state-owned energy company now has two complementary renewable energies in their portfolio.
Simon Aloysius Mantiri, President Director of PT Peramina (Persero) added that the groundbreaking of the green hydrogen pilot plant is in line with the goal of the Pertamina group to be world-class clean energy company. With this intiative, the company aims to provie that geothermal-based green hydrogen technology can be implemented effectively. The project also lays the foundation for hydrogen regulations, standards, and business models in Indonesia that can be replicated in other regions.
In early 2024, PT PLN started operations on a green hydrogen production facility at the Kamojang geothermal power plant, making it the first geothermal-based green hydrogen produced in Southeast Asia.