Indonesia’s energy firm Viron Energy plans to build the country’s first large-scale windpower plant in Sakubumi, West Java, this year with a total capacity of 30 MW.

Renewable energy division head of the state electricity firm PLN Muhammad Sofyan said after a discussion on alternative energy for industries last week that the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources had approved the project and the company was implementing necessary procedures for the ministry’s granting of an official permit to begin construction.

The plant was planned to be built in a year, he said, adding that PLN would buy the electricity produced by the firm at 820 Rp (9.2 US cents) per kWh.

Local and foreign investors expressed their interest in developing renewable energy in Indonesia .

The Indonesian government plans to install solar power panels in rural areas, not only at household scale, but also on a community scale./.