Three state firms will cooperate in producing solar cells at a total cost of US$30 million, an official said.
“In the first phase, the solar cells which will be produced in the first semester of 2012 may have a capacity of 30 megawatts,” the deputy for infrastructures and logistics to the state enterprises minister, Sumaryanto Widayatin, said here Thursday.
The three state firms are electricity company PT PLN, construction company PT Wijaya Karya Tbk, and highway operator PT Jasa Marga Tbk.
Sumaryanto said the cooperation is part of synergy to deal with rising demand for electrical power.
“In the first phase, Jasa Marga will serve as off taker (direct user) of the solar cell production,” he said.
In addition, the solar cells will also help PLN meet electrical power needs in remote areas, outlying islands and hinterlands, he said.
The study on the development of solar cells has reached the final stage, he said adding the three state firms will soon set up a kind of subsidiary to carry out the project.
He said Indonesia has large potentials to develop solar cells.
“We have quartz sand deposits of up to 75 billion tons as raw material to make solar cell crystal or silicon,” he said.
