Archaeological evidence shows that the first human use of geothermal resources in North America occurred more than 10,000 years ago with the settlement of Paleo-Indians at hot springs.
The springs served as a source of warmth and cleansing, their minerals as a source of healing.
While people still soak in shallow pools heated by the earth, engineers are developing technologies that will allow us to probe more than 10 miles below the earth's surface in search of geothermal energy.
In Indonesia, the exploration of geothermal energy began as early as 1974 with the pioneering Kamojang project in West Java, which continues to operate to this day.
Indonesia's geographical luck, being situated in the Ring of Fire, translates to possessing approximately 40% of the world's geothermal reserves, with much of this potential still untapped beneath the Earth's surface.
Source: Barito Pasific
We felt fortunate as we had the opportunity to visit one of the largest power generation company and geothermal steam producer in the world under the umbrella of PT Barito Pasific Tbk (BRPT) and PT Barito Renewables Energy Tbk (BREN), which is Star Energy Geothermal, last Thursday.
Source: Sucor Sekuritas
Our one-day trip took us to Wayang Windu in West Java, one of their three assets capable of generating 230.5MW out of a total of 886MW. Observing the 113.5MW and 117MW units in action, granted us valuable insights into the impressive scale and efficiency of their geothermal operations.
Source: Barito Pasific
Despite occasional rain, operations at Wayang Windu continue seamlessly, enduring all seasons throughout the year, always ready to meet the demand from their sole buyer, PLN, and 'electrify' millions of homes.
Assuming that one house consumes 1000 watts. Translating this to the context of Wayang Windu, with its impressive 230.5MW capacity, the facility has the power to light up approximately 230,500 homes!
And yes, electricity has become an essential need for all of humanity.
Flip the switch, and the lights goes on. Push a button, and the TV comes on. These things seem like magic- but they're not. So, how does Star Energy make this happen?
At Wayang Windu, water is boiled to make steam. The steam spins the blades of a turbine around, which turns a machine called a generator.
Source: Sucor Sekuritas
Inside the generator, a coil of copper wire spins around a set of magnets, which produces electricity.
Source: Sucor Sekuritas
The generated electricity is then transferred to PLN, through the power of interconnected systems. Cables act as conduits, carrying the electricity from PLN's power stations directly into our homes.
Source: Sucor Sekuritas
With approaches like these, approximately half, or around 3,153MW, out of the total electricity usage of 6,189MW in the West Java region is now electrified by this renewable energy — a significant step steering Indonesia towards sustainable energy practices, with the hope that the country continues to distance itself from non-renewable energy sources, aiming to achieve a 29% share of renewable energy mix by 2030 and eventually reach Net Zero Emissions by 2060.
In line with this, Star Energy remains actively engaged in contributing to these goals through various efforts, including capacity expansions to generate more than 1,200MW and the exploration of Hamiding and Sekincau, with the aim of becoming the world's largest geothermal energy producer.
Source: Sucor Sekuritas
In conclusion, these initiatives are undertaken to ensure that electricity prices remain affordable for the people, thereby making sustainable energy accessible to a broader population.
With a robust liquidity position, exemplified by USD 2.8 billion, and a well-maintained balance sheet despite ongoing expansion, we reaffirm our choice of PT Barito Pasific Tbk (BRPT) as one of our top stock picks.
All in all, energy is precious — let's not waste it!
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