PT Pertamina Geothermal Energy Tbk (PGEO) has announced its plan to explore the development of a green data center powered by geothermal energy, through a strategic collaboration with the Indonesia Data Center Provider Organization (IDPRO) and the Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Indonesia. The agreement will establish the technical and commercial framework for the development of a green data center infrastructure roadmap, which will later support the transition into the implementation stage.
The Director of Exploration and Development of PGEO, Edwil Suzandi, said that based on projections of electricity consumption growth across industries, nearly 26% is driven by the expansion of data centers. National data center capacity is projected to increase from 520 megawatts (MW) in 2025 to 1.8 gigawatts (GW) by 2030.
PGEO’s Existing Role as a REC Contributor to PLN
Currently, PGEO already plays an indirect but important role in supporting green electricity consumption through Renewable Energy Certificates (REC) issued by PLN. These certificates allow corporate customers—including data centers—to claim the use of renewable energy, even though electricity is physically delivered through the PLN grid.
As one of Indonesia’s largest geothermal power producers, PGEO is effectively part of the renewable energy pool that underpins PLN’s REC program. This means PGEO is already contributing to the decarbonization efforts of energy-intensive customers, albeit through an intermediary mechanism.
However, REC-based consumption remains a financial and contractual solution, rather than a physical one. Electricity still flows through the national grid, and customers remain dependent on PLN for power delivery.
