Geothermal energy has proven to be not only clean energy because it has very low carbon emissions, but also has succeeded in providing greater benefits. One of those who feel this benefit is potato farming around the Pertamina Geothermal Energy (PGE) Kamojang Area.
In Kamojang Hamlet, Bayongbong District, Garut Regency, potatoes are the main crop of agriculture. There is a breeding of potato seeds of the G0 variety that uses cocopeat as a growing medium.
Unfortunately, cocopeat waste cannot be reused for potato seedling without going through a sterilization process. So far, farmers used to carry out the sterilization process by steaming them conventionally.
In order to make a real contribution to society, PGE innovated, using Geotato (Geothermal Potato), an innovative tool for utilizing geothermal steam for the cocopeat sterilization process. The results of cocopeat sterilized with Geotato have proven to be very helpful for farmers in saving the cost of buying new cocopeat and conventional fuel for steaming cocopeat in the potato seed production process.
Armed with this innovation, the quality of cocopeat has also improved and resulted in an increase in the yield of G0 potato seeds. From the initial average, it can only produce 22 thousand to 30 thousand knol of potato seeds from 7 thousand plant cuttings to 28 thousand to 35 thousand knol of potato seeds from the same number of plant cuttings after using geothermal steam in the cocopeat sterilization process.
"The presence of geothermal energy has created a multiplier effect. Not only will it produce clean energy, but it will also boost the local community's economy," said Ahmad Yuniarto, President Director of PGE.
The positive impact continues. The use of geothermal steam for cocopeat sterilization is able to reduce the waste heap of cocopeat that is wasted by up to 300 percent because it can be reused up to 4 times. By using geothermal steam, carbon emissions can also be reduced from the results of using conventional fuels in the cocopeat sterilization process.
"We usually only know that cocopeat sterilization is done by traditional steaming. Often we had to buy a new cocopeat. Geothermal steam from PGE is very helpful in cocopeat sterilization because it can be reused up to four times. This greatly saves the cost of producing potato seeds," said Zamzam Nurzaman, chairman of the Mustika Hutan LMDH assisted by PGE Kamojang Area.
The "Geothermal Potato" program is one of PGE's initiatives in running a business by implementing environmental, social, and governance (ESG) aspects. Efforts to reduce waste and reduce carbon emissions from sterilization activities using conventional tools are in line with environmental aspects.
In addition, this program is also PGE's commitment to realizing the seventh Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on clean and affordable energy. This potato farmer's activity was greatly assisted in innovation for the cocopeat sterilization process by utilizing clean and affordable geothermal energy.
Not only that, the contribution to farmers' yields is in line with social aspects as well as in line with the eighth goal of the SGDs, which is to support inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.
It didn't stop there, PGE also assisted the Mustika Hutan LMDH farmer group in breeding new varieties of potatoes. The new variety was developed by the Bogor Agricultural Institute (IPB) in a greenhouse facilitated by PGE and named the PAUS PERTATO variety (One Pertamina Potato Inter-University Center). By developing this variety, farmers no longer need to buy potato seeds from middlemen. This is certainly very helpful in reducing production costs for farmers.
The planting of PAUS PERTATO cuttings was again carried out on October 4, 2021 at the Potato Geothermal Greenhouse. The cuttings planting activity was attended by Prof.Dr.Ir.Suharsono DEA as the head of the PERTATO PAUS seed development team. 5,000 cuttings of POPE PERTATO potato seeds were planted in this activity.
Planting cuttings will produce G0 potatoes which will then be distributed to potato farmers. The process of planting seedlings to harvesting takes about three months.
"This potato variety is intended to be developed in Garut under the name PAUS PERTATO, we also do not rule out the possibility that later this potato will be developed by farmers throughout Indonesia," said Prof.Dr.Ir.Suharsono DEA.
The "Geothermal Potato" program conducted by PGE has received recognition and awards at the 2020 Asean Energy Awards. PGE won first place in the ASEAN Energy Renewable Energy Best Practice awards for the Special Submission sub-category.
PGE is the only company in Indonesia that has successfully entered and received an award in this category. This ASEAN regional level award was given in a series of implementations of the 38th ASEAN Minister on Energy Meeting in Da Nang, Vietnam in November 2020.
