Governor Bobby Explores Waste-to-Energy Cooperation with Finland

North Sumatra Governor Muhammad Bobby Afif Nasution is exploring cooperation with Finland on waste-to-energy (PSEL) processing. The partnership is expected to support waste management while strengthening electricity supply across various regions of North Sumatra, including remote areas. The existence of PSEL facilities is urgently needed to address waste management challenges in North Sumatra. A 15-megawatt PSEL project serving Medan City and Deliserdang Regency is currently underway. Bobby hopes the construction of similar facilities can be expanded to other areas, especially those that are hard to reach. “We hope Finland can support the programme to build this PSEL. We hope we can cooperate on the same scale or a smaller one in several regions,” Bobby said during an audience with Finland’s Ambassador to Indonesia, Pekka Kaihilahti, at his office on the 10th floor of the North Sumatra Governor’s Office on Jalan Diponegoro 30, Medan, Wednesday, 17 June 2026. Bobby stated that PSEL offers many benefits. Besides helping to meet electricity needs, the facility also provides a solution for managing community waste sustainably. The North Sumatra Governor also offered cooperation opportunities in the downstream industry sector. According to him, North Sumatra has great potential for industrial development due to its abundant natural resources and strategic geographical location on the Malacca Strait international trade route. Additionally, Bobby outlined several of North Sumatra’s leading commodities, including palm oil, which has significant potential for development through various derivative industries. “We are very open about palm oil processing; this is one of the most potential sectors in North Sumatra,” Bobby said. Meanwhile, Finnish Ambassador to Indonesia Pekka Kaihilahti expressed his country’s readiness to provide waste-to-energy technology, both on a small and large scale, in North Sumatra. Finland is also prepared to offer assistance, from technology implementation and waste sorting systems to public education. According to Pekka, waste was once a major challenge in Finland. However, through the development of waste-to-energy technology, only about one percent of waste now ends up in landfills. He added that Finland has developed a modular waste-to-energy system that can be applied in various scales. Small-capacity systems are considered suitable for remote areas, given Finland’s archipelagic and dispersed geographical characteristics, which are similar to Indonesia’s.