Helping to Reduce Electricity Emissions, Gunung Ungaran Geothermal Plant Requires Minimal Water

The Gunung Ungaran Geothermal Power Plant (PLTP) is reported to have the potential to help reduce emissions within the electricity sector.

Yoga Aribowo, a lecturer from the Department of Geological Engineering at the Faculty of Engineering, Diponegoro University (Undip), stated that CO2 emissions from PLTP are only around 100 grams per kWh, which is far below coal-fired power plants (PLTU) that reach approximately 900 grams per kWh.

“The larger the proportion of PLTP replacing coal-fired plants, the more it will contribute positively to the quality of the environment, including air, sea, and water,” Yoga said in a statement on Wednesday, 30 September 2026.

With a planned capacity of approximately 55 megawatts (MW), Yoga believes that the Gunung Ungaran PLTP can increase the supply of geothermal-based electricity while simultaneously increasing the share of low-emission energy within the electricity system.

“Development must still be carried out gradually and based on studies so that environmental management and community interests remain part of the project planning,” he added.

Furthermore, according to Yoga, the Gunung Ungaran PLTP does not require large quantities of water for its operations, aside from domestic needs and facility operations. He noted that once electricity production is underway, the PLTP will no longer require significant amounts of water.