Riau Police and Pekanbaru City Government Collaborate to Deploy Waste-to-Energy to Tackle Waste
Facing an escalating waste management crisis, the Riau Regional Police (Polda Riau) has collaborated with the Pekanbaru City Government (Pemkot Pekanbaru) to take concrete steps by introducing Waste-to-Energy (WTE) technology at the Muara Fajar Final Disposal Site (TPA) in Pekanbaru. This innovation is expected to be a permanent solution to the waste emergency in Pekanbaru while converting waste into a source of renewable energy.
Public Relations Head of Polda Riau, Comb. Brig. Gen. Zahwani Pandra Arsyad, said the role of Polda Riau in the WTE project is as a nexus (cross‑sector hub) coordinating a pentagonal collaboration bringing together government, business actors, academics, communities, and media.
“Why should the police handle waste? Referencing Broken Windows Theory, Polda Riau views that a dirty environment is the onset of social disorder. Waste management is a form of proactive policing (preemptive strike) against potential kamtibmas disturbances,” Comb. Brig. Gen. Pandra explained in a briefing on Thursday (5 March 2026).
More than waste management, through this WTE technology Polda Riau provides a guarantee of ‘security as a capital’ (security as capital). In this sense, the police ensure security and legal certainty, the investment climate becomes highly conducive, allowing large capital (investors) to come in to resolve Pekanbaru’s waste problem without burdening public funds (APBD).
Waste-to-Energy technology turns waste into energy
Waste-to-Energy is a solution to the piling waste problem at Muara Fajar. With this technology, it enables turning waste into energy: Biogas-Fired Power Plant (PLTBio). The mega-project is realised through a purely Business-to-Business (B2B) mechanism between the Pekanbaru City Government and the investor (PT ICE), meaning 0% budget absorption from APBD.
The realisation of this green investment is inseparable from the tactical involvement of the Regional Police (Polda) Riau. Under the leadership of the Riau Police Chief, Irjen Pol Herry Heryawan, the police institute acts not only as law enforcers but as accelerators of green economy through the ‘Green Policing’ programme and the ASRI Task Force (Aman, Sehat, Resik, Indah) formed at the initiative of the Police Chief.
Through the B2B scheme, PLTBio overseen by Polda Riau’s Green Policing programme is believed to yield a host of multiplier effects for the Riau Province, economically, ecologically, and socially.
“Technically, this advanced facility will capture the toxic methane gas from waste piles and convert it into green electricity with a capacity of 3 megawatts (MW). The facility is projected to supply 20.5 million kWh of electricity per year to the PLN grid,” Pandra added.
Not only will the project have a tangible impact on waste management, the PLTBio project is also expected to bring economic benefits for local government. Pekanbaru City does not need to pay tipping fees and the APBD burden for TPA operations will be greatly reduced.
Waste volume will be reduced by 80-90%, odour from the TPA will be drastically eliminated, and the risk of landfill fires can be prevented. In terms of revenue and the economy, the project not only profits from electricity sales but also potentially earns income from carbon credits estimated at Rp 6.7 billion per year.
For reference, based on data from the Waste Management Master Plan (RIPS), with a population of more than 1.16 million people, total waste piles in Pekanbaru in 2025 are projected to reach a staggering 1,378.37 tonnes per day. Of this amount, hundreds of tonnes drain to the Muara Fajar Final Disposal Site, which is currently over capacity.