Geothermal energy solid waste management: Source, type of waste, and the management

Abstract

Indonesia is one of the countries which have geothermal potential as a renewable energy resource. Forty per cent of the world's geothermal energy potential, at 28,000 megawatts (MW) is estimated found in Indonesia. Activities in geothermal also generate some waste, including solid waste. The sources of solid waste in geothermal energy are including drill cuttings, scale from cooling water, scale from maintenance, domestic waste, hazardous solid waste from the machine and heavy equipment maintenance, and others. The objectives of this study are to determine the variety of solid waste sources, types and characteristics of solid waste, and management of hazardous and non-hazardous solid waste in Indonesia's geothermal energy utilization. The methods used in this study are field observation, literature review, and interview with the worker in the geothermal field. The source of solid waste is generally similar because of similar activity. The primary solid wastes generated from Indonesia geothermal field are drill cutting, scale, domestic waste, silica sludge, and organic waste. The source for solid waste is similar to other countries such as exploration and production, maintenance, laboratory analysis, and also power generation activity. Indonesia geothermal field manages its organic waste generally by composting. The other non-hazardous waste is delivered to the waste bank or environmental community to be recycled or reused. They manage hazardous waste with the third party and also collect it first at the final disposal site. To reduce solid waste from the geothermal field, they should have suggestion and innovation program to manage their solid waste.