“My Passion for Volcano Climbing Inspired a Career in Sustainable Energy”

Mother Nature works in mysterious ways, but perhaps it’s less of a mystery for Flower’s project manager, Hendra Putra. Born on the island of Sumatra, one of the most volcanically active regions in the world, his everyday life in his hometown of Bukittinggi was shaped by the closeness to the jungle, the wild animals, and the constant presence of two volcanoes.

“The volcanoes Marapi and Singgalang were very much a part of my everyday life. I started climbing volcanoes like these in University as a hobby, finding it gave me a lot of energy and a reminder to always stay in touch with nature. I think this feeling has lingered with me also as I have advanced in my professional career,” he says.

From passion to professional life

Hendra’s fascination with volcanoes and nature led him to pursue a career in geothermal energy, where he started to manage the developments of project sites across Indonesia. Geothermal energy is a stable and sustainable power source that harnesses heat from the Earth’s core, with power plants often located at the base of volcanoes.

“It felt like a natural progression for me. Working with sustainable energy sources and contributing to energy systems that are less harmful to the environment, like geothermal energy, became a key driving force.”

Moving into renewable energy

After a few years mastering the intricacies of geothermal energy, Hendra decided to shift his focus to the broader renewable energy sector. The main reason for this career move was the global transition towards renewable energy, along with his personal goal of contributing to reduced emissions.

“It dawned on me that renewable sources like wind and solar energy, along with battery storage systems, would be crucial in building the sustainable energy systems of the future. That’s when I decided to use my expertise to integrate more renewables and battery systems into the grid.”

Hendra joined Flower in the fall of 2024.

“Sweden is way ahead in the renewable energy game – this led me to Flower”

As Hendra advanced his career in renewable energy, he gained insight into how different countries approached the energy transition. A pivotal moment came when he learned about Sweden’s energy system.

“When I found out that over 60% of Sweden’s energy supply was renewable, compared to just 13% in Indonesia, I was impressed. But I also recognized the challenges this posed, such as increased grid volatility and negative price risks for producers. That’s when I heard about Flower. I believe the cornerstone of enabling the energy transition is to minimize the risks and increase the value for renewable projects, which I believe Flower is effectively doing. I hope I can contribute to making Flower a leading player in shaping the energy system of tomorrow. In some way, I feel like I owe it to nature”, he says.

In search of the “volcano of Sweden”

“I moved to Stockholm just a few months ago, and I’m still searching for a volcano-like hill or mountain to climb. I suppose I’ll need to head up north to find them. For now, though, the beautiful forests and lakes around Stockholm are more than enough, and life here is much quieter than what I’m used to, which is nice. But I hope to embark on a new climbing adventure soon.”