Exploiting endless energy sources

Exploiting the potential of renewable energy to reduce consumption and import of fossil fuels is a major challenge for Indonesia, Southeast Asia's largest country in the process of regaining high growth rates.

The only country in Southeast Asia to join the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), which exported a lot of oil but now Indonesia has become an oil importer. Due to inadequate investment in oil exploration and refining for decades, as well as weak management of 'black gold' resources, Indonesia is importing oil.

In order to regain high growth rates, Indonesia must rely on energy supplies, including renewable energy. In common parlance, renewable energy is understood to be energy sources or methods of energy exploitation that exist for a very long time, which can be said to be endless. For example, we will continue to receive solar currents for about 5 billion years before the Sun turns off.

A geothermal factory on the Indonesian island of Bali

With outstanding advantages not to cause environmental pollution, clean energy is increasingly being concerned by the world. In 2011, energy in general and electricity in particular produced from wind, sunlight, geothermal tides accounted for 1.3% of the total energy used globally. The top 5 countries in the world for renewable energy use are: USA, Germany, Spain, China and Brazil.

Being an archipelago, stretching and spreading on a large sea, rich in solar energy, wind, waves, geothermal, biomass, hydroelectricity, Indonesia has great potential for renewable energy . Because of its location on the Pacific 'Ring of Fire' , Indonesia has a large reserve of geothermal energy (accounting for 40% of the world's reserves). Currently, Indonesia has exploited 1,341MW in total reserves of 29,215MW of this type of energy.

By redirecting development to building a sustainable, sustainable green economy, the Indonesian Government is encouraging the development of renewable energy sources, with the goal of increasing the proportion to 17% of total electricity output. In 2025. To promote this advantage, the Indonesian Government recently issued a preferential tariff (FIT) for the development of electricity from biomass, waste and geothermal energy sources. In 2012 alone, there were 117 areas in Indonesia installed solar power stations with a total capacity of 4.8 MWp. This year, it is expected that 400 billion rupiah will be spent from the budget for solar panel development projects.

But overall, the share of renewable energy accounts for only 5% of Indonesia's total electricity output. The cause of this situation is the lack of investment capital, high cost of electricity production from renewable energy sources, weak infrastructure and insufficient to support the development of resources for exploit and promote the potential of renewable energy. In addition, it is geographically difficult to connect production with consumption centers located on an island nation of more than 17,000 islands.