- Geographical advantages make Indonesia strong in the solar sector as well as the geothermal sector.
- Indonesia needs nuclear to achieve net zero emissions.
- Government and public awareness contributes to efforts to increase the national mix.
August 17th is Indonesia’s independence day which was fought for by the nation’s heroes. Do Sobat EBT Heroes still feel its spirit until now?. Are there any ceremonies, competitions, or decorating the neighborhood with flags?. Make sure when Sobat EBT Heroes are celebrating still protecting the environment and be sustainable!.
Indonesia became independent and became a nation state after the proclamation of independence by Soekarno-Hatta. Indonesia’s independence and now being a large country also makes it one of the largest energy consumers in the region.
Indonesia’s energy is currently mostly based of fossil fuels. To deal with it Indonesia’s steps to overcome this fossil energy dependence with efforts to make a new renewable energy mix of 23%, but by 2024 it is still at 13%.
Indonesia’s power in various elements of the renewable energy
Indonesia has the most power in the solar and geothermal power mix. This power comes from the geographical factors that Indonesia has, as detailed below;
Solar Energy:
Indonesia is located on the equator, so it gets sun exposure throughout the year. This solar energy potential can be utilized through the development of solar panels to generate electricity. The potential of solar power in Indonesia is 3,294.36 GW, the current installed capacity (ground mounted solar power plant, floating solar power plant, rooftop solar power plant) is 573 MW.
So the sun’s heat does not only have an impact on browning the skin, but it is also useful as an energy producer for Sobat EBT Heroes’s activities. Do Sobat EBT Heroes know Cirata floating solar power plant? that is one of its applications to converts sunlight into electricity.
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Geothermal Energy:
Indonesia is one of the countries with the largest geothermal reserves in the world. Indonesia has many active volcanoes that provide great potential for geothermal energy. The country’s location right on the Ring of Fire has a geothermal power potential of 23.9 GW, the current installed capacity of geothermal power plants is 2,417.73 MW.
Geothermal has good potential for Indonesia’s emission reduction efforts to reach NZE 2060 or sooner. This potential is not as bright as with solar panels because the construction of geothermal plants requires environmental permits and the price of electricity from geothermal is not yet competitive.
Other Elements that Contribute to Indonesia’s Energy Mix
Water Energy:
Indonesia has many large rivers provide significant potential for hydropower generation. The majority of Indonesia’s renewable energy comes from hydropower, due to national strategic projects related to national water security. Indonesia’s hydropower potential is 95 GW, the current installed capacity is 6,784.17 MW.
Wind Energy:
Coastal areas and some areas with strong winds have the potential to be developed into wind power plants. The potential in Indonesia is 249.2 GW, the current installed capacity is 154.88 MW. In the series, Avatar Of Aang is an airbender, this element is the one he excels at the most. But it’s different with Indonesia, nation’s wind potential is in the middle of the sea which requires large infrastructure for development. That’s why the potential of wind power plants in Indonesia is still not fully utilized.
Biomass Energy:
Indonesia’s natural wealth in the form of forests and agricultural land provides great potential for biomass energy. Agricultural waste, wood, and organic waste can be processed into energy. Indonesia’s total co-firing contributes 325 GWh to the national electricity sector and reduces 321 ktCO2 emissions. The current installed co-firing capacity in Indonesia is 3,195.38 MW.
Increasing Environmental Awareness and Government Commitment For Energy:
The government’s steps towards net zero emissions make it necessary to take concrete steps to realize its goals. Some of the steps and responses of the government in making efforts are through;
Supportive policies and regulations, such as feed-in tariffs and fiscal incentives, support the development of renewable energy projects. Another step PT ThorCon Power Indonesia officially submitted a proposal to prepare the implementation of TMSR500 as a candidate for the first Nuclear Power Plant (PLTN) in Indonesia to the National Energy Council (DEN). This marks a new beginning of Indonesia’s increasingly diverse energy mix from various sectors.
Community and industries in Indonesia are increasingly aware of the importance of sustainability and reducing carbon emissions. This is driving demand for cleaner and greener energy sources by starting to add to the national mix through biomass and nuclear reactors.
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Awareness of Indonesia’s strategic geographical position between two continents and two oceans also provides advantages in terms of energy logistics and distribution. It is also good for both domestic consumption and exports that can provide great benefits to the country in the economic field.
This utilization is done by starting to build supporting infrastructure for port construction, logistics site construction. And the most highlighted is the takeover of Natuna Airspace from the Singapore government. Which can be seen as a form of state awareness of its own territory both de facto and de jure.
Does Indonesia have a Nuclear Element Power?
From what has been explained in detail about how Indonesia’s strengths in each sector ranging from each element of Solar, Water, Wind, Geothermal, Biomass. Indonesia lacks one thing in the national mix, namely nuclear energy.
In Indonesia’s energy mapping by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Indonesia needs nuclear to achieve net zero emissions. However, on the policy aspect, Indonesia’s key strengths in renewable energy do not yet have a secure framework for investors. This is because the new renewable energy law has not yet been passed, although the need for clean energy to mitigate climate change needs to be accelerated.
By utilizing the strengths mentioned above, Indonesia has the potential to become a leader in the use of renewable energy in Southeast Asia and contribute significantly to global efforts to address climate change. After looking at the elemental power of each of Indonesia’s new renewable energies, what is Sobat EBT Heroes favorite element?
#zonaebt #sebarterbarukan #ebtheroes
Editor: Savira Oktavia
Reference
[1] Indonesia Ambil Alih Wilayah Udara Natuna
[2] ThorCon Power Serahkan Proposal PLTN Pertama ke Dewan Energi Nasional
[5] Rancangan Peraturan Pemerintah Kebijakan Energi Nasional (RPP KEN)
[6] KESDM. (2023). Capaian kinerja sektor ESDM tahun 2023
[7] Ditjen EBTKE. (2024). Data potensi dan capaian aneka EBT.
[8] KESDM. (2022). Handbook of energy & economic statistics of Indonesia. ISSN 2538-3464. Hal 100
