Teten Masduki, a member of the presidential communication team, said in a press statement received here on Wednesday that the president believes Indonesia has huge geothermal reserves, adding that the country has 40 percent of the worlds geothermal potential.
The energy sources are found from Sumatra, Java, Nusa Tenggara, and Maluku to Papua.
Unfortunately, the energy sources have not been exploited optimally, and Indonesia remains dependent on fossil fuels, he pointed out.
"I hope we can immediately put an end to our dependency on fossil fuels by taking concrete steps in utilizing geothermal energy sources," he noted in a speech at the opening of the New and Renewable Energy and Geothermal Convention and Exhibition here on Wednesday.
He affirmed that the use of fossil fuels in the country is still high and reaches 95 percent of the nations energy consumption comprising 45 percent oil, 24 percent gas, and 24 percent coal, while the use of renewable sources of energy only constitute around five percent.
"As a nation keen to achieve self-sufficiency in energy, we must not rely on fossil fuels. The fact now is that Indonesia has become a net importer of oils, while in due course of time, fossil fuel reserves will become exhausted," he remarked.
Indonesia actually has huge and abundant sources of new and renewable energy that had yet to be optimally exploited for development purposes.
In view of this, the diversification of energy sources needs to be carried out immediately through facilitating the development of new and renewable energy sources.
The president has expressed his commitment to giving special attention to programs on the development of new and renewable sources of energy, with a view to liberate the country from its dependence on fossil fuels that would capitalize on the abundant sustainable natural resources including biofuel, biomass, geothermal, water, wind, sun, and sea waves.
"One of the new and renewable energy sources that we need to exploit is geothermal energy, which is abundant, clean, and environment-friendly. The national energy policy has set a target to increase the use of this energy to 23 percent by 2025," he noted.
President Widodo has conducted the groundbreaking of the Ulubelu Unit III and IV geothermal power plant projects and has recently inaugurated the operations of the Kamojang V geothermal power plant.
The step will be followed up by the use of geothermal energy in other regions in the country.
"If the geothermal energy potential is managed and exploited well, I am convinced that we can replace fuel oils whose supply has increasingly depleted," the president emphasized.
In view of this, he hoped all parties including the government, professionals, academicians, and new and renewable energy observers would be able to work in tandem to achieve breakthroughs in the fields of regulation and science.
To demonstrate the governments commitment, the president has urged the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources to continue various progressive policies in the fields of tariff, licensing, and other facilities to attract investment in the development of new and renewable energy sources and energy conservation.
President Widodo has challenged businesses operating in the field of new and renewable energy to provide inputs to the government regarding policies that need to be immediately produced to support the development of new and renewable energy sources and energy conservation.
He stated that people across the country have been awaiting access to affordable electricity. The people in border regions and the outermost islands are keen to have access to electricity in their homes, he added.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2015
