"We have an intermediary period in our efforts to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050-2060, and I believe gas is the best alternative for a clean fossil-based energy source for the time being," Tahar noted at the 2022 PGN Energy and Economic Outlook observed from Jakarta on Wednesday.
Tahar, who earlier served as Deputy Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources from 2016 to 2019, highlighted that European countries had witnessed an increase in the utilization of gas energy despite the earlier commitment to shift to renewable energy sources by constructing facilities to harness solar and wind energies.
The decision to reintroduce gas energy was made after the sudden hike in energy demand in Europe, in concert with the post-pandemic economic recovery, which is potentially causing countries to fail to fulfil the demand if solar and wind energies alone are used to produce electricity, he noted.
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"European countries are reusing gas energy. According to my data, Norway has resupplied their gas for market needs after earlier diverting the gas back to the ground. European countries are also waiting for the completion and operation of the Russian-constructed gas pipe to Western Europe," Tahar remarked.
The present condition demonstrates that gas energy remains crucial for European countries during the transition period, he stated.
"This means our opportunity to harness gas energy will be greater because gas has proven to be cleaner than coal or diesel energy," the president commissioner emphasized.
Despite admitting to the fact that gas energy is not wholly clean energy owing to being fossil-based, Tahar is convinced that gas energy can be combined with renewable energy sources during the transition period.
It takes only 10 minutes for the electricity produced from gas energy to reach the main electricity network, while it takes at least 10-11 hours for the electricity generated from a steam-powered source to be ready for distribution to an electricity network if other renewable energy sources have depleted, he explained.
"Hence, what type of energy sources have performance equal to coal? For the transition period, we can use gas, but for fully renewable energy, it is geothermal energy. Geothermal energy has a similar ability as coal to produce energy at all times without dependence on the sun or wind," Tahar noted.
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Translator: Ade Irma Junida, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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