Indonesia guarantees geothermal development not to devastate protected forests
Indonesian forests at Baliem Valley, Papua (source: flickr/naturemandala, creative commons)
Alexander Richter
5 Apr 2011
Indonesian senior government officials guarantee that the development of geothermal resources would not devastate protected forests. Geothermal steam producers have a big interest in conserving forests, needing trees to preserve water in the soil.
In a statement, “A senior government official guaranteed on Tuesday that the development of geothermal resources would not devastate protected forests.”, as reported by the Jakarta Post.
“Director General for Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Luluk Sumiarso told reporters in Jakarta that geothermal steam production depended on forest conservation.
“Producing geothermal steam requires water and therefore needs forests that can preserve water in the soil. That is why geothermal steam producers have a big interest in conserving forests,” Luluk said after opening a geothermal seminar and exhibition.
Luluk added that geothermal steam production would not affect forest conservation because it needed only a small part of a forest area for above-ground pipes.
Indonesia has potential geothermal resources adequate to support the generation of around 29,000 megawatts of electricity, 40 percent of the world’s total potential resources, but only a small portion of the resources have been used to generate 1,275 megawatts due to handicaps, including the overlapping of geothermal resource areas with conservation forests.
According to the Forestry Ministry, around 60 percent to 70 percent of geothermal resources are located within conservation forests, and existing forestry laws do not allow mining activities in protected forests.
Director General of Forest Protection and Nature Conservation Darori said at the seminar that four related ministers had agreed to revise a government regulation so the development of geothermal resources could be done in protected forests.
“According to the regulation, geothermal resource development is categorized as a mining activity, whereas, in fact, geothermal steam production is a water service that won’t devastate forests,” Darori said.
“Four ministers have agreed to revise the regulation, but agreement from the environment minister is still needed,” he added.
According to Luluk, geothermal resources and hydropower contribute only about 5 percent of the country’s total electricity generation. The other 95 percent is contributed by fossil-based energy resources.
According to the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry, the electricity generated with geothermal steam is expected to increase to 12,000 megawatts by 2025, making Indonesia the largest geothermal electricity producer.”
Source: Jakarta Post
