Nov 30 2010
A ruling or verdict in favor of permitting geothermal energy to be extracted from protected forest areas is expected to be issued by Jakarta’s President, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. According to Zulkifli Hasan, the Forestry Minister, the majority of the geothermal reserves in Indonesia are concentrated in protected forests in West Nusa Tenggara, Sumatra, East Java and West Java regions.
He further revealed that this issue would be talked about during the cabinet meeting. At present exploitation of geothermal energy in protected areas is s prohibited. Now the government regulations and the law have sanctioned it, but the Presidential decree is yet to be given.
According to the Minister, the development of geothermal energy plants would not obliterate protected forests as these plants entail usage of only a small portion of land. He disclosed that a geothermal unit requires an area of 10-20 hectares for drilling operations. The Minister revealed that after the Presidential approval was given licenses would be processed. The country’s major requirement was loads of environmentally friendly green energy.
Indonesia has vast amounts of geothermal energy mainly because of its numerous volcanoes. Its location inside the Pacific Ring of Fire which is the earth’s most seismically active region in the world contributes to the abundant geothermal energy reserves. Currently only 4.2 % of the country comes from geothermal resources. The cash benefits provided by the government because of its low emission rates would also contribute to the growth of the geothermal industry in Jakarta.