The diversification of renewable energy sources can minimize the potential threat of an energy crisis in Indonesia, the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry’s director general of renewable energy and energy conservation, Dadan Kusdiana, has said.
“With the diversification of renewable energy sources by simultaneously harnessing solar, hydro, bioenergy, wind, geothermal, and marine energy sources, we can minimize the risks posed by natural factors,” Kusdiana affirmed at the 2022 Indonesian Economic Outlook event hosted by HIPMI here on Wednesday.
Indonesia has diverse and abundant natural resources scattered nationwide that could be harnessed as energy sources, the director general said.
Renewable energy sources will be a vital source for the country in securing its energy supply in the future, he added.
The director general pointed out that Aceh and Nusa Tenggara have a rich potential for geothermal energy, while solar and hydro-based energy sources are ready to be harnessed in many parts of the country.
“Besides having sufficient and evenly distributed resources, Indonesia also has diverse natural resources that will be vital for producing electricity from renewable energy sources,” Kusdiana remarked.
Energy diversification will protect Indonesia from an energy crisis like the one that caused disruptions in European countries last year, he added.
The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry has projected that Indonesia’s clean energy potential will reach 3,686 gigawatts, the director general said.
Of the total potential, solar energy can contribute 3,295 gigawatts of electricity, followed by solar and hydro sources that can add 155 gigawatts, hydrogen energy 95 gigawatts, marine wave energy 60 gigawatts, and geothermal energy 24 gigawatts of energy, he informed.
By the end of 2021, Indonesia had only harnessed a combined 11.35 gigawatts of electricity from sustainable resources that contributed around 11.5 percent to the total energy output that year, Kusdiana added.
Source: Antara News