Important Facts About The Green Industrial Park That Jokowi Called Will Become The World's First Green Industrial Park

JAKARTA - The President of the Republic of Indonesia, Joko Widodo (Jokowi) said that the government will build a green industrial park or the first large green industrial area in the world. The construction of a green industrial park is planned to be carried out in November 2021 with an area of 20,000 hectares. This area will be built in North Kalimantan, one of its energy sources is the Kayan River.

"Next month we will also start to build a green industrial park with green products. The energy is green energy," said Jokowi at the State Palace, Wednesday, October 13, 2021.

On that occasion, Jokowi also said that in the next 10 years, the European Union and the United States would not buy non-renewable energy products. According to him, many domestic and foreign companies have lined up to order land at the Green Industrial Park.

"And those who have ordered this area have already lined up, because they know this energy is used by green energy," said Jokowi.

Green Industrial Park is a group of companies or industries that apply technology or clean production, process waste or waste generated, and/or undertake efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at their production sites. Several countries that implement the green industrial park program are South Korea, Denmark, China, Thailand, and Germany.

By implementing the green industrial park function, it is hoped that the company or industry will reduce the waste produced, because as much as possible the waste generated is reprocessed. This is also an added value economically

In addition, the application of a green industrial park also has the potential for efficient use of raw materials, energy and water, so that there is less waste and emissions and a more efficient production process. This is expected to increase the competitiveness of national industrial products.

Jokowi previously mentioned the development of a green industrial park during the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate (MEF) meeting. Leaders of countries joining the MEF stressed the importance of strengthening ambitions for improving the world's climate. Several world leaders announced even higher ambitions, including new contributions to addressing global climate change under the Paris Agreement.

At the forum held in September 2021, President Jokowi said that currently the world is facing a difficult situation in a number of sectors, including the energy and climate sectors. This difficult situation, said Jokowi, cannot be handled by one country alone, but requires joint action on a global scale.

"Credibility, especially concrete actions, is very crucial," said Jokowi, quoted from a VOI article entitled Jokowi's Exposure to the Energy Sector Strategy to Repress Climate Change at the MEF Meeting.

During the meeting, President Jokowi conveyed Indonesia's commitment to contribute in dealing with this difficult situation. From the energy sector, Jokowi said that Indonesia had launched a transformation towards new and renewable energy, as well as an economic acceleration based on green technology in August.

“To realize this transformation, we have devised a strategy of switching power plants from coal to new and renewable energy. Accelerate the development of new renewable energy infrastructure supported by the implementation of energy efficiency, increase the use of biofuels, and develop the electric vehicle industry ecosystem," he said.

Jokowi also said that Indonesia is targeting carbon neutral (Net Zero) in 2060 with pilot areas that are still being developed. He also briefly mentioned the construction of a 20 thousand hectare Green Industrial Park in North Kalimantan.

The discourse on Green Industry (green industrial park) and Green Energy (green energy) has actually been started by one company, namely PT Kayan Hydro Energy (KHE) since a decade ago. KHE has been developing a Hydroelectric Power Plant (PLTA) project in North Kalimantan since 2011, is the initiator of a hydropower project consisting of five Cascades on the Kayan River, Long Peso District, Bulungan Regency, North Kalimantan.

KHE Director of Operations Khaeroni explained that his party had done various things related to electrification for industrial and port needs. “Technical, social, economic, cultural studies, as well as the socialization and licensing process for hydropower development have been completed. And, KHE has received a 5A3 rating from Dun & Bradstreet," explained Khaeroni when contacted on August 4.

Regarding investors and companies outside KHE who want to build similar projects, Khaeroni admitted that he did not know. "I don't know about the news outside. Of course, KHE started in 2011 or ten years ago and has now obtained all permits, except for the stipulation of the Borrow-to-Use Forest Area Permit (IPPKH),'' explained Khaeroni.

KHE has carried out road construction work from the local government road to the Kayan Cascade hydropower plant along 11.2 kilometers. KHE has also delivered project equipment and built explosives storage warehouses to make work easier.

This year, KHE has prepared infrastructure to support the construction of the Kayan Cascade hydropower plant, which has the potential to generate 9,000 megawatts of electricity.

*Read other information about GREEN ENERGY or read other interesting articles from Putri Ainur Islam.