Indonesia Has 3.700 GW of EBT Potential

Secretary General of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Rida Mulyana. (Doc. Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources noted that Indonesia has very abundant potential for New and Renewable Energy (EBT), such as solar, wind, hydro, bioenergy, geothermal, and also sea energy with a total potential of 3.686 gigawatts (GW).

Secretary General of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Rida Mulyana revealed that the installed capacity of power plants in Indonesia in 2022 will reach 81.2 GW.

This amount can still be developed and utilized a lot considering that Indonesia's EBT potential reaches 3.686 GW.

With the abundance and utilization of EBT, it can be used as the main capital in carrying out the energy transition.

"Indonesia's electricity is currently around 81 GW, imagine we have 3700 GW of sources. This is still a lot. What does this mean, this is our capital which is more than enough to make an energy transition by utilizing it," said Rida to the media quoted on Monday, February 6.

Moreover, continued Rida, the energy transition is a must where all countries are currently facing the impacts of climate change.

"At the current international forum there is an issue that all citizens of the earth are equally concerned about, aware of this one, namely global warming. Why, because so far we are the only earth that we can live in," said Rida.

He revealed that most of the energy that we are currently enjoying comes from fossils.

The use of coal in power plants is still an option during the energy transition period.

"86 percent of the electricity that we enjoy comes from fossil energy, and fossil energy is energy that emits quite a high amount. The current brightness of the lights comes 64 percent from coal, which of course is the biggest emitter among the others," explained rida.

Even though Indonesia is still dependent on coal, this is not a mistake or something to regret, it is actually something to be grateful for because Indonesia is blessed with an abundance of coal which is used for economic movement.

"That's not wrong, what's wrong is if we don't do anything. We have a lot of coal, that's not to be regretted, instead we have to be grateful because it is a gift from Allah SWT," Rida concluded.