Renewable Energy Momentum

KOMPAS/SUCIPTO

Two people stand next to a solar panel installation on 23 Nov. 2019 in Muara Enggelam village of Muara Wis, Kutai Kartanegara regency, East Kalimantan. The people of Enggelam have enjoyed 24-hour electricity since the 42 kilowatt-peak (kWp) solar panels were installed.

The government\'s plan to continue coal gasification seems to be less in line with the plan of countries that are shifting to renewable energy.

According to the head of the bureau of communication, public information services and cooperation of the Energy and Mineral Resources Minister,Agung Pribadi, the view that coal gasification is not economical is refuted by the fact that technological advances have made renewable energy cheaper. For example, solar energy, which was originally 10 US cents per kilowatt hour (kWh) has now been offered at 4 to 5 cents per kWh. This is also expected to apply to coal gasification, a process that converts coal into gas that can be used for various lighting and transportation purposes.

When discussing this type of energy that is still based on fossil energy, the same news also raised the continued development and utilization of renewable energy in various parts of the world. According to the executive director of the Institute for Essential Services Reform, Fabby Tumiwa, the movement toward the development (utilization) of renewable energy, which is mainly based on the strengthening of climate change issues, is also to get a cleaner and pollution-free environment from the burning of fossil energy.

KOMPAS/LASTI KURNIA

A man walks past the construction site of the 400-500 megawatt Muara Karang combine cycle power plant in Muara Karang, Jakarta, Monday (10/2/2020). The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry has targeted generating an additional 8,823 MW in 2020 as part of the government’s accelerated 35,000 MW electricity infrastructure development project.

Here there appears an anachronistic impression to continue to hold on to fossil energy. Fabby added that many countries had abandoned coal as the primary energy source of power generation as it has been replaced by clean and environmentally friendly energy, such as solar, wind and hydro, which has lower production costs due to more efficient technology.

This new trend has been rolling and is increasingly being utilized, achieved at a faster scale of economies, which in turn will make renewable energy prices more affordable. For example, Finland will no longer use coal from 2030. The role of coal is only 9 percent and fuel oil is 0.3 percent.

We cannot forget that our country has also committed to cutting carbon gas emissions to contribute to efforts to curb global warming.

Indonesia is apparently at a crossroads. On the one hand it wants to utilize its large energy reserves, such as coal, on the other hand, the country cannot close its eyes to the fact that the world -- for the sake of curbing global warming and climate change -- is heading toward renewable energy sources. We cannot forget that our country has also committed to cutting carbon gas emissions to contribute to efforts to curb global warming.

Another thing that is closely watched by observers is that Indonesia, with its large population, would welcome an era with a high productive population. Productive people undoubtedly need energy to support their activities.

Indonesia\'s demand for electricity is expected to double in the next 10 years, but Indonesia is still highly dependent on fossil fuel energy, the highest in the region. This is considered to be in contrast to regional countries that are increasingly shifting to renewable energy.