Monday, September 29, 2014

Renewable Energy and Its Potential in Indonesia

It's a rare opportunity for me to post something in english hehe, This post is made to complete my english assignment from Mr. Lukmanul Hakim. The Assignment is To Write Article About Energy and Environment. Actually i already interested with this topic few days ago, especially about Energy Potential in Indonesia. Well, Have A Nice Reading!

Renewable Energy and Its Potential in Indonesia

Abstract
All of this time we have known petroleum as one of most used energy source in Indonesia and it already become important "primary energy" source, Due to its high energy density, easy transportability and relative abundance.
But did you know? When burned, petroleum releases carbon dioxide; a greenhouse gas. Along with the burning of coal, petroleum combustion is the largest contributor to the increase in atmospheric CO2. Use of oil as an energy source has caused Earth's temperature to increase by nearly one degree Celsius. This raise in temperature has reduced the Arctic ice cap to 1,100,000 sq mi (2,800,000 km2),
Also Petroleum is not renewable and limited. Even there’s a lot of Petroleum Potential  in Indonesia the developer the of this energy utilizationitself is not  Indonesia, Which means it’s not an advantage for us. For example in few month ago Chevron Company(America) have found Petroleum Source in Riau(Indonesia) and so they became developer for it (check this article: http://www.goriau.com/riauserbaserbi/satu-lagi-di-riau-chevron-berhasil-temukan-cadangan-minyak-300-ribu-barel-dan-terbesar-di-asia-tenggara.html ). 
Petroleum is not a green energy and limited. Which means we must search for another Renewable and Enviromental Friendly in Indonesia.






What is Renewable Energy?
Renewable energy is generally defined as energy that comes from resources which are naturally replenished on a human timescale such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, waves and geothermal heat. Renewable energy is derived from natural processes that are replenished constantly. In its various forms, it derives directly from the sun, or from heat generated deep within the earth. Included in the definition is electricity and heat generated from solar, wind, ocean, hydropower, biomass, geothermal resourcesBiofuel and hydrogen derived from renewable resources.

What is The Advantages of Using Renewable Energy?
Renewable energy technologies are clean sources of energy that have a much lower environmental impact than conventional energy technologies. It also Unlimited which means Renewable energy will not run out. Ever. Other sources of energy are finite and will some day be depleted.


Renewable Energy Potential in Indonesia
This is a list of 5 Renewable Energy in Indonesia that have big potential and need development in order to occupy the needs of energy in Indonesia..

 1. Geothermal Energy
Indonesia is home to 40 percent of the world’s known geothermal resource (an estimated 27,510 MW), which is more than any other country. Geothermal energy also have a lot of advantages. For example, Geothermal is Low Costed. no fuel is require so costs for purchasing, transporting and cleaning up plants is quite low.  Geothermal energy also not create any pollution and help in creating clean environment.
        
     2. Biomass
Indonesia has 48,810 MW Biomass resource which means Biomass have a big potential to become one of the renewable energy in Indonesia. There is a lot of advantages of Biomass too.. For example: a. It is widely available.
                     b. is a renewable resource, when it is sustainably used and managed.
    c. It results in less waste being sent to landfills. Burning unusable waste materials
such as bark, construction wastes and tree clippings helps to reduce the pressure to expand local landfill sites while generating useful energy.

        3. Hydro
Indonesia has abundant renewable energy resources from large scales geothermal to small-scale solar energy. One of the most promising sectors to develop is hydro energy. Not only it is the cheapest renewable energy to develop, the generation of hydropower will not result in water pollution and greenhouse gases emissions. The potential for hydropower in Indonesia is approximately 75 GW.  Hydrogen is completely renewable as it is extracted from water and is available in abundant supply. When it burnt it does not leave any toxic gases in the atmosphere.

    4. Wind
The approximate wind power potential in Indonesia is estimated at around 9 500 MW. Also The advantages of Wind Energy is, it is clean and produces no pollution whatsoever. More than that, it requires much less capital than other forms.

     5. Solar Energy
The Indonesian solar PV sector is relatively underdeveloped but has significant potential. Its output is almost exclusively set aside for decentralised rural electrification. In 2011 it produced a relatively small amount of electricity over 2011 - only 22 GWh. In other hands Solar Energy have many advantages.
The advantages of Solar Energy:                                             
                                  
a. Solar energy is free although there is a cost in the building of ‘collectors’ and other equipment required to convert solar energy into electricity or hot water.   

b. Solar energy does not cause pollution. However, solar collectors and other associated equipment / machines are manufactured in factories that in turn cause some pollution.   

c. Solar energy can be used in remote areas where it is too expensive to extend the electricity power grid.   

d. Many everyday items such as calculators and other low power consuming devices can be powered by solar energy effectively.   

e. It is estimated that the worlds oil reserves will last for 30 to 40 years. On the other hand, solar energy is infinite (forever).


Barriers to Renewable Energy Development

Although Indonesia’s renewable energy resources are substantial and the government now seems committed to increasing the deployment of re­newable energy, several barriers must be over­come for the country to reach its full potential. Indonesia also suffers from a lack of available financing. Although several well-capitalized private-sector banks exist, few are willing to lend money to technologies that are new or emerg­ing. A sovereign debt guarantee could incentivize lending, promoting deployment and investment.
The lack of an after-sales service infrastructure also makes renewable energy projects difficult to implement. Local populations are often unwilling to accept a project that could stall or break down for lengthy periods, especially when the project requires spare parts that are difficult to find or technicians who are often unavailable. Moreover, the lack of a strong transmission infrastructure makes grid-connected renewable energy projects difficult to implement if they are located far from end users.
The government itself is sometimes a barrier to re­newable energy deployment. It often struggles to implement policy initiatives, which causes bottle­necks for innovative technologies like renewable energy. To avoid the problem, local governments have been given the authority to administer ten­ders for projects, but they often lack the capacity to do so transparently. Several companies have complained that tenders are worded poorly and amended after the tender is announced. The U.S. Government is working with local Indonesian offi­cials to promote better tendering practices.

SOLUTION
 Presidential Decree No. 5 mandates an increase in renewable energy production from 7 percent to 15 percent of generating capacity by 2025. To accomplish that goal, 6.7 GW of new renewable energy capacity must be installed in the next 15 years based on current growth projections. Geothermal and biomass have been slated for the most growth, but opportunities exist in every renewable energy technology.
Surprisingly, Indonesia continues to import fossil fuels to cover production deficiencies instead of fully utilizing its already installed renewable energy capacity. Expanding the production of existing resources (that is, already operating geothermal plants or hydropower dams) could displace some fossil fuel imports, by lowering the cost of energy subsidies and creating additional demand for renewable energy technol­ogy and expertise.
We could also, Formulating Investment and Funding Policy, Formulating Incentive Policy, Implementing Standardization.. Accreditation and Certification, Increase Research and Development activities both national and international collaboration.


References:
 

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