JAKARTA – Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Bahli Lahadalia issued a Decree (SK) for the geothermal permit for the Gunung Ungaran working area, Semarang. The geothermal working area will later be given to PT PLN (Persero).
This was conveyed by the Director General of New and Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation (EBTKE) of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Eniya Listiani Dewi, at the 12th Indonesia International Geothermal Convention & Exhibition in Jakarta, Wednesday, August 19.
“We thank the Minister (Bahlil Lahadalia) for releasing the issuance of the Geothermal Permit SK which will later be given for the Gunung Ungaran geothermal working area, will be given to PLN and the Telaga Ranu geothermal working area will be given to PT Telaga Ranu Geothermal,” said Eniya.
In addition to Mount Ungaran, Eniya said, there was also a SK for the geothermal working area of Telaga Ranu which would be given to PT Telaga Ranu Geothermal.
The government also gave a new assignment for a preliminary geothermal survey and exploration in Cugudang Panti to Pertamina Geothermal Energy (PGE).
Then, the assignment of the preliminary survey in the Bituang area was given to PT Cakrawala Bituang Geothermal.
Eniya said that the development of geothermal energy is one of the renewable energies that Indonesia relies on. Considering that geothermal energy has the ability to generate electricity for 24 hours so that it can compete with fossil-based energy.
“So, it feels like the geothermal we know will be able to compete with diesel, it can compete with fossil fuels, coal or diesel because it can provide electricity 24 hours,” he said.
He said, Indonesia has great geothermal potential, even though its installed capacity is still in second place in the world. The government targets that renewable energy capacity will increase by 5.2 gigawatt according to the PLN RUPTL that has been passed.
The current renewable energy mix is said to reach around 17 percent. Of the mix, biodiesel or FAME has a share of 5.2 percent, hydro 3.5 percent, geothermal 2.2 percent. Meanwhile, new solar power is 0.5 percent.
With the addition of the 5.2 gigawatt capacity, the share of geothermal energy is expected to increase to 4.5 percent.
According to Eniya, the government is also discussing a revision of Government Regulation (PP) Number 7. One of the proposed breakthroughs is the geothermal area auction process carried out in one stage to shorten regulations.
“Now we are doing the process again because the direction of Mr. to shorten all regulations, so we propose a revision in the Government Regulation which will be harmonized next week,” he explained.
In addition to power plants, Eniya said, geothermal steam can be used directly. The steam is believed to be used as a source of hot water and to dry coffee.
“If we have known so far that it is electricity, in fact, this geothermal steam can be a source of hot water or dry coffee. Well, this steam can be used,” concluded Eniya.
Ibrahim/Dilla
