VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

President Joko Widodo wants power plants in Indonesia not to depend on the energy of fossil fuels. He also revealed plans to develop a power plant with new and renewable energy. The intention and plan was affirmed when he inaugurated the 1x660 Megawatt Expansion Power Plant in Cilacap, Central Java on Monday (25/02).

Indonesia has begun to develop power plants with new and renewable energy. President Joko WI dodo took an example; until now power plants with wind, water, and even steam have been developed in various regions in Indonesia. One of them is wind power plants in Sidrap and Jeneponto, South Sulawesi.

President Joko Widodo's wish is not hope without strong reason. Indonesia has great potential in new and renewable energy. As a tropical country in the equatorial region, Indonesia's solar energy potential is abundant to be processed into solar power plants. Indonesian rivers with large volumes and fast flowing have also great potential as renewable energy sources to produce electricity.

Moreover, Indonesia has expressed its commitment to reduce carbon emissions by 29 percent by 2030. The Indonesian government has also targeted a portion of the mix of new renewable energy use to reach 23 percent in 2025, and processing waste into an energy source.

At least, the desire without energy of fossil fuels has begun to be carried out by operating 12 waste power plants from 2019 to 2022. The 12 plants will be able to produce up to 234 megawatts of electricity from around 16 thousand tons of waste per day.

Unfortunately, there are still some obstacles in the development of this new and renewable energy. In Indonesia, the process of converting new and renewable energy into electricity requires substantial costs, especially related to the infrastructure. Meanwhile, State Electric Company, PT PLN as a seller of electricity services must sell electricity at affordable prices.

Realizing this condition, awareness of empowering natural resources to produce electricity must be increased. In mountainous areas, for example, river flows can be used to produce electricity through micro-hydro technology.

With its huge potential, Indonesia must be aware of realizing the new and renewable energy. Regulations must be enacted and provision of incentives must be provided for any investors to develop the new and renewable energy so that the target of new renewable energy in the national energy mix in Indonesia to reach 23 percent by 2025 can be achieved.