[Unpad.ac.id, 29/02/2016] Despite the increased needs, Renewable Energy Management (EBT) is not yet optimal to ensure country resilience of Indonesia, said ITB Professor of Energy Economics, Prof. Dr. Purnomo Yusgiantoro, M.Sc., Ph.D., as a keynote speaker at a seminar on “Optimization of Renewable Energy Management to Ensure National Energy Resilience” in Bale Sawala, Rectorate Building Jatinangor, Monday (2/29).
Prof. Purnomo explained, that national energy resilience contains elements of availability, accessibility, affordability, acceptability, and sustainability, or often called 4A + S. The present EBT management has not complied with these elements.
Viewed from availability element, Indonesia potential is large enough to ensure possible sustainability. This shows that these two elements have been fulfilled in the development of renewable energy in Indonesia.
Yet, viewed from accessibility element, infrastructure development is still needed, in parallel with development of renewable energy. Then viewed from affordability element, the current major challenges of renewable energy development are relatively high price.
“If pitted against non EBT, EBT lost. It is still low since the price is still relatively high and its development has not been on economics scale, “said Prof. Purnomo.
From acceptability element, Prof. Purnomo said that in general public accepted EBT, except for certain EBT that required socialization. An example would be nuclear energy; not all countries willing to accept its use. In Indonesia, go or no-go decision of nuclear power plants (NPP) is still awaiting President’s decision as outlined in General Plan for National Energy (RUEN). Nuclear for NPP development is considered as the last option considering safety standards and radiation impact.
During the event, members of National Energy Board, Dr. Ir. Herman Darnel Ibrahim, MSc spoke about several reasons why Indonesia puts nuclear power as a last choice. In addition to the nuclear power plants high cost of investment and providing electricity, there is also risk of a fatal accident and the of causing economy paralysis and bankruptcy of the country.
To maximize renewable energy, Dr. Herman suggested diverting subsidies for renewable energy, as well as providing additional subsidies by imposing taxes on fossil fuels gradually. Moreover, domestic production capacity needs to be increased, such as equipment for industrial energy to develop mini hydro, solar, bio, wind and marine energy.
Dr. Herman also emphasized the need to combine renewable energy with cheap energy, especially coal, which is also useful to reduce average cost and supply security. In the short term, renewable energy source of the most economical and largest should also be prioritized in order to keep the cost or the average price of energy within reasonable limit.
This seminar was opened by Rector Unpad, Prof. Tri Hanggono Achmad, with other speakers of Ir. Rida Mulyana, MSc (Directorate General of EBTKE) and Dr. Cukup Mulyana, MS (Lecturer of FMIPA Unpad).*
Seminar Material:
- Keynote Speaker Prof. Purnomo Yusgiantoro – Optimization of Renewable Energy Management to Ensure National Energy Resilience
- Power Point Presentation for Seminar Energy Optimization 29 February 2016 – Presentation by Cukup Mulyana
- Material – Dr. Herman Darnel – 2016 Unpad Energy Seminar 29 Feb
Reported by Artanti Hendriyana
