JAKARTA – President Prabowo Subianto targets to realize energy self-sufficiency in Indonesia by maximizing the production and use of bioenergy from palm oil, cassava, sugarcane, sago, and corn.
“We’re bestowed by God with plants that we can rely on to produce bioenergy, so that we’re not dependent on other countries. We can use plants like oil palm to produce biodiesel and bio-gasoline. We also have other plants like cassava, sugarcane, sago, and corn as the feedstocks for bioenergy production,” Prabowo said in his first speech after being inaugurated as Indonesia’s 8th president at the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR RI) in Jakarta on Sunday (20/10/2024).
According to him, his government will develop plantations of the commodities as energy feedstocks to support the national program of energy self-sufficiency.
He said that the production and use of bioenergy is also aimed to reduce Indonesia’s reliance on imports of fossil fuels, while developing Indonesia as the world’s largest producer of renewable energy.
Until now, Indonesia still relies on fossil fuels up to 70%, especially coal for power generation. But Prabowo said that Indonesia will gradually reduce the use of fossil fuels by increasing the renewable energy. Besides bioenergy, Prabowo said Indonesia can also rely on geothermal and water for hydropower plants. Considering the potential sources of energy, Prabowo said that his government will focus on reaching the national self-sufficiency in energy.
“Besides the bioenergy, we also have huge potential energy from geothermal, coal, and hydropower. So, my government will focus on reaching the energy self-sufficiency,” said Prabowo.
“Amid the continuing geopolitical conflicts, and possibilities of new wars in many places, we have to brace ourselves for the worst case. Other countries will have to address their own interests. If there is any untoward, we’ll find it difficult to get energy sources from other countries. So, we have to be self-sufficient in energy. We can do it,” he said.
The energy self-sufficiency is also needed to anticipate the negative impacts as a result of global uncertainty in the future. “It’s impossible to rely on other countries during crisis, let alone war,” he added.
President Prabowo said that to support the program of energy self-sufficiency, his government will revise all related regulations and improve the schemes of incentives for investors to develop the renewable energy sources. (*)
Source: sawitku.id
