Coal seen as viable source of energy<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Director General of Electricity and Energy
\nDevelopment Zuhal suggested on Saturday that the target of energy
\ndiversification in Indonesia will be best served by maximizing
\nthe use of coal, without an excessive impact on the environment.<\/p>\n
One of the target of energy diversification is to reduce the
\nuse of oil, which still serves as one of the most important
\nsources of foreign exchange earning, Zuhal said at a ceremony
\ninducting him as the fourth professor to the Faculty of
\nEngineering at the University of Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Before a senate of professors at the university, Zuhal
\ndelivered a speech on multi-objective decision making for the
\ndevelopment of electrical energy within the policy of energy
\ndiversification.<\/p>\n
Zuhal noted that the role of coal as the substitute for oil
\nwill depend heavily on the developments of oil prices on the
\nworld market. Whenever oil prices are high, coal will be an
\nimportant substitute, but when the prices are low, energy
\ndiversification into coal may lose its momentum.<\/p>\n
The government has launched an energy diversification policy,
\ntrying to shift the dependency from oil as the only energy
\nresources (mono-energy), to the use of various energy resources
\n(multi-energy), Zuhal said.<\/p>\n
Therefore, he said, a greater use of coal will save a greater
\namount of oil, which remains the largest energy source in
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
Oil resources contributed the largest portion, 58 percent, to
\nIndonesia's energy consumption last year, while coal contributed
\nonly 8.8 percent. The second largest contributor of energy was
\nnatural gas with 25 percent, while hydro-energy accorded 6.7
\npercent and geothermal steam 1.3 percent.<\/p>\n
"Looking at the fact that we have a great deal of coal
\nreserves, coal must be seriously considered as one of the primary
\nenergy resources," Zuhal said.<\/p>\n
According to 1993 data from the state oil firm Pertamina,
\nIndonesia holds 36 billion tons of coal reserves, which can be
\nmined for a century, as compared to discovered oil reserves of
\n10.92 billion barrels, which will be finish within the next 20
\nyears.<\/p>\n
Zuhal said electricity power plants -- because of their
\nability to use different energy sources -- play an important role
\nin the energy diversification program, especially in promoting
\nthe use of coal.<\/p>\n
"However, planners will meet new difficulties in making
\ndecisions, on whether or not to use coal for power generation,
\nbecause of its inter-connection nature with other energy
\nresources," Zuhal said.<\/p>\n
Zuhal, who developed the Zuhal Optimum Plan, presented
\nalternatives of energy diversification for Java, where the
\nhighest energy consumption exists, at the end of the eighth Five-
\nYear Development Plan (Repelita VIII), in 2009.<\/p>\n
Regardless of the environmental impact, Zuhal said, coal-fired
\npower plants could supply up to 71 percent of all domestic
\nelectricity needs. With minimum environmental impact, coal-fired
\nenergy could still satisfy up to 57 percent of all electricity
\nneeds.<\/p>\n
With this scenario, Zuhal said, gas-fired power stations will
\ncontribute electrical energy at the range of 17.1 percent to 21.1
\npercent, while geothermal and hydro-powered electricity plants
\nwill contribute about 10 percent.<\/p>\n
However, when the use of coal is lowered -- because people do
\nnot like its impact on the environment for example -- then it
\nwill open the possibility of using other energy resources,
\nincluding nuclear.<\/p>\n
With minimum environmental impact, Zuhal said, nuclear power
\nplants in Java should have a capacity of up to 1,200 megawatts
\nonly.<\/p>\n
Among the top officials present during Saturday's ceremony
\nwere Minister of Education and Culture Wardiman Djojonegoro,
\nMinister of Mines and Energy Ida Bagus Sudjana, Coordinating
\nMinister of People's Welfare Azwar Anas, State Minister of
\nNational Development Planning Ginandjar Kartasasmita, Minister of
\nHealth Sujudi, Minister of Trade Satrio B. Joedono and senior
\neconomist Sumitro Djojohadikusumo. (rid)<\/p>",
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