JAKARTA \u2014 Geothermal energy use in Indonesia remains far below the\ncountry\u2019s available potential. Of an estimated 23.2 gigawatts (GW), only\nabout 2.78 GW of geothermal power plant (PLTP) capacity is in operation.\nProf.\u00a0Lambok M. Hutasoit, a hydrogeology expert at the Bandung Institute\nof Technology (ITB), said geothermal development should go hand in hand\nwith public education about safety and environmental management.<\/p>\n
Lambok said Indonesia had substantial geothermal potential because it\nlies in the Pacific Ring of Fire. West Java is one of the regions with\nabundant geothermal resources, although several other provinces also\nhave similar potential.<\/p>\n
\u201cIndonesia\u2019s geothermal potential is enormous. West Java is one of\nthe regions with the greatest potential. Other provinces also have\ngeothermal resources, so there is still a great deal that can be\ndeveloped,\u201d Lambok said in an interview on Friday (16 October 2026).<\/p>\n
He said public education was an important part of developing\ngeothermal power plants, particularly in addressing concerns about the\nimpact of geothermal activity on groundwater availability. Geothermal\nreservoirs, which provide the energy source, are generally located in\nrock layers separate from the shallow aquifers that supply water for\nhousehold use.<\/p>\n
\u201cGeothermal reservoirs and groundwater aquifers are mostly not\ndirectly connected. So it cannot simply be assumed that using a\ngeothermal reservoir will automatically draw away the groundwater above\nit,\u201d Lambok said.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, he stressed that any connection between geothermal\nreservoirs and aquifers should be investigated in light of the\ngeological conditions in each area. Underground rock formations vary:\nsome allow water to pass through, while others impede the movement of\nfluids.<\/p>\n
Developers therefore need to understand local geology and explain the\ngeothermal system to the public. This should include the arrangement of\nrock layers, the location of the reservoir being used and environmental\nmanagement measures to minimise risks.<\/p>\n
Lambok also said geothermal drilling to depths of around 2,000 metres\nstill takes place within the Earth\u2019s crust. That is relatively shallow\ncompared with the distance to the Earth\u2019s core, which is thousands of\nkilometres.<\/p>\n
\u201cCompared with the structure of the Earth as a whole, a depth of\n2,000 metres is insignificant. The distance to the Earth\u2019s core is\nthousands of kilometres,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Geothermal developers also use reinjection, returning the fluid left\nover from production to the reservoir. This helps maintain reservoir\npressure so that energy production can continue sustainably.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat method is very helpful. It is recommended and should be carried\nout by geothermal developers to maintain reservoir pressure \u2014 what is\nknown as pressure maintenance,\u201d Lambok said.<\/p>\n
He also emphasised the importance of protecting water recharge areas.\nIn his research at Wayang Windu, West Java, Lambok used water-isotope\nanalysis to identify recharge zones. The findings can help developers\nunderstand the hydrological system around geothermal operations.<\/p>\n
Geothermal power development in Indonesia includes the Kamojang site\nin West Java. The plant has operated commercially since 1983 and now has\nfive units with a total installed capacity of 235 megawatts (MW).<\/p>\n
Tina Talisa, Special Staff to the Vice-President and a commissioner\nat Pertamina Patra Niaga, previously visited the Kamojang site to\nobserve geothermal electricity production, including water management\nand drilling systems.<\/p>\n
In a post on her personal Instagram account, Tina said Kamojang\nshowed that geothermal energy development could coexist with nearby\ncommunities and the environment.<\/p>\n
\u201cKamojang is not just a story about a power plant. For decades,\ngeothermal development here has grown alongside the surrounding\ncommunity and environment,\u201d Tina wrote.<\/p>\n
Lambok estimated that Indonesia currently uses around 10 per cent of\nits total geothermal potential. He said the scale of the resource\noffered an opportunity to increase geothermal energy\u2019s contribution to\nthe national energy supply.<\/p>\n
However, expanding geothermal power capacity must be accompanied by\ntransparent information about geological characteristics, production\nprocesses and environmental risk management. With sufficient\nunderstanding, communities should be able to assess geothermal\ndevelopment based on the conditions and technical studies for each\narea.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/itb-expert-geothermal-development-must-be-matched-by-public-education-1792209029", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }