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ANT/Govt urged to encourage renewable energy consumption
"The government and the DPR need to issue a regulation to lay a firm basis to change fossil fuel`s market domination by encouraging the public to use more renewable energy," MPE Chairman Abdul Kadir said.
The regulation must contain clauses requiring companies operating under contracts of work in the oil and gas mining sector to help meet power demand using renewable energy such as solar energy through corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs, he said.
The companies` participation in the fulfillment of power demand using alternative energy was badly needed to solve power shortage as well as to preserve the environment, he said.
"It is regrettable that people in oil- and mineral-rich regions have difficult access to electricity. This must draw the attention from all of us," he said.
He said a number of companies such as Perusahaan Listrik Negara, Pertamina, Antam and Freeport had started building solar and micro hydro power plants to meet power demand however, the power plants still had small capacity.
"This must become a common movement including the involvement of the extractive industry to think of a solution to this problem by providing CSR programs," he said.
He said the MPE had discussed the matter with the extractive industry at a seminar in Bandung, West Java, on July 22-23.(*)
