The Barriers And Opportunities For Increased Renewable...

ENVS2013 – Research Paper Examine the barriers and opportunities for increased renewable energy generation in Indonesia. INTRODUCTION With global warming being one of the most significant event over the past decade and at present, the need to reduce Green House Gas (GHG) emissions have become globally widespread and pertinent especially because climate change has flow-on ramifications on the society and economy (Goldin Katz, 2008; King, 2013). Ironically, while it can be said that technology is a major contributor to the issue of global warming (Zerzan, 2009), technology is also seen as one of the key tools to help overcome climate change (Jasanoff, 2002). Moomaw et. al. (2011, p. 165) states that â€Å"renewable energy [technology] (RET) may†¦show more content†¦Being the fourth most populated country in the world, the largest Southeast Asian economy, the seventh highest emitter in GHG in 2011, and an archipelago with its capital city currently situated below sea level (Jafari, Othman Nor, 2012; Gunningham, 2013), Indonesia has particularly strong incentives to heavily invest in RETs due to its vulnera bility to climate change. Consequently, Indonesia became the first large developing country to sanction the Kyoto Protocol and in 2009, implemented an ambitious policy of reducing GHG emissions by 25-41% by 2020 through energy diversification from non-renewable sources with international support (ITA, 2010; Jafari, Othman Nor, 2012). This paper will aim to examine how Indonesia’s energy policy may be achieved by first, seeking to examine Indonesia’s current energy profile; second, explore existing opportunities for increased RE generation; and third, analyze barriers for shifting towards RE while suggesting measures to overcome these barriers. INDONESIA’S ENERGY PROFILE Indonesia’s current electrification ratio is 65% and more than 50% of electricity demand is centered in Java and Bali alone, indicating that the growth of population and/or demand distribution for electricity is not proportional (Hidayat Li, 2011). Geologically, Indonesia is rich with minerals and various energy resources including oil, natural gas, coal, geothermal, hydro-power, solar energy and biomass;