Global Courant
SINGAPORE — Indonesia could reach net-zero emissions by 2055, five years ahead of the government’s 2060 target, if it receives financial and technology support, Indonesia’s coordinating minister of Maritime Affairs and Investment said Tuesday.
Indonesia is a leading coal exporter and more than 60 percent of the country’s electricity is generated from the combustion of the fuel, the largest source of carbon dioxide emissions warming the planet.
The country is working with wealthy nations, the Asian Development Bank and others to help fund early retirement from coal-fired power stations.
“I believe that with the technology, with cooperation, with the spirit of the government of Indonesia, the people of Indonesia, we can do it sooner than 2060. I hope that maybe we can do it by 2055 or earlier,” said Mr. Luhut Pandjaitan. on the sidelines of the Ecosperity Week conference in Singapore.
The June 6-8 conference will be held at the Marina Bay Sands Convention Center, with a focus on ways to accelerate the green transition.
Luhut also said that the Indonesian government will not ban the export of liquefied natural gas (LNG).
“We have no plan to ban LNG exports, but we are protecting our national interest first,” he said, expressing fears of a possible shortage.
He said the government will carefully study the situation. “We’ll see, maybe in two, three months, we can come up with an answer.”
Previous media reports had said Indonesia planned to ban LNG exports to meet domestic supply needs. According to Indonesian media, Mr. Luhut is said to have said that the ban would not affect current export contracts, but that the policy would apply to contract extensions.
Indonesia remains heavily dependent on fossil fuels for energy, but is trying to move away from it by investing in renewable energy and developing a crucial mineral processing industry to accelerate the production of electric vehicles.
The minister said the country has the potential to generate about 342 gigawatts of green energy – such as geothermal, wind and hydropower – but they need money to invest in this.
This represents nearly five times Indonesia’s total installed power generation capacity.
Mr. Luhut also said that there were investment plans for solar energy on Rempang Island in Riau, and that Indonesia also planned to develop its own solar panel industry and produce semiconductors.
