Energy and forestry ministries sign MOU on bioenergy

The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources and the Ministry of Forestry have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on programs to develop bioenergy on the basis of energy forestry.

The MOU was signed by Director General of New Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Rida Mulyana and Director General of Forestry Business Oversight Bambang Hendroyono on Thursday at the ministry of forestry.

Under the MOU, both directorates general will jointly plan programs to develop bioenergy based on energy forests; oversee and evaluate the programs; push the ministry of forestry to issue (favorable) fiscal policy for the programs; push the involvement of regional stakeholders in achieving national energy self-sufficiency; and push the accumulation of funds for the programs.

The MOU involves the allotment of production forests for the development of energy forests as sources of bionergy and the promotion of bioenergy to meet the national energy needs.

The two directorates general will meet at least once a year to evaluate the implementation of the MOU.

Editing by Johannes Simbolon