Govt revising energy mix policy
Tuesday, February 28 2012 - 07:13 AM WIB
The government is revising policy on energy mix to determine sources of the country?s energy until 2050 that would likely increase the portion of coal from the existing 33 percent, an official said.
Minerals and Coal Director General at the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry Thamrin Sihite said that the revised energy mix would be used as guideline to make policy in controlling the production and export of coal in Indonesia.
?We are waiting for the new energy mix policy,? he said in responding to the question on government?s plan to ban export of low rank coal by 2014.
The government has not decided on the calorific value threshold of coal to be categorized as low rank which would be banned by 2014.
Thamrin said that the revision on the energy mix policy would likely focus on whether to increase the portion of coal or nuclear as the main sources of energy in Indonesia.
?The scenario is if the public do not welcome the use of nuclear, it is very likely that the share of coal in energy mix would be increased. That?s why, we need to wait for the revision,? he said.
According to the 2005 Presidential Regulation on Energy Mix, coal accounts for 33 percent of the country?s energy mix while nuclear, biomass, hydro and wind together account for only 5 percent.
Thamrin said that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has assigned the Energy National Council (DEN) to revise the energy mix policy.
Editing by David Mustakim