IEA admits Indonesia

Indonesia has been officially accepted as member by the International Energy Agency (IEA), which is the organization of renewable producing countries under the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the Directorate General of New Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation (EBTKE) said in a statement.

?We are admitted as associate member along with China, Mexico and Chili,? Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Sudirman Said said at the palace on Friday.

Sudiarman said the reason that Indonesia applied for membership in IEA is to assure energy supply into the country in partnership with the international community. Earlier, Indonesian has also gained membership in OPEC, the organization of petroleum producing countries.

?The benefit is that we shall get exposed to, be part of and interact with two communities which are each equally strong in either fossil fuel or renewables. Our position is now in the middle of them,? he said.

As a member of IEA, Indonesia will be able to improve its knowledge about and bilateral relations with developed countries which are developing renewable technologies.

?One of the forums we plan is Bali Clean Energy Forum, scheduled to be held in February (2016). We shall invite them (the IEA members) into the forum and it is a proof that we are really serious in entering the renewable energy era,? Sudirman said.

Indonesia can also use its membership in IEA to attract investors to develop the country?s renewables potentials, Sudirman said, adding that Indonesia has 300,000 MW in renewable energy potentials that remain undeveloped.

Other members of IEA are Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Luxemburg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portuguese, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Swiss, Turkey, Britain, the United States and the United States. The European Commission also participates in IEA.

Editing by Johannes Simbolon