Ministry reiterates geothermal project in forest conservation area allowed
Saturday, March 18 2017 - 05:40 AM WIB
The Ministry of Forestry and Environmental Affairs said that geothermal projects in forest conservation areas are now allowed to help encourage investment in the renewable energy sector.
Director General of Conservation Forest Environmental Services Utilization at the ministry, Mugiono was quoted by Antara, however, the government prefers investors to first focus their geothermal projects in forest areas allocated for other purposes (or also called APL).
?Those (geothermal projects) in forest conservation area are not as many as in APL area, but the potential is quite huge. But we?ll recommend to first use the APL if possible,? he said, adding that ministry supports efforts to expand the renewable energy sector in the country as well as meeting greenhouse gas emission reduction target.
He said that the required regulations are now complete for the utilization of forest conservation area for geothermal power plant projects following the issuance of Law No 21/2014, Government Regulation No 108/2015 and Minister of Forestry and Environmental Affairs Regulation No P.46/2016.
Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak