RI, France seek to bolster investment in renewables energy

By Firmansyah Sembiring

Courtesy of ESDM

Indonesian Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Ignasius Jonan met with visiting Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Development of France Jean Marc Ayrault on Tuesday as the countries seek to bolster cooperation in investment in renewables energy sector in Indonesia.

The two ministers also attended a ceremony held to launch the French Renewable Energy Group (FREG), which groups France companies already investing in the renewables sector in Indonesia and companies planning to make such investment.

FREG is an extension of French Syndicate for Renewables Energy (SER), the largest renewables group in France, which has signed a MoU with the Indonesia Renewables Energy Society (MITI) as its local partner to help French firms in investing in the sector in Indonesia.

In his remarks, Ignasius said the government welcomes the role of French companies in developing the renewables energy sector in Indonesia as the government is determined to meet its target that renewables will account for 23 percent of the country?s energy mix by 2025.

Meanwhile, Ayrault said that French companies have invested in a number of renewables projects in Indonesia including in Muara Laboh (220 MW), West Sumatra Province; Raja Basa (220 MW) in Lampung Province, and Rantau Dedap (220 MW) in South Sumatra Province.

French firms are also currently conducting feasibility study on tidal/current-based energy projects in nine areas Lombok Strait, Alas Strait, Sape Bima Strait, Flores Strait, Lamakera Strait, Larantuka Strait, Sunda Strait, Kelang Strait, and Bote Utara Strait.

Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak