Energy law to boost renewable energy

Indonesia’s parliament, at its plenary session, has approved the new energy law that aims to boost the country’s use of renewable energy and reduce dependency on fossil fuels, Energy and Mines Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro said. The new energy law states that the government will establish a National Energy Board led by the president, with the vice president as vice chairman and the energy and mines minister as the chairman. Indonesia’s crude oil output is falling at its aging oil and gas fields and the government is aiming to reduce its consumption of oil-based fuels to less than 20% of the national energy mix by 2025, with coal and natural gas accounting for 33% and 30%, respectively. (July 18, 2007)