Obama will back green energy in ASEAN and Indonesia

In the same week that PLN director of planning Bambang Praptomo announced no commitment to start nuclear energy procurement plans before 2018, the one-day World Renewable Energy Regional Congress in Jakarta on June 17 concluded with some optimism from Hilmi Panigoro, chairman of the Indonesian Renewable Energy Society, with an improving political climate for renewable energy led by President Barack Obama, who has brought the US back into the climate change and green energy game. This change in global leadership, comes alongside stronger Indonesian government backing for renewable energy and new attitudes in PLN, the state-backed electricity utility. The first 10,000MW crash power program in Indonesia to respond to its energy crisis was dependent on coal driven plants, but the second 10,000MW program stresses renewable energy especially geothermal, and private participation. The next government, taking power in October 2009, has to decide about this. But it might be easier for Indonesia to build one nuclear power plant to get 4000MW than to get the same capacity from about 600 small and medium sized renewable energy power plants. Both the US and the EU have been in political limbo on support for energy programs in ASEAN and Indonesia. (June 21, 2009)