Gorontalo Province has become a leading center for Indonesia’s biomass industry, supplying nearly 30% of the country’s wood pellets in 2024, according to government data. This growth is happening while public discussion about deforestation in the region continues, reports Bioenergy Insight.
Official figures show Indonesia’s wood pellet production has grown significantly, reaching 333,971 cubic meters in 2024, a large increase from 103,356 cubic meters in 2020. The national industry now includes 35 licensed factories.
Industry and government leaders state that this expansion is occurring within dedicated tree farms for industry, not from clearing natural forests. They emphasize that the sector operates under a strict legal verification system designed to ensure wood is sourced responsibly.
“The biomass sector operates under a system that verifies the wood is both legal and sustainable,” said Dikki Akhmar, a senior official with the Indonesian biomass producers association. “Producers work within licensed forest areas and their operations are checked by independent auditors.”
A forestry ministry official, Erwan Sudaryanto, explained that this verification system provides a legal framework to ensure all forest products are sourced and traded in a sustainable manner.
Growing demand from other countries, including Japan, South Korea, and nations in the European Union, is increasing interest in Indonesian biomass that has this certification.
Analysts point to Gorontalo as an example of how forest industries can support renewable energy development while following regulated land management practices. While the public continues to express concern about “deforestation in Gorontalo,” officials argue the region’s activities represent managed forestry investment under clear rules, rather than uncontrolled forest loss.
