Samarinda: In an effort to boost clean energy, the Energy and Mineral Resources Office in East Kalimantan is bringing together investors and experts to map out the region’s potential for renewable power, reports Antara News.
An official from the office, Elly Luchritia Nota, stated on Friday in Samarinda that this coordination is aimed at identifying both the opportunities and the hurdles for clean energy investment in the province.
She mentioned that the development of power from the sun, water, and biomethane could be sped up significantly.
This move is a follow-up to earlier discussions at a regional forum, which focused on attracting more investment into the province’s priority sectors of electricity and gas from renewable sources.
Currently, the East Kalimantan Provincial Government is focusing on building solar and biogas power facilities. It also has plans to develop hydropower plants in the Mahakam Ulu and Kutai Kartanegara Districts.
According to Syamsuddin, a policy analyst at the local Energy Office, solar power is currently the most practical and promising option for large-scale development in the region.
“The solar power program is a key strategy because it achieves two important things: it brings electricity to remote communities and it increases the amount of clean energy we use in East Kalimantan,” he said.
To date, the solar power initiative has already provided electricity to 72 remote villages spread across four different districts in the province.
