Publications

Survey of Energy Resources 2007

Geothermal Country Notes

Indonesia
The islands of Indonesia possess enormous geothermal resources: geological surveys conducted by the Government have identified as many as  255 prospects, of which 70 are specified as high-temperature reservoirs with an estimated total resource potential of nearly 20 000 MWe. Of this potential about 48% is in Sumatra, 30% in Java-Bali, 7% in Sulawesi and 15% in other islands. Taken together, the low- and high-enthalpy potential totals some 27 000 MW.

A very small amount of geothermal energy is used directly for bathing, balneology and swimming. In recent years research has been undertaken into the possibility of using geothermal heat for the sterilisation of the growing medium for mushrooms.

The effects of Indonesia's financial crisis in 1997 are still being felt. Prior to this time the Government had planned to install some 3 000 MW by 2006 but by end-2004 the country had increased its installed geothermal electric power generation capacity to 797 MWe (operationally capable of at least 807 MWe). This latter figure includes currently operating facilities with a capacity of 330 MWe at Gunung Salak, 140 MWe at Kamojang, 145 MWe at Darajat, 110 MWe at Wayang Windu, 2 MWe at Sibayak, 20 MWe at Lahendang and an additional 60 MWe at Dieng.

It remains the Government's policy to significantly alter the fuel mix of electricity generation by increasing the use of coal, geothermal energy and hydro power and thus reducing the use of oil and gas. To this end it plans to have 6 000 MWe of geothermal generating plant installed by 2020.