President challenges experts to seek
new energy
Jun 3, 2008 - Antara News
Jakarta - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono again challenged
experts in energy to find new energy resources to replace
fossil energy, a minister said.
"On behalf of the people, the president asked the best
experts in energy to seek and find new energy and technology
to replace `peak oil`," Research and Technology Minister
Kusmayanto Kadiman said after the meeting between the
head of state and around 60 energy experts at the state
secretariate building here on Monday.
According to peak oil theory, Kadiman said, fossil oil
would be depleted in the next twenty years, natural gas
in 50 years and coal in the next 150 years.
The president urged the experts to find other energies,
like geothermal, solar, sea and river energy.
The 60 energy experts will meet the president in the
next two weeks to present their ideas on latest energy
sources.
According to Kusmayanto, the experts were divided into
three groups which have to create fresh thoughts and ideas
on optimizing fossil, nuclear and biomass energy.
Regarding biomass, the president said that the ideas
to be presented will not hamper the people`s need for
food.
For Indonesia, a new energy which could be immediately
exploited is geothermal energy, as the technology for
the exploitation of this energy was already available.
"There is no reason not to exploit geothermal energy.
But it is often constrained by the courage of the government
in setting competitive prices," he said.
It was also reported that Energy and Mineral Resources
Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro had already agreed to develop
this kind of energy and promised to issue a ministrial
decree for this purpose. (*)
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