Pertamina pioneered to develop renewable energy sources

Jakarta, The state oil and gas firm Pertamina, is aiming to be the pioneer in developing five new renewable energy sources to as an alternative to meet future domestic demands.

Pertamina`s Corporate Communication Vice President Mochamad Harun said in a written statement received here, Thursday, that the company is appointed for the pioneer in the field.

Besides, the target is also to obtain 25 percent of domestic use of renewable energy that consist of geothermal, coal bed methane (CBM), shale gas, algae and wind, by the year 2025.

CBM which formed from coal methane gas has been the most important energy source in several countries like the USA and Canada during the last few decades.

Shale gas is natural gas that found in clastic sedimentary rock layers that consist of a clay mineral and small fragments or particles of other minerals such as quartz and calcite mixture.

"Pertamina has developed two of the five renewable energy sources, such as the geothermal and CBM, but the other three are the company`s main challenge to study their economical values while being developed," he said.

Pertamina`s commitment in conducting such research of renewable energy was pointed out in a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry`s (ESDM) research and development department, here on Thursday.

Previously the MoU was signed between Pertamina and the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry (ESDM).

The ESDM`s Renewable energy and conservation Director General Luluk Sumiarso, on 11 September 2010 said that the company is intensifying the 25/25 vision, which is the effort to use 25 percent of renewable energy by 2025.

"Based on discussions at the National Energy Board by using MARKAL model projections, the renewable energy use in 2025 is estimated to reach 25 percent," said Luluk.

Luluk explained that the country has only consumed 4.4 percent of renewable energy in 2010.

This figure is far below the use of fossil energy such as petroleum (43.9 percent), coal (30.7 percent), and gas (21 percent).

Renewable energy consumption is estimated to reach 25 percent with the 25/25 vision, while other energy sources uses like coal would reach 32 percent, natural gas 23 percent consumption and petroleum 20 percent.