Harnessing More Renewable Energy with Forest Conservation

It is common knowledge that we, humans, rely on natural resources for survival. Most of our basic needs derive from natural resources, so we must take steps to conserve what we have to encourage the health and longevity of our planet. By conserving our natural resources, we can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and have a more positive impact on our natural environment.

Indonesia has a rich potential in renewable energy sources, such as solar energy, abundant water supplies, geothermal energy and biomass. Consequently, the development of New Renewable Energy (NRE) should be one of the top priorities in energy utilization in Indonesia. It is also useful to strengthen national energy security. As stated on Kebijakan Energi Nasional (KEN), renewable energy mix targets primary energy supply to reach 23% by 2025 by optimizing NRE utilization and minimizing the use of petroleum to less than 25%.

Although renewable energy consumption has been in practice for centuries, recent years of climate change and global warming have pushed many researchers to look for ways to incorporate more green practices into our everyday lives. Renewable energy replenishes itself, cutting down on our need to harvest new resources. Using solar panels or wind energy can significantly reduce our reliance on natural gas, while biomass, such as agricultural by-products, can be used as a renewable source of energy, known as bioenergy. In addition, utilization of hydropower through Pembangkit Listrik Tenaga Air (PLTA) and Pembangkit Listrik Tenaga Mikrohidro (PLTM) is encouraged by the government, as well.

All of those can be found abundantly in Indonesia’s rainforests which represent 10% of the world’s remaining tropical rainforests. It becomes one of the supporters of our energy sources by supplying water resources as well as regulating water management and sedimentation processes. Therefore, it is our collective duty to continue to preserve the forest and its functions for energy sustainability in Indonesia.

 

Source:

https://www.menlhk.go.id/site/single_post/3335/hutan-untuk-listrik-nasional

https://www.nationalgeographic.org/article/conserving-earth/