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Currently, Indonesia can only utilize 1,226 megawatts (MW), or 5 percent of its total geothermal reserves, despite being surrounded by a number of tectonic plates.

With that geographical position, the largest Southeast Asian economy holds 40 percent of the world'€™s geothermal reserves with a total potential of 29,000 MW scattered across 276 locations to feed energy to its 230 million citizens.

But land acquisition and permit issues that linger on are allegedly the reasons for the stalling of 30 geothermal projects that were launched before and after the introduction of the 2003 Geothermal Law.

'€œI think this is the point where the government should take an all or nothing approach [to help potential investors]. Otherwise, just shut down all of the geothermal projects in the country,'€ said Indonesian Geothermal Association chairman Abadi Purnomo in a recent interview with The Jakarta Post.

Your comments:

Indonesia is the most populous Islamic country and there are several thousand islands, stretching from Aceh to Papua '€” the length and width of the US but with no desert in between.  

The seas are rich and oil resources and rainfall is abundant.

Kim Chuan Tee

The geothermal industry should be commended for at least trying to go through the due process, however, fruitless that may be.

Another problem will occur after the geothermal concessions are exploited: roads will be cut through pristine corners of the forests and then these will be used by illegal loggers to cut the entire mountain.

Dunder

This country has everything the world needs but we do not know how to manage it.

Ajaib

Indonesia mixes religion with social and political aspects. The result is a backward country with no way of moving forward.

Having numerous islands and seas makes Indonesia very rich. But the downside is the extremely difficult logistics.

What is the use of having so many riches, but no way of transporting them efficiently?

We need to start to be honest and true to ourselves and each other.

Rameyuk

Meanwhile, entire forests are razed to the ground to make way for coal mines and oil palm plantations.  

The geothermal industry should be commended for at least trying to go through the due process, however, fruitless.

Another problem altogether comes after the geothermal concessions are exploited, roads will have to be cut through remote corners of pristine forests and these will then be used by illegal loggers to clear the entire mountain.

Jorith