Indonesian Journal of Energy

Security–Energy Nexus in Indonesia’s Border: The Case of Natuna

2024-02-28T12:09:16+00:00

Natuna is one of the outmost islands in northern Indonesia. Natuna is vital as it delimits Indonesia’s territorial and deposits abundant energy resources. However, Natuna is also vulnerable, as it is adjacent to (and is partly located in) the South China Sea, a flash point in the region. As the sea is rich in natural resources, many countries around the sea are competing to control it, which leads to disputes. This study combines a literature review with interviews and finds that the risk of threats in the Natuna area encourages Indonesia to establish a military base there. The military base plays a role in securing Indonesia’s sovereignty over the Natuna area, including energy resources, an essential resource for the economy and development. This study proposes a new notion of ‘energy resource effects’ that influence the development of the situation and Indonesia’s decision to build a military base in the Natuna area. The energy-security nexus, thus, implies the close relationships between energy and security and how the two affect each other. Finally, this study also offers Indonesia’s perspective on securing its border areas, especially those rich in energy resources.

Rethinking Energy Security in Indonesia from a Net Zero Perspective

2024-02-28T12:25:07+00:00

This study aims at examining in what way and to what extent Indonesia can safeguard its energy security from a net zero perspective. To achieve the objective of this study, the current and projected figures of three variables of the country’s energy system—the total emissions of Kyoto gases, CO2 emissions per sector, and primary energy mix—up to the end of the century were calculated. To shed light on these variables, IMAGE 3.2, an Integrated Assessment Model (IAM) was used. Three scenarios that include CurPol, NDC, and Glasgow were reviewed. This study found that the country's reliance on finite fossil fuels becomes unavoidable, potentially causing Indonesia to miss its net zero target while also being vulnerable to energy crises. It is found that neither strategy described in the country’s current policies nor in its NDC are in line with the country’s net-zero target.This situation is exacerbated by the fact that Indonesia has not enshrined its net zero target in law, leaving the country’s net zero commitment merely as a proposal rather than a pledge. Thus, if Indonesia is committed to ensure its energy security while also meeting its net zero target, it becomes imperative for the country to advance energy efficiency measures, incorporate carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology to control the emissions of ffossil fuels, and significantly increase the shares of renewables (solar and biomass in particular) to at least 50%in the country's primary energy mix.

Potential Development of Unconventional Oil and Gas Resources in Indonesia

2024-02-28T12:25:39+00:00

The demand for energy is increasing along with the rise in population. Indonesian people rely on conventional resources such as coal, oil, and natural gas to meet their energy needs. It is estimated that coal can only be exploited for up to 61 years, natural gas for 34 years, and oil for 19 years. Meanwhile, Indonesia possesses unconventional oil and gas resources (e.g., coal bed methane (CBM), tight gas, shale gas and oil, and methane hydrate), estimated to reach 1,800 trillion cubic feet (TCF). These resources are in the exploration stage and have yet to be fully exploited due to technological limitations. Nevertheless, the Indonesian government continues to emphasize the development of this type of energy resource. Therefore, this study conducts a review of the potential of unconventional oil and gas resources in Indonesia, covering characteristics, potential occurrences in Indonesia, exploitation methods, utilization as a source of energy, and opportunities and challenges in their application. The method used is a narrative review based on secondary data by examining papers published in reputable national and international journals in the last ten years. Results show that unconventional oil and gas resources have different characteristics, including permeability, porosity, and depth. CBM can be found at the shallowest depth, followed by tight gas, methane hydrate, and the deepest is shale gas. Potential occurrences of these resources in Indonesia include gas hydrate (858.2 TCF), then shale gas (574.07 TCF), coal-bed methane (453.3 TCF), and shale oil 11.24 million tons. Exploitation can be done in various ways, such as dewatering for CBM, hydraulic fracking for tight and shale, and depressurization for methane hydrate. Once exploited, methane gas can be used for power plants, vehicle fuel, and industrial and household needs. Opportunities and challenges from various aspects, as well as applicable laws in Indonesia, are also discussed. In this light, the contribution of our study is to provide a comprehensive review of the characteristics, location, exploitation methods, opportunities, and challenges of utilizing unconventional oil and gas resources in Indonesia.

Estimations of the Geothermal Energy Potential in The Mount Anak Krakatau Region Based on Derivative Analysis and 3D Model of Gravitational Satellite Data

2024-02-28T12:26:21+00:00

Geothermal energy is a source of renewable energy that has the potential to be produced, considering that Indonesia is in the ring of fire, where there are many volcanoes, one of which is Mount Anak Krakatau. Even though direct exploration is not permitted, at least information on the geothermal system on the mountain can still be obtained using satellite data. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the geothermal energy potential of Mount Anak Krakatau using gravity satellite data with a total of 320 data consisting of gravity disturbance, geoid, and Digital Elevation Model. The data processing describes a 3D model that is correlated with the First Horizontal Derivative (FHD) and Second Vertical Derivative (SVD) analysis. Based on the results of the residual anomaly map analysis, the low anomaly has a value of -1.85–(-0.89) mGal which is suspected to be associated with magma pockets, and the high anomaly ranges from 0.04–2.13 mGal which is suspected to be associated with the caldera of Mount Anak Krakatau. Based on the results of the FHD and SVD graphical analysis, there are 18 faults that control the geothermal system. Based on the results of 3D modeling trending from west-east it can be seen that there is a clay cap layer with a value density 2.32–2.37 gr/cc at depths of 0–550 m and reservoir layers with density values of 2.23–2.29 gr/cc at depths of 500–1100 m. This geothermal research using the gravity method can be developed and become a reference for future research to calculate the potential for electrification in a research area.

Strategic Implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions for Waste-to-Energy Utilization in Indonesia

2024-02-28T12:26:39+00:00

Municipal solid waste (MSW) stands out as a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, with Indonesia ranking among the world's largest contributors. The Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) commits Indonesia to minimize MSW emissions through renewable energy development, a central aspect of addressing the climate change crisis. In response, Presidential Regulation Number 35 of 2018 was introduced to vitalize these efforts. However, despite these initiatives, the existing legal framework has not adequately addressed the issue. This research aims to address two pivotal questions: How does Indonesian law regulate the conversion of waste into energy? To what extent do current regulations encompass Waste-to-Energy power plants? Employing a normative legal analysis, this study critically examines national legal instruments related to renewable energy, utilizing a statutory approach. Our findings underscore that current regulations concerning renewable energy lack effectiveness in ensuring availability, resilience, and national energy independence in a sustainable manner. Our study contributes to the existing body of research by delving into aspects of Waste-to-Energy regulation in Indonesia, an area that has not been extensively explored in previous studies.