#aprilia 2025 we will be there no matter what

[aprilias]

Cannot wait for user aprilias to be reunited with her husband (fabio quartararo) who went to war (is on a shitbox yamaha)

[taniabnt]

The power project quest: where are we now and what’s next?

Grant us the serenity to accept the things we cannot change, Courage to change the things we cannot accept, and Wisdom to know the difference.

- borrowed from the “Serenity Prayer” by Reinhold Niebuhr

Sumber: www.cnnindonesia.com/

Saya teringat sms Pak Sholeh mengabarkan pembangkit PLN sudah beroperasi 24 jam, walaupun baru di Karimun dan Kemujan. Alhamdulillah, jawab saya. Masyarakat sudah menunggu lama, listrik 8 jam byar-pet itu akhirnya diganti juga. Kemudian beliau menjawab, “Tapi kita ndak jadi dipasang pembangkit matahari (PLTS), Mbak. Padahal kita ya ndak mau (PLTD). Takutnya kalau badai bisa susah listrik. Belum lagi kalau bocor (bahan bakarnya).

The energy trilemma

Energy is a difficult resource to manage, therefore, we cannot neglect the incommensurability aspect following the borderline. Many factors need to be considered; persistent problems, multi-actors, and the dynamics of the society also land. As a very top-down process, I would say that it is not only nationally driven but rather globally. So energy is always a matter of power, who drives energy is ‘in control’. Though it is applied reversibly, you can control others through energy. However, we could notice those powerful players in the global arena are dancing on their renewable accomplishment. Indeed, renewable is the future and they want to take control of it. China is a special case in this sense, its renewable production is enormous, even I would prefer, it almost linear without stagnation. While EU countries seem to press each other to cope with the ‘rule of the game’ so they could reach their renewable sovereignty targets. The question remains, where is a developing country like Indonesia positioned in this global trend? Indonesia, like many others, is facing a central challenge as a complex ‘energy trilemma’ which is involved conflicting aspects of the competing demand for energy security, climate change mitigation, and in particularly poor areas, energy poverty.

Power paradox in the power-plant project

The national electricity plan in the Jokowi’s era requires 35,000 MW project to be finished by 2025. The pro-cons debate has followed since the government passed several regulations to continue the project. The project needs recalculation because of the production is not progressing as scheduled. It is worsened by the lower country’s economic growth than the expected plan. Only 19,700 MW will begin operating in 2019, from the target of 26,000 MW. This power project seems to be paradoxical since the beginning. In general, the energy share plan is highly dependent on conventional sources even though Indonesia is repleted with renewable resources; wind, sun, and geothermal. The electricity plan of RUPTL 2017 reflected the PLN’s reluctance to implement renewable energy. Along with the mindset of a fast-track program, major parts of power plants are steam and gas-fired power plants. Those are considered typically manageable and fastest way to build. Whereas, the construction of coal, petroleum and gas-fired power plants takes at least three to four years. Those are way longer than renewable that takes roughly six months to two years until the operation.

If the project is really aiming to increase the access to electricity, from the current electrification ratio of 88 percent to 97 percent, the development plan shows the contrary. Only 3.5 percent of the project is built in unelectrified areas, while the rest remain centered in Java, Bali, and Sumatera. Therefore, it is remarking an ambitious political agenda rather than providing equitable development. In this case, power has been perpetuated to set the reasoning of why the project continues albeit many irregularities carried. The nation’s power project has been tainted with a long history of stalled development and corruption. This recent project seems to carry out similar characteristic, the power exercises are visible with the large coal and oil companies who will be benefited from the plan. At the same time, those who live in remote islands like Karimunjawa merely left with two choices between using conventional energy or staying unpowered; after all, it is not even their choice.

Approaching at the local level should be done parallel with preparing the policy. In Karimunjawa, the local spatial plan from Kabupaten Jepara states the use of renewable energy in the strategy part in RPJMD Year 2012. Otherwise, the implementation plan remains unclear. The renewable energy project is not even enacted in the financial plan. Bickerstaff and Walker (2005) suggest finding new mechanisms with regards to political and cultural settings. Certain boundaries regarding the power project may only be solved at the national level, therefore, the strong resistance in the national government should be diminished. To be part of the government’s political agenda, developing new rational towards renewable energy is crucial. As mandated by RZWP3K Year 2014, several projects should be taken to promote energy diversification and protect the islands’ environment. Nonetheless, the rules are overlapping with the current government program of 35,000 MW. In this sense, the national government should ensure the policy and plan towards renewable energy are integrated. Therefore, the power holder cannot arbitrarily pass the existing rules.

Flyvbjerg once proposes that regulating power and recast the project are what needs to be fixed in the formal process. There should be a requirement of ‘reasonableness’ in the decision-making process. The goal and milestones to achieve every project should be clear and open to reduce the misrepresentation behind the project. Recently, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources released decree Number 12 the Year 2017 on Renewable Sources for Electricity Procurement. The decree enacts incentive as much as 85% electricity tariff for renewable energy. It is a good start to enliven the investment. But such low costs depend on the area, whereas rural and remote places are still considered expensive. Even though the trilemma is there, the government should set priorities and various approaches; planning for future demand is as important as providing electricity in unelectrified areas.

A quest: Reclaiming the islands

In 2009, provincial government and several international NGOs funded renewable energy power plants such as solar (PLTS) and wind (PLTB) in Karimunjawa. Those mainly support the public facilities like health clinic (Puskesmas), mosque and schools. Local cooperation (BUMD) have handled the management and maintenance since the operation started. Cooperation capacity to manage still needs to be increased. For instance, sometimes they cannot cope with technical problems like broken components. Even though they already have a system to collect money from users called kencleng, large-scale uptake will require a better mechanism. Power resulted from the current renewable system for the households are limited. The largest power plant just as big as 160 KW, each of them are hybrid with diesel generator (PLTD). With limited power, electricity only available at night. In 2016, PLN developed diesel power plants to power for 24 hours on the main island, Karimun. While other islands, Kemujan, Nyamuk, Genting, and Parang are still powered by the limited hybrid system. In addition, environmental degradation resulted from the process of burning fuels will be indisputable. This is not aligned with what the people’s believe and protect all this time. Living for years in the islands, the inhabitants have cultivated their proximity to nature, seen from their socio-cultural values. Their livelihoods in agriculture and fisheries heavily depend on the environmental condition.

Renewable energy is framed to be an expensive item in developing country like Indonesia. In fact, all the burdens seem to fade away with innovation and expansion. Those make renewable energy cheaper and accessible. Instead, coal-fired power plants, petroleum, and gas used in remote islands will require high operation cost, especially fuel transportation from fuel-producing region to power plant sites. Moreover, Karimunjawa is located 90 kilometers from Java, therefore requires ferries or boats to transmit the fuels. While the weather during a year is unpredictable, the payload may not reach the islands. The geographical condition comprises the islands with abundant renewable resources. Karimunjawa is relatively exposed to direct sunlight and wind all day throughout the year. Accordingly, off-grid solar panel and wind-turbine are potential options.

As a new magnet of tourism, Karimunjawa should learn from other established destinations in Indonesia where land acquisition and massive development are played vigorously. Although the investment is indisputably needed, a complete openness will threaten local economy. Businessman and capital owners would like to invest when infrastructures are prepared. Buying electricity from the PLN can be applied to all parties. But it will be different if the power plant is owned by the community. Consequently, investors must deal with local people when they want to access the energy. Harnessing energy from renewable resources will (at a best possible scenario) give sovereignty to the locals.

But still, It is a long way to go Where are we now and what’s next? 

Groningen, 16-11-17.

Source:

ADB. (2016). Achieving Universal Electricity Access in Indonesia. Manila: Asian Development Bank.

Aprilia, A. (2017, 10 12). Pressreader. Retrieved from Quo Vadis renewable energy in Indonesia? Accessed on 2017, 10 15. www.pressreader.com

Bickerstaff, K., & Walker, G. (2005). Shared Visions, Unholy Alliances: Power, Governance and Deliberative Processes in Local Transport Planning. Urban Studies, 2123-2144.

Flyvbjerg, B. (2008). Curbing Optimism Bias and Strategic Misrepresentation in Planning: Reference Class Forecasting in Practice. European Planning Studies, 3-21.

Mietzner, M. (2017). Jokowi’s Presidency between Elite Consolidation and Extra-Parliamentary Opposition. Asian Survey, 165-172.

PLN. (2017). Rencana Usaha Penyediaan Tenaga Listrik (RUPTL) 2017-2026. Jakarta: PT. PLN (Persero).