Well, my exhaustive search for the answer to the question about current and future plans for the disposal of Indonesia's nuclear waste have, not unexpectedly, come to naught.
However, recent news may well render this issue meaningless. You see, it was reported in November last year that the up to four nuclear power stations (which) can be built on the Muria Peninsula on the northern coast of Central Java province would each have a generating capacity of between 1,000 and 1,500 megawatts, a maximum total of 6,000 megawatts.This week, the Jakarta Post reported that the state electricity firm PT PLN plans to build 30 power plants which will be coal-fired and geothermal in nature.
The geothermal power plants would be built at Ulubelu power plant in Lampung, Ulumbu in Flores, East Nusa Tenggara, Lumutbalai in South Sumatra and Lahendong in North Sulawesi and the capacity of each plant would range between 20 MW to 110 MW, with an estimated total capacity of around 1,000 MW.
Ok, that doesn't total 6,000 megawatts, but then these geothermal plants would serve the remoter regions and would not need the vast infrastructure which the nuclear industry demands. And they can come on stream within two years.
Indonesia is believed to have nearly one-third of the world's geothermal resources so the government is stepping up efforts to develop its estimated 27,000 MW of potential geothermal power capacity.
That does mean that the investment climate must be improved.
Last year it did appear to be suitable for Medco Energi Internasional Tbk, Indonesia's largest private oil and gas company, and Itochu Corp. of Japan, who were awarded a contract by PLN to build the world's largest geo-thermal plant at Sarulla in North Sumatra.
One must wonder whether Medco Energi Internasional Tbk, will continue with its plans. This is a Bakrie family holding company, and the victims of the Sidoarjo mudflow disaster have yet to receive any meaningful compensation, even though the Bakries have notionally agreed to pay it. (This week, the destroyed community 'commemorates' one year of being uprooted.)
In the matter of Medco developing geo-thermal power, the future looks bright.
Indonesia's Renewable Energy Capacity
Energy ............ Unit .... Potential .. Installed capacity
Hydro ............... MW ...... 75,000 ............... 4,125
Geothermal ..... MW ...... 27,140 .................. 807
Tidal ................ MW .... 240,000 ..................... 0
Biomass ......... MW ....... 49,810 ................. 445
Wind ............... MW ........ 9,290 ...................... 0.6
[MW: megawatt]
That's over 400,000 megawatts of renewable, non-polluting energy sources, although there will always be environmental issues to be examined, such as the consequence of any construction works.
And solar power could contribute three times as much.
Solar .............. GW ..........1,200 .......................0.008
[GW: gigawatt]
Source: Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, PT PLN
If renewable energy sources exist and there are profits to be made from them, then there is no need to expend billions of dollars on nuclear power plants with potentially less energy output and then to leave their toxic residue for the rest of humanity's existence.
Is there?
Labels: Nuclear power, renewable energy
