ULM professor encourages South Kalimantan continue to develop renewable energy

Banjarmasin, S Kalimantan (ANTARA) - Professor of the University of Lambung Mangkurat (ULM) Gusti Muhammad Hatta encouraged South Kalimantan to continue to develop new and renewable energy, as it has considerable potential but has not been fully utilized.

Hatta, who is a former Minister of Research and Technology here said that some of the potential of renewable energies in Indonesia are solar, wind and water, which are environmentally friendly and have been used as electrical energy, namely solar power plants (PLTS), wind power plant (PLTB), and hydro-electric power plant (PLTA).

"Especially for South Kalimantan, we have PLTS, PLTB and PLTA," he continued.

Unfortunately, he said, South Kalimantan, which is now inhabited by over four million people spread over 13 districts and cities, still predominantly uses non-renewable energy, such as coal-fired power plants (PLTU) and diesel-fired power plants (PLTD).

The only relatively large hydropower plant is in Riam Kanan Reservoir, Banjar District, the Ir Pangeran Mohammad Noor hydropower plant with an installed capacity of 2X10 MW, which was built in the 1970s.

According to him, the best choice to replace coal and oil and gas is water, especially in South Kalimantan where there are many rivers. However, there must be a large amount of water available, and to keep the water flow high, there must be a lot of sustainable forest.

"If you want the environment to remain healthy, you must use hydropower by preserving forests, planting reforestation trees, so that deforested forests will soon become green water catchment areas to keep the hydropower plants operating," he pointed out.

Hatta welcomed the green revolution program echoed by the South Kalimantan provincial government, which aim to strengthen land cover which is certainly a water catchment area.

In an effort to keep the environment sustainable, a community movement is needed. Encourage community movements to love the environment, Adiwiyata or environmentally cultured schools, including for Islamic boarding schools, as well as universities.

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The Head of the South Kalimantan Environment Agency Hanifah Dwi Nirwana said that the provincial government and all related agencies are continuously trying to find the potential for developing renewable energy.

Micro hydro energy, she admitted, had been developed, but then faded away, due to several obstacles.

The development plan for wind energy is also being prepared by the Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Office.

"Several other energies that have been developed are energy from cow dung, garbage, and others. Unfortunately, all of these potentials have not been massively developed, only limited to certain spots," she said.

In the future, she said, South Kalimantan should continue to be encouraged to become a center for developing environmentally friendly energy.

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