Jakarta: Indonesia needs an immediate energy diversification policy, including nuclear power, to provide the country with guidelines for facing the world energy crisis, said energy and environmental analysts here Monday.
World oil prices reached almost US$100 barrel in November, pushing it beyond poor countries' purchasing ability, said author Agus Mustofa in his book Nuclear Power in Indonesia under the World Energy War Scheme.
Agus led an energy-focused discussion Monday with Emil Salim, former Indonesian environment minister; Kurtubi, an energy analyst from the University of Indonesia; and Riswanto, a social analyst from the Indonesian Institute of Sciences.
Agus said nuclear power was the most feasible and rational alternative energy source available to Indonesia today.
He said during the discussion the country needed nuclear power to stop its dependence on fossil energy because it was predicted the country would run out of its fossil fuel reserves in 2020.
"In fact, Indonesia has already become a net oil importing country since 2005, and its need for oil is continuously growing," Agus said.
"Moreover, fossil energy is continuously causing great environmental devastation, especially global warming.
"Japan currently uses nuclear energy to provide around 30 percent of its need for electricity and plans to expand that to reach 40 percent in 2025.
"Nuclear energy also provides almost 80 percent of France's electricity needs," he said.
"In Asia, countries like China, South Korea, Taiwan and India have already begun their nuclear power energy source."
Although Agus said he had no doubt about Indonesia's need to end its 95 percent dependency on fossil energy, he said most Indonesians' perceptions of nuclear power was still very negative.
"In Indonesia, nuclear power is always associated with radiation, toxic waste and disasters," he said.
Emil Salim said for Indonesia to diversify energy sources, the most important step was to ensure a balanced market place for non-renewable and renewable energy sources to compete.
"The government provides around Rp 70 trillion (US$7.4 billion) to subsidize oil energy," Emil said.
"How can renewable energy development occur in Indonesia.
"The government needs to fix this," he said.
With regard to risks and concerns associated with the development of nuclear energy for the archipelago, Emil said, "The government needs to immediately respond to the people's anxiety toward nuclear energy by allocating risk liability in its plan to build a nuclear reactor".
"Hopefully that (will) assure people that any accidents have already been anticipated, so nothing like the Lapindo mud disaster in East Java will happen.
"People need to be assured that the government is ready for any disaster possibility," Emil said.
"Don't just preach about how safe a nuclear plant is.
"If the government is very sure that there will be no nuclear-related accident, it must guarantee extensive insurance coverage for people living near the planned nuclear plant; Rp 1 billion for each family, if necessary."
Kurtubi said the government must overcome the psychological and political obstacles that had deterred the development of nuclear energy in Indonesia.
"The government must assure the people they have studied and learned from the collective experience of nuclear energy-using countries in minimizing the possibility of accidents since the 1950s," Kurtubi said.
World oil prices reached almost US$100 barrel in November, pushing it beyond poor countries' purchasing ability, said author Agus Mustofa in his book Nuclear Power in Indonesia under the World Energy War Scheme.
Agus led an energy-focused discussion Monday with Emil Salim, former Indonesian environment minister; Kurtubi, an energy analyst from the University of Indonesia; and Riswanto, a social analyst from the Indonesian Institute of Sciences.
Agus said nuclear power was the most feasible and rational alternative energy source available to Indonesia today.
He said during the discussion the country needed nuclear power to stop its dependence on fossil energy because it was predicted the country would run out of its fossil fuel reserves in 2020.
"In fact, Indonesia has already become a net oil importing country since 2005, and its need for oil is continuously growing," Agus said.
"Moreover, fossil energy is continuously causing great environmental devastation, especially global warming.
"Japan currently uses nuclear energy to provide around 30 percent of its need for electricity and plans to expand that to reach 40 percent in 2025.
"Nuclear energy also provides almost 80 percent of France's electricity needs," he said.
"In Asia, countries like China, South Korea, Taiwan and India have already begun their nuclear power energy source."
Although Agus said he had no doubt about Indonesia's need to end its 95 percent dependency on fossil energy, he said most Indonesians' perceptions of nuclear power was still very negative.
"In Indonesia, nuclear power is always associated with radiation, toxic waste and disasters," he said.
Emil Salim said for Indonesia to diversify energy sources, the most important step was to ensure a balanced market place for non-renewable and renewable energy sources to compete.
"The government provides around Rp 70 trillion (US$7.4 billion) to subsidize oil energy," Emil said.
"How can renewable energy development occur in Indonesia.
"The government needs to fix this," he said.
With regard to risks and concerns associated with the development of nuclear energy for the archipelago, Emil said, "The government needs to immediately respond to the people's anxiety toward nuclear energy by allocating risk liability in its plan to build a nuclear reactor".
"Hopefully that (will) assure people that any accidents have already been anticipated, so nothing like the Lapindo mud disaster in East Java will happen.
"People need to be assured that the government is ready for any disaster possibility," Emil said.
"Don't just preach about how safe a nuclear plant is.
"If the government is very sure that there will be no nuclear-related accident, it must guarantee extensive insurance coverage for people living near the planned nuclear plant; Rp 1 billion for each family, if necessary."
Kurtubi said the government must overcome the psychological and political obstacles that had deterred the development of nuclear energy in Indonesia.
"The government must assure the people they have studied and learned from the collective experience of nuclear energy-using countries in minimizing the possibility of accidents since the 1950s," Kurtubi said.
