Low Carbon News in Indonesia in Febuary 2015

Solar power projects up in the air

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Business | Tue, February 10 2015, 10:04 AM

Eighty solar-power plant construction projects, some up for tender, are currently in limbo as the government has halted the process pending a Supreme Court ruling, following a lawsuit from a business group. Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry renewable energy director general Rida Mulyana said the lawsuit was still at the Supreme Court. “Of the 80 power-plant projects, 12 are already at tender and are awaiting the PPA [power purchase agreement] process. The tender process for the remaining projects must wait for the ruling,” Rida said.

The government had placed 12 power plant projects up for tender when the Solar Cell Association (APAMSI) filed a lawsuit, claiming there was an obligation to use local content and to prioritize local players to carry out the projects. Rida argued that the demands would likely conflict with the principles of the World Trade Organization (WTO), of which Indonesia is a member. “We need to wait for the decision. If it rules in favor of the suit, we must revise the regulation,” he added.

As part of attempts to boost solar power-plant development in the country, in 2013 the ministry issued a ministerial decree regulating the purchasing of electricity produced by photovoltaic solar power plants by state-owned electricity company PLN. Under the regulation, the highest tariff set is US$0.25 per kilowatt hour (kWh) and can be set as high as $0.3 per kWh if the photovoltaic solar power plants use at least 40 percent of local components in the material required. Following the regulation, the government placed 80 solar power plant construction projects up for tender. If completed, the power plants will have a combined capacity of up to 140 megawatts (MW).

Link:

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/02/10/solar-power-projects-air.html

Riau, Jambi prepare forest, land fire prevention

The Jakarta Post, Pekanbaru/Jambi | Tue, February 17 2015, 7:38 AM

Riau and Jambi are preparing efforts to prevent forest and land fires that have caused annual disasters in the provinces. Acting Riau Governor Arsyadjuliandi “Andi” Rachman on Monday issued Gubernatorial Decree No. 5/2015 on forest and land fire mitigation and prevention action plans, which is aimed at freeing the province from the disasters that have been taking place for the past 17 years. Witnessed by Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya and National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) head Syamsul Ma’arif, the ordinance, which regulates the duties and responsibilities of relevant agencies in forest and land fire mitigation in Riau, Andi immediately handed tasks to the 12 regents and mayors in Riau.

“There are 16 actions plans that greatly require support from the relevant stakeholders at the central, provincial, regency and mayoralty levels, including from the private sector,” said Andi. The action plans include the designation of peat land as a protected area in Riau spatial planning, canal blocking to maintain the wetness of peat land, document evaluation and environmental licensing for plantation and forestry companies in preventing and mitigating forest and land fires, law enforcement against companies disobeying audits and the establishment and provision of incentives for fire-aware communities in fire-prone areas.

Link:

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/02/17/riau-jambi-prepare-forest-land-fire-prevention.html

Jakarta Targeting to Have 1,500 Waste Banks

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – 18 February 2015

Jakarta Provincial Government keeps trying various ways to solve garbage problem in the capital city. One of them is by adding garbage bank. Even this year, Jakarta Sanitary Department is targeting to have 1,500 waste banks in five cities. Jakarta Cleanliness Department Head, Saptastri Ediningtyas Kusumadewi, disclosed her department will keep holding a garbage bank program. This is because the program has been existed in the upstream of garbage. “We will encourage people to build waste banks. This year, we also target 1,500 waste banks could be realized. Many institutions or government and private offices, schools, shopping centers, etc, can support this program,” she stated as quoted by Antara News.

She exclaimed to build garbage bank is very easy and simple. It only requires a land for shelter and willingness to manage it, plus sorter and scales tool. For the initial stage, she holds the garbage bank in her office and then continued to sub-department offices in five cities and Seribu Islands. The employees are also required to supply dry garbage into the garbage bank. Each employee would receive a garbage passbook, in which 1 kilogram of garbage priced at Rp1,000.

Link:

http://en.tempo.co/read/news/2015/02/18/057643387/Jakarta-Targeting-to-Have-1500-Waste-Banks

Govt ramps up efforts to prosecute agroforestry firms

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Sat, February 21 2015, 7:05 AM

With forest fires in Sumatra challenging the country’s aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 26 percent to 41 percent by 2020, the government has rolled out a plan to boost law-enforcement measures against agro forestry firms. The Environment and Forestry Ministry said on Friday that it would step up its oversight of agroforestry firms as well as monitoring of legal proceedings involving companies that were alleged to have started forest fires.

In 2013, litigation was launched against six companies — palm oil companies PT BNS and PT LIH — as well as industrial forest firms PT RUJ, PT SRL, PT SPM and PT BBH, all operating in Riau. The ministry then filed lawsuits against PT FGP, PT FDI and PT KWL on allegations of starting forest fires in 2014. The audit found that most local administrations and companies in the province failed to follow the proper procedures in conducting business related to forests, which is suspected as being a major cause of fires.

Link:

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/02/21/govt-ramps-efforts-prosecute-agroforestry-firms.html