POST PANDEMIC GEOTHERMAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

Covid-19 pandemic has an impact on every aspect of economic growth

which has drastically changed the global energy development strategy. Based on
IEA’s study on World Energy Outlook 2020, renewables growth decreased during
the pandemic, the world is set to add only 167 GW of renewable power capacity
which is 13% less than 2019. This decline reflects delays in construction due to
supply chain disruptions, lockdown, worker safety, and emerging financing
challenges that harm various projects including the geothermal energy sector in
Indonesia. The ESDM Ministry Director, Hariyanto, said that several Geothermal
projects under construction would experience losses and delays, such as Sokoria
Geothermal Power Plant of 5 MW in Ende, East Nusa Tenggara. This project
targeted in February 2020, but now estimated shift to 2021.

Figure 1. Indonesian Geothermal Energy Target

To develop potential Indonesia's geothermal after pandemic can be started

by recovery process then followed with development strategy as government
target to increase 7,241 MW in 2025. The Geothermal Plant can start to
implement worker management such as adding portal camps for workers to apply
social distancing and increasing productivity at work. besides, clarity and
simplifying exploration regulation are really important to attract investors. Based
on EBTKE, the investment value on Indonesia's geothermal industry in Q2 2020
was USD 302 million, only 28.67% of the 2020 target of USD 1.05 billion, which
is still a bit far from the target set. Thus, Investment has important key to increase
geothermal production.

Even more, if we see there are many potential geothermal fields as

Indonesia only uses 7% of 28.500 MW. So, it is suggested to the government to
make geothermal auction scheme by providing accurate initial field data (geology,
geochemistry, geophysics) and socialize to local community nearby candidate
field to overcome social issues about geothermal so that it is easy to attract more
private energy players in exploring new field to improve geothermal energy in
Indonesia.

Then to maximize various geothermal potential, we can utilize technology

such as Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) for low-pressure temperatures. Instead of
using water, it applies silicon oil or fluorocarbons that have low boiling point.
Then wellhead power plant technology for transforming small into big plants by
producing optimal power. It increases project revenue rather than waiting for the
construction of large power plants with a long lead time. with this strategy
perhaps can maximize geothermal development in Indonesia.