US, Indonesia to increase ties on geothermal energy

The US and Indonesia have pledged to strengthen their ties to collaborate on private investments in geothermal energy.
The pledge came after a workshop between the two countries on August 6.

The US Embassy in Jakarta said the workshop participants were engaged in discussions on international best practices for geothermal energy development. They explored opportunities of the two countries streamlining geothermal energy development in policies, rules and regulations while at the same time preserving the integrity of local concerns to protect the environment.

“Experts also explored world-class approaches to reduce risks associated with geothermal development, to increase the efficiency of government processes and to create the financial certainty necessary to increase overall levels of geothermal energy investment,” the embassy said in a statement in Jakarta over the weekend.

It further said developing the clean energy supply had the potential to support long-term, low emission economic growth. It could also help Indonesia meet its climate change target of a 26 % reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020, or 41 % reduction with international support, compared to business-as-usual.

“The workshop illustrates how the US is working with its partners to mitigate the causes of global climate change,” said the embassy.