arya [at] posterous

when I'm exhilarated and mobile

Full Steam Ahead as PLN Targets Geothermal Power

Coal-powered plants account for around 42.2 percent of that capacity, with diesel-fired plants 23.7 percent, gas 22 percent, hydropower plants 6.7 percent and geothermal and other renewable energy at 5.4 percent. -- Excerpt from The Jakarta Globe

I personally think that coal power plants will still play major role in 10 years due to lower capex for development. Challenges to balanced energy mix would be economic scale and ROI. If new technology offers lower development cost then energy mix portion will shift to non-coal based. 

Is Asia Following the West Down the Wrong Energy Path?

Part of the problem is that Asian countries, and developing nations on other continents, still appear to want to emulate the West, rather than surpass it. -- Excerpt from The Jakarta Globe
Clean energy is certainly a challenge to every nation in the world, especially Asia. Providing energy to fuel the development while reducing the effect of the development itself. 
The latest statement is worth to fight for: "maybe it's time for Asia to lead rather than follow"

Coal upgrading will only boost exports. Is it true?

The government’s plan to ban low-calorific coal exports starting in 2014 will not help the country reduce reserve exploitation if the technology to upgrade coal calorific value is available, according to an industry group. -- Excerpt from The Jakarta Post

There is one thing which would be an issue, in my opinion, that if production growth would be limited by banning low-calorific coal export while coal producers have had legal permit dan production capacity then where would those coal go? 

Since currently government can only absorb 24% to 30% out of Indonesia coal production then it will significantly hold production growth, which then will impact on investment in coal industry. 

Global warming, a simple explanation for everyone, presented by @nadahey

I'm pretty impressed on how Nada presented one of the global issue using simple explanation, simple words of kids, which can be understood by everyone. Hopefully this presentation shall become one of global understanding on how critical the issue is.

This was presented on TEDx event in Bandung. Presentation is in Bahasa Indonesia.

YouTube movies and its challenges in Indonesia

YouTube is adding more than 3,000 mainstream movies for users to rent starting on Monday, along with the millions of free user-created videos the popular website is best known for. -- Excerpt from Reuters

Hundreds of movies are available for free in addition to the popular one. But the challenge for Indonesia is the availability and (definitely) capacity of internet bandwidth to accommodate huge numbers of users trying to access those movies. 

Several things I have in mind
1. Creating a local mirror as for Indonesian users would be able to access those movies without consuming huge bandwidth, especially to overseas server
2. Developing specific digital entertainment which not only offer movies but instead local entertainment covering movies, music, dance, wayang, etc that could be act as business activities as usual and gateway for promoting Indonesian tourism activities.

With huge numbers of internet users in Indonesia, the market is already in place. 

Anyone interested?

Chinese firm to build coal-fired power plant in West Kalimantan

PT Praba Indopersada, a subsidiary of general contractor firm Praba Group of Indonesia and Chinese firm Gezhouba Group, won a bid to build state-owned electricity company PLN’s coal-fired power plant in Bengkayang, West Kalimantan. -- Excerpt from The Jakarta Post

Total investment of the above 2 x 50 MW power plants would be $172 million and shall be part of second 10,000 MW scheme of power generation crash program. Power plant investment would certainly boost coal production from coal mining company, particularly in West Kalimantan area. From what I've learned, there are huge coal resources (and certainly reseves) in this area, ranging from low calorie (below 4,500 GAR) to high calorie (above 6,200 GAR), which are not yet being developed.

Vision 25/25 on Indonesia's energy mix

Vision 25/25,” a plan laid out last year, envisions a power mix of 25 percent renewable energy, 23 percent natural gas, 30 percent oil, and 22 percent coal in 14 years time. -- Excerpt from The Jakarta Globe.

25 percent renewable energy by 2025. But I think coal can be higher than 22 percent or at least bigger than oil, considering its reserves. The advantages of coal, over oil, is coal bed methane potential reserves that can play important role in next 5 years.

Bukit Asam to build two coal gasification plants

In a bid to help meet growing demand for gas in the country, state coal miner Bukit Asam (PTBA) plans to build two coal gasification plants and explore coalbeds for methane, a top company executive said. -- Excerpt from The Jakarta Globe.

Coal bed methane and gas are two "commodities" which are likely to be a hit in a future to replace crude oil and coal due to massive production and reserves depletion. I think Bukit Asam is on the right track to diversify its business, but the big question would be if it's the right time. We'll see.

I love Indonesia because she's not perfect

I know that she's not perfect because she's giving me chances to give her the best of me. She's not perfect because she wants me to become a better person for a better Indonesia. She's not perfect because she's teaching me the value of perfection, HONESTY and HARD WORK. -- Originally posted here and here (Indonesian)

 Three disasters struck Indonesia: flood in Wasior, earthquake and tsunami in Mentawai, and the eruption of Merapi in Yogyakarta. But, within no time, Indonesians are holding hands, standing side by side, helping all victims. They don't wait for any instruction from the government, it's just the empathy and believes as one nation. 

I do believe that my hope for a better Indonesia is not a dream. It's out there - in our hands.