Jakarta – The 10th World Water Forum, to be held May 18-25 in Bali, opens up new opportunities for Indonesia to obtain cheaper and more sustainable sources of electricity through the development of hydropower plants, according to the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (EMR).
The Ministry’s Director General of New Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation, Eniya Listiani Dewi, said in an official statement on Saturday, April 27, that at the forum, the issue of hydropower was strengthened, paving the way for further investment in green energy infrastructure.
“With this World Water Forum, we hope the issue of hydropower can be even bigger, because with water we can get the cheapest electricity,” she said.
Highlighting Indonesia’s great potential in terms of water resources, Eniya explained that the government has long encouraged the utilisation of water as a source of electrical energy, especially given the wealth of water resources in various regions, including Kalimantan, Sumatra, Sulawesi, and Papua.
Strategic projects such as hydropower have been a key focus for Indonesia in its efforts to gain support and investment from the international community. Through participation in the 10th World Water Forum, Indonesia underscored the importance of investing in green energy infrastructure to achieve sustainable development goals.
“Right now, the cheapest electricity, about 3 cents or below, is hydro,” said Eniya, a former Principal Expert Researcher of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), emphasising the economic and environmental potential of renewable energy.
Previously, the Expert Staff of the Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) for Technology, Industry, and Environment, Endra S Atmawidjaja, had highlighted several strategic projects offered by Indonesia in the World Water Forum 2024, including irrigation modernization with the World Bank and hydropower development.
The forum attracts stakeholders from diverse backgrounds, ranging from heads of state and ministers to academics and youth, to share knowledge and experiences in order to advance water management globally.
The 10th World Water Forum, with a focus on water conservation, clean water and sanitation, food and energy security, and natural disaster mitigation, is expected to provide concrete results in an effort to maintain the sustainability and availability of clean water for future generations. (Hartatik)
