REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Minister of State Enterprises Rini Soemarno has offered US investors projects in seven sectors in Indonesia - renewable energy, mineral mining, infrastructure, land, sea and air transport facilities, manufacturing and tourism. Indonesia is seeking to develop its potential resources of renewable energy including geothermal, solar energy and wind energy, Rini said in a statement issued here on Wednesday.
Rini was speaking at an Investment Forum "Central for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) - Bank BNI Roundtable" in Washington on Tuesday also attended by rectors of a number of Indonesian state run universities such as University of Indonesia, Gadjah Mada University, Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology, University of Padjajaran and University of Hasanuddin.
Rini said the seven sectors are listed in the government priority of development to accelerated Indonesia's economic development. The Indonesian government has set a target that renewable energy is to account for at least 23 percent of the country's energy mix in 2025, the statement quoted Rini as saying.
Therefore, the Indonesian government hopes to a develop an US$19.3 billion worth of geothermal power projects, she said as quoted in the statement.
Indonesia has the largest geothermal reserves in the world or 40 percent or 28.5 GWe of the world's reserves, but only a small part of the wealth has been utilized.
Indonesia is located in the equatorial line and is one of the countries with the longest coast line in the world giving it big potential resources of solar and wind energy, the minister said.
"Indonesia, therefore, is a very strategic market for energy," she said.
Indonesia is also a major producer of coal, the fifth largest in the world with a reserve of 26 billion tons in 2017. The Minister said the government is in the process of going downstream in the mining sector that necessitates large investment in processing industry to build smelters.
The Mandalika, the Special Economic Area (KEK) Mandalika.
In the infrastructure sector Rini pointed to the Special Economic Area (KEK) of Walini, a project valued at least US$3.6 billion in West Java. She said projects in the manufacturing sector is no less attractive with the availability of 128 workers.
She also cited the Mandalika ecotourism project in Lombok, a landmark project that is expected to attract at least 2 million tourists per year.