TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources has launched the Clean Energy Center of Excellence (CoE) program. The CoE, stationed in Bali, will serve as the country's center for integrated researches, development and investment facilitation.

"The CoE will be the liaison channel to actualize a clean, sustainable," Energy Minister Sudirman Said said at the Bali Clean Energy Forum (BCEF), in Nusa Dua, Bali, on February 11.

The CoE program is the main supporter in accelerating the development of renewable energy. Indonesia aims for renewable energy to account for 23 percent of the national energy output by 2023.

Bali is selected as it is the melting pot for various parties interested in this agenda.

"Over the next 4 years, the CoE will focus on supporting the development of the 35 MW electricity development program, of which 25 percent or about 8.8 GW will come from renewable energy," said Sudirman.

At the BCEF opening, Sudirman said the event is an important stage in achieving the goal of clean and renewable energy development. "It requires the cooperation of nations, because it is impossible for a single country to meet its own energy needs," he said.

The event was attended by over 1,200 participants from 26 countries. In addition to the conference, the event was also marked by business meetings and exhibitions that pooled in investment deals worth Rp47 trillion.

"Hopefully [these investments] will be able to absorb more than 18,000 workers," he said.

Vice President Jusuf Kalla, who opened the international forum, said that energy is an important part of the activities that encourage the development of all nations.

Indonesia has complete and abundant potential of natural resources, but it lacks the proper technology that can harvest energy whilst conserving the environment. "Through this forum, everyone can share their experiences and push for collaboration," he said.

ROFIQI HASAN