TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo on Monday has urged the South Sumatra city of Pagar Alam to be the country’s first zero emission city after he lauded the city’s green energy development through the use of micro hydro power plants.

He called on city administrators to follow-up on the use of such technologies to a broader application. The President mentioned other countries that are already leaning towards renewable energy sources such as solar power, hydropower, and geothermal—all of which he said Indonesia has an abundance of.

“This is still at the household level in terms of the use of electricity. If the use is broadened to electric-powered vehicles then Pagar Alam can eventually become Indonesia’s first city to use green energy,” said Jokowi on January 24.

"After we calculate the new and renewable energy that we have, we have approximately —the final count but I don't think it's final—418,000 megawatts from hydropower, geothermal, wind, to solar power, we have everything," the President explained.

Jokowi assured that the central government will continue to support the development of Pagar Alam’s “green” energy sources. “The central government will assist in areas that we can help,” he said.

Read: Jokowi: Indonesia to Build World's First Green Industrial Park

DEWI NURITA