TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry said that 11 companies have committed to and have prepared coal downstream projects until 2030. Their plan is to support Indonesia's energy transition program toward the net-zero emission target.

"Currently, 11 companies have committed to preparing their coal downstream projects until 2030, and two more companies will follow," the ministry's director of coal development and exploitation, Lana Saria, said in a public discussion by Indef entitled 'The Economics of Coal Gasification Bara' held in Jakarta, Thursday, April 7th.

Among the 11 coal companies is state-owned Bukit Asam, which is planning for the gasification of coal into dimethyl ether.

Lana said that raising coal's added value through downstream technology is an effort to replace coal energy which is high in carbon emission so that it can be more environmentally friendly.

The Energy Ministry projects that Indonesia has 91.6 billion tons of coal resources with 31.7 billion tons of reserves.

In 2021, the realization of domestic coal production reached 614 million tons, or 98.2 percent of the targeted 625 million tons. Meanwhile, domestic coal utilization was recorded at 133 million tons, or 96.7 percent of the 137.5 million tons target.

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