Universitas Gadjah Mada continues to encourage the use of new energy and renewable energy by increasing research and development starting in 2014. “We will have the role in renewable energy laboratory such as biomass and more use of solar energy starting in 2014. This is all UGM’s commitment to educate society nationally,” said Rector, Prof. Dr. Pratikno, M.Soc., S, alongside the National Congress Energy Sovereignty for Indonesia’s Welfare in the UGM Senate Hall on Monday (16/12).
The Rector said, Indonesia currently needs more human resource from anywhere that can produce energy. “If we already have good technology, we would also need experts and technicians to operate and develop them,” he said.
He added the efforts made by UGM are the step to boost national policy in energy development collectively. The purpose is to increase productivity of energy that is based on fuel. “Along with Ministry for Energy and Mineral Resources, UGM participates in reducing fuel use, because in our opinion, the fuel subsidy is not normal as it reaches 20% of the total state budget or IDR3 trillions,” he added.
Meanwhile, Deputy Minister, Susilo Siswoutomo, said national energy demand is increasing while the production is decreasing. This neccesitates the government to work in synergy with academicians to resolve the issue.
According to Susilo, the government can start the increase of energy production through small scale technology first. Hence, it requires innovation based on three things, these are low cost, achievable and easy access. “For instance, by encouraging energy-independent village, empowering existing workshop to apply the right technology, I think that would be faster and easier compared to involving large scale industry,” he explained.