Implementation Of Coal Steam Power Plant (PLTU) Termination Program In Realizing Net Zero Emission 2050 – OpEd
The climate change crisis has become an international issue that is increasing every year. One of the contributors to carbon emissions is in the Steam Power Plant which still uses coal as its driving fuel. In general, the exploitation and use of natural energy resources to fulfill human needs will always harm the environment. The use of various kinds of fossil fuels such as petroleum, coal, and natural gas to fuel industrial and transportation equipment has made a huge change in climatic conditions (Intisolar, 2017). Indonesia is one of the countries that still use fossil energy, especially coal in Steam Power Plants as industrial sustainability. It causes Indonesia to be one of the countries that contribute 2.03% of carbon emissions that pollute the air and change the world’s climate (radartegal, 2021). It is important to involve renewable energy in order to prevent a sustainable climate crisis in the future. Therefore, one of the alternative to prevent a sustainable climate crisis, each country must begin to phase out the operation of coal-fired Steam Power Plants and replace them with Renewable Energy in order to realize Net Zero Emission 2050.
One of the biggest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions is coal-fired power plants which cause climate change. Greenpeace cited that Steam Power Plants as the single worst contributor responsible for nearly half (46%) of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions. As reported by Endcoal.org, from 2006-2020 there were at least 171 coal-fired power plants operating in Indonesia with a total capacity of 32,373 megawatts. These plants contribute to the Carbon Dioxide produced by Steam Power Plants in the world which reaches 258,394 million tons with an average annual emission of 6,463 million tons (Syahni, 2020). The air pollution caused by coal-fired Steam Power plants causes losses to the world, especially Indonesia. Climate change can be detrimental to the economic sector, and can also cause disease and even death. In Indonesia, there are diseases that are prone to emerge due to climate change such as malaria, acute respiratory infections, diarrhea, dengue fever, and leptospirosis. Therefore, efforts are needed to minimize the use of fossil energy because the disposal of fossil fuels into the air is not only detrimental to human activities, but it can cause all ecosystems on the earth to be increasingly threatened and can contribute greatly to the world climate change crisis. For this reason, the role of the government is important, paying attention to the nation’s security and safety of the society and living things on earth with the impact of climate change caused by carbon emissions.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 2018. Explained that the largest contribution to global warming comes from fossil fuels and industry (ClientEarth Communication, 2020). The government has prepared a several steps to achieve Net Zero Emissions in 2050. The step to stop the operation of a coal-fired Steam Power Plant takes a long time, it will not achieve instantly in order to accelerate the plan. The government is reportedly ready to take advantage of the Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM) facilities provided by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). ADB is reportedly ready to help Indonesia and the Philippines to entire 50% of coal-fired power plants in 10 to 15 years (Agung, 2021). With global collaboration involving the role of diplomacy among countries, it has become a good step in combating the world climate crisis, especially supporting the termination of the operation of Coal Power Plants and switching to renewable energy in order to realize the Paris Agreement and Net Zero Emission 2050 achievement. One of the steps in the transition of Power Plants Coal based Steam Power Plants by stopping the operation of coal based Steam Power Plants and switching to Renewable energy.
The sustainable climate crisis due to the large level of carbon emissions produced, the society must pay attention to reduce the use of fossil energy because the disposal of fossil fuels into the air is not only detrimental to human activities, but it can cause all ecosystem life on earth to become increasingly threatened. Therefore, the world must pay more attention to the energy used and take the step to start implementing the termination of the operation of coal-fired Steam Power Plants by switching to Renewable Energy in order to prevent a sustainable climate change crisis and realizing the Paris Agreement and Net Zero Emission 2050.
*Ramadhan Dwi Saputra, Research Assistant at Universitas Islam Indonesia
References
Agung, F. (2021, November 04). PLTU bakal dipensiunkan, bagaimana dampaknya ke industri batubara? NewsSetup. https://newssetup.kontan.co.id/news/pltu-bakal-dipensiunkan-bagaimana-dampaknya-ke-industri-batubara
Intisolar. (2017, February 18). DAMPAK PEMAKAIAN ENERGI FOSIL. IntiSolar. https://intisolar.com/news/dampak-pemakaian-energi-fosil/
radartegal. (2021, October 31). Tujuh Negara Penyumbang Emisi Karbon Terbesar di Dunia, Indonesia Nomor Berapa? radartegal.com. https://radartegal.com/tujuh-negara-penyumbang-emisi-karbon-terbesar-di-dunia-indonesia-nomor-berapa.23124.html
Syahni, D. (2020, March 15). Kala PLTU Batubara Picu Perubahan Iklim dan Ancam Kesehatan Masyarakat. Mongabay. https://www.mongabay.co.id/2020/03/15/kala-pltu-batubara-picu-perubahan-iklim-dan-ancam-kesehatan-masyarakat/