Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — Indonesia is setting its sights on surpassing the United States to become the world’s largest geothermal power generator by 2029, in a move to maximize the country’s abundant renewable energy resources.
The target was announced by Eniya Listiani Dewi, Director General of New, Renewable Energy, and Energy Conservation (EBTKE) at Indonesia’s Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM), during a press conference for the 11th Indonesia International Geothermal Convention and Exhibition (IIGCE) in Jakarta on Monday (April 14).
“Our target by 2029 is, of course, to surpass the United States. We must not fall behind,” said Eniya, as reported by Antara.
Indonesia currently ranks second in the world for installed geothermal power capacity at 2.68 gigawatts (GW), just behind the U.S., which leads with 2.703 GW. Despite being home to the world’s largest geothermal reserves, Indonesia has tapped only about 11% of its estimated 24 GW potential.
“We have immense geothermal potential, among the largest globally, and we hope to see a much more massive buildout of installed capacity,” Eniya said.
If development proceeds according to plan, Indonesia’s ongoing geothermal projects are expected to contribute an additional 1.1 GW of capacity within the next five years.
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That expansion could push the country past the U.S., especially after Trump administration plan to prioritize coal over renewable energy. This could allow Indonesia to claim the top spot in global geothermal capacity.
“In the next five years, we expect to add around 1.1 GW. Hopefully, the U.S. doesn’t add too much, and we can become number one in the world,” she added.
According to Bisnis, here’s the top 10 countries by installed geothermal power capacity in 2024 based on data from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA):
- United States – 2,703 MW
- Indonesia – 2,688 MW
- Philippines – 1,952 MW
- Turkey – 1,732 MW
- New Zealand – 1,275 MW
- Mexico – 999 MW
- Kenya – 940 MW
- Iceland – 788 MW
- Italy – 772 MW
- Japan – 461 MW
Looking ahead, Indonesia is targeting an additional 5.2 GW in geothermal power capacity over the next decade. The ambitious plan underscores the government’s broader commitment to accelerating the transition to renewable energy and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
The geothermal push is part of Indonesia’s long-term energy strategy under the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, which seeks to boost clean energy development to enhance national energy security and contribute to global climate goals.
(Raidi/Agung)
