The Future of Geothermal in Indonesia: An Abundant New Era of Cooling, Clean Industry, and Power

Indonesia’s vast subsurface resources, rising cooling demand, and need for heavy industrial heat use have created a major opportunity for geothermal to strengthen national energy security and resilience. Indonesia is already a leader in hydrothermal energy production but has 2,160 gigawatts of next-generation geothermal potential, according to analysis undertaken for this report. Direct-use applications of geothermal—including building cooling and industrial heat—can also be transformative for the country, as the International Energy Agency has noted that Indonesia has the second most potential for geothermal in the world. Unlocking this resource can displace imported fossil fuels, provide round-the-clock renewable energy, and create hundreds of thousands of jobs if expanded appropriately.

The report was undertaken in a collaboration between Project InnerSpace and the Institute for Essential Services Reform (IESR), with additional contributions via authors from the Purnomo Yusgiantoro Center, the Gadjah Mada University, Brawijaya University, and Geoenergis.