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Indonesia and Japan have launched a $500 million initiative to add a second unit to the geothermal facility in West Sumatra, expanding capacity at the Muara Laboh site. Former Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto to close the deal and highlight strong ties between the two nations.
The 88 MW geothermal project exemplifies Japan's and Indonesia's commitment to the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC). It serves as a major step toward cleaner energy. Kishida launched the AZEC while serving as prime minister to support decarbonization across the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and establish a decarbonization market that will attract global capital.
The United States is working on similar innovations in places like Colorado and Texas. Despite concerns, geothermal energy offers several environmental and public health benefits. Although geothermal plants emit small amounts of carbon dioxide or sulfur dioxide, they don't burn fuel to generate electricity. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, "Geothermal power plants emit 97% less acid rain-causing sulfur compounds and about 99% less carbon dioxide than fossil fuel power plants of similar size."
There's also potential for job creation. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics said, "If the geothermal industry continues to grow, opportunities should arise for workers in a wide variety of occupations with different education and training requirements, from doctoral scientists to roustabouts. Some occupations, such as those in construction, typically require workers to have completed an apprenticeship, and others have less formal on-the-job training. As the demand for clean energy grows, jobs in geothermal energy will be a small but growing potential source of new employment opportunities."
Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto said, "Indonesia deeply appreciates Japan's commitment to sustainable development. This progress reflects both countries' efforts to foster mutually beneficial economic cooperation and shared prosperity."
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