Marine renewable energy: opportunities and challenges for community development in coastal area of Indonesia

Abstract

Coastal community profiles are usually seen as a dilemmatic condition between poor population - with unequal energy provision and traditional livelihoods to meet daily needs - and specific areas with substantial marine resources potential. One of the immediate and significant challenges confronted by coastal communities in Indonesia related to food security and direct economic productivity is access to energy. Marine renewable energy provides opportunities and challenges, not only for national energy production from renewable sources, but also for community development in coastal areas. Three case studies have been performed in three different coastal communities in order to capture actual information regarding coastal community profiles and needs. The investigations in Aceh, West Nusa Tenggara and West Papua found that marine renewable energy could become part of sustainable solutions to promote coastal community development. One of the socio-economic impacts that could be beneficial at community level is job creation that would support regional and national GDP of Indonesia. Therefore, Indonesia should be able to face identified challenges in developing marine energy sector in order to strengthen its position in the ASEAN economic community.