Utilisation of Geothermal Energy That Impacts the Right to Clean Water
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Volume 13 Number 3, July-September 2019: pp. 255-270. Copyright © 2019 FIAT JUSTISIA. Faculty of Law, Lampung University, Bandarlampung, Lampung, Indonesia. ISSN: 1978-5186 | e-ISSN: 2477-6238. Open Access: http://jurnal.fh.unila.ac.id/index.php/fiat Fiat Justisia is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Utilisation of Geothermal Energy that Impacts the Right to Clean Water Adam Muhammad Yanis Universitas Indonesia, Indonesia [email protected] Erina Pane Universitas Islam Negeri Raden Intan Lampung, Indonesia [email protected] Abstract Geothermal utilisation policy based on the consideration highlights that geothermal resources are natural resources which are low cost and environmentally friendly. In some countries, including in Indonesia, waste from geothermal utilisation causes pollution of water sources in geothermal working areas. A normative juridical method was employed in this study, which data was processed based on the research of secondary data. The study results indicated that (1) geothermal management in the protected forest area of Mount Slamet, Central Java in Indonesia, resulted in contamination of clean water sources that were commonly used by the community for their daily needs. The liquid that came out of the process of geothermal exploitation had an impact on water governance in protected forest areas. In some countries pollution of water sources caused a long-term threat to human health and environmental sustainability, (2) the danger of sustainability of water resources in protected forest areas, it was caused by the policies undertaken did not pay attention to the principle of prudence. Therefore, it is necessary to reformulate policies in the utilisation of geothermal resources. Keywords: Clean Water, Geothermal Energy, Policies, Rights. How to Cite: Adam Muhammad Yanis, Erina Pane, “Utilization of Geothermal Energy that Impacts the Right to Clean Water”, Fiat Justisia, 13 (3), (2019). 255 Utilization of Geothermal Energy that Impact Rights… Adam M Yanis and Erina Pane DOI:10.25041/fiatjustisia.v13no3.1614 A. Introduction The global energy crisis and scarcity of mineral fuels cause the need for alternative energy. Alternative energy is a renewable energy resource that has different characteristics from natural resources in general. Ladislaus Ryach1 said that “Renewable is a characteristic of the support: the energy is removed from the source is similar to those required for energy removal. One alternative energy is geothermal energy”. The heat of the earth is claimed to be energy low cost and environmentally friendly alternative.Also, geothermal energy can be used directly and indirectly. Use directly for non-electric purposes such as hot springs. Indirect utilisation by carrying out the process of converting from heat energy and fluid into electrical energy. The method of geothermal utilisation to meet the needs of electricity infrastructure for the acceleration of strategic projects. However, the use of geothermal energy in several countries, such as in China, 2 Turkey, 3 Greece, 4 including in Indonesia, 5 raises problems. The renewable resource project that is claimed to be clean energy creates a condition of turbid water governance. In Indonesia, the Baturraden Geothermal Power Plant (PLTPB) caused the condition of the Prukut river water to be mixed with mud in ponds belonging to the residents of Karangtengah Village. Villagers have become difficult sources of clean water because Prukut River is a source of water for everyday life. The occurrence of itching disrupts public health due to using the Prukut River water.6 Therefore, this study attempted (1) to examine the impact of geothermal energy utilisation policies on water management that is a source of water for communities around geothermal working areas and (2) to reformulate of state policies in geothermal utilization, taking into account the precautionary principle. The state is obliged to maintain ecosystems in geothermal working 1 Ladislaus Rybach, Geothermal Sustainibility, Klamath Falls: Oregon Institute of Technology's Geo-Heat Center, (2007), p. 2. 2 Qinghai Guo, Yanxin Wang, Wei Liu, B, As, and F contamination of river water due to wastewater discharge of the Yangbajing geothermal power plant, Tibet, China, Tibet: Springer- Verlag, (2008). 3 Department of Regional State Hydraulic Works XXI, Laboratory Records on Boron Concentrations in Streams and Groundwater in Great Menderes Basin, Aydın, (2001). 4 E. Dotsika, D. Poutoukis, J.L. Michelot, W. Kloppmann, Stable Isotope and Chloride, Boron Study for Tracing Sources of Boron Contamination In Groundwater: Boron Contents in Fresh and Thermal Water in Different Areas in Greece, Athens: Springer, (2006). 5 BBC Indonesia, When Clean Energy Projects Actually Bring Turbid Water to Banyumas, http://www.bbc.com/indonesia/majalah-41661762, accessed on April 28, 2018 at 23.08 WIB. 6 Satelit Post Masyarakat di Kecamatan Cilongok Ingin Mata Air Kembali Jernih (Society in Cilongok Subdistrict Want Mata Air Back Clear), https://satelitpost.com/beritautama/masyarakat-di-kecamatan-cilongok-ingin-mata-air- kembali-jernih, accessed on April 28, 2018 at 11.41 WIB. 256 Fiat Justisia Jurnal Ilmu Hukum ISSN 1978-5186 Volume 13 Number 3, July-September 2019 areas. The maintenance of a good ecosystem will increase the carrying capacity of the environment.7 B. Research Methods This study adopted a normative approach. It examined legal norms (statutory regulations). Library materials were used as secondary data. This research was descriptive-analytical, which described data obtained based on facts. The collected data were analysed using qualitative juridical methods. To achieve clarity on the issues discussed. Then a logical interpretation was carried out through investigating the law itself by exploring a relationship between the law and other laws as long as the law still had its relevance. C. Discussion 1. Impact of Geothermal Utilization on Water Management Which was a Source of Water for the Community Indonesia has the potential of geothermal energy which consists of 40% of the world's geothermal reserves, but its utilisation is still very low at 3.1%8. One of them is in the southern slope of Mount Slamet, Central Java. The hill of Mount Slamet has eight geothermal manifestations consisting of four points on the northern slope, two points on the northwest, and two points on the south (Baturraden) which have the closest distance 7km from the centre of the eruption.9 Based on the assessment and processing of data from the preliminary survey, the Director-General of Mineral, Coal and Geothermal submitted a letter from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources regarding the proposed determination of geothermal mining work areas in the Central Java10 Baturaden area. Furthermore, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources issued a Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Decree regarding the determination of geothermal mining working areas in the Baturaden area, Banyumas Regency, Tegal Regency, Brebes Regency, Purbalingga Regency 7 Rachmadi Usman, Pokok-Pokok Hukum Lingkungan Nasional (Principal of National Environmental Law), Jakarta: Akademika Pressindo, (1993), p. 7. 8 Daniel Rohi, Alternatif Pembangkit Tenaga Listrik yang Ramah Lingkungan di Indonesia (Alternative Environmentally Friendly Power Generation in Indonesia), Surabaya: EECCIS, (2008), p. 2. 9 Asmoro Widagdo, Adi Candra, Sachrul Iswahyudi, dan Chalid Idham Abdullah, Pengaruh Struktur Geologi Gunung Slamet Muda dan Tua Terhadap Pola Sebaran Panas Bumi (Effect of Geological Structure of Young and Old Mount Slamet on Geothermal Distribution Patterns), Bandung: IRWNS Politeknik Bandung, (2013), p. 206. 10 Surat Nomor 477/30/DJB/2010 tanggal 11 Februari 2010 perihal Usulan Penetapan Wilayah Kerja Pertambangan Panas Bumi di Daerah (concerning Proposal for Determining Geothermal Mining Working Areas) Baturraden, Provinsi Jawa Tengah. 257 Utilization of Geothermal Energy that Impact Rights… Adam M Yanis and Erina Pane and Pemalang Regency, Central Java Province11. Even though Baturraden located on Mount Slamet is a protected forest area.12 Protected forest areas have a primary function as protection of life support systems to regulate water systems, prevent flooding, control erosion, prevent seawater intrusion, and maintain soil fertility. Baturaden is a protected forest area is useful for maintaining the management of Prukut River water in Karangtengah Village, Cilongok District, Banyumas Regency, Central Java Province. The exploration phase of the Baturraden PLTB project on Mount Slamet has caused the turbidity of the Prukut River. On October 10, 2012, an auction of geothermal working areas was held by PT Sejahtera Alam Energy won the auction to carry out the PLTB project in Baturraden, Central JavaProvince13. In 2014 a power purchase agreement was carried out with a total investment of 900 million USD.14 Furthermore, PT Sejahtera Alam Energy has IPB15 geothermal permit PT Sejahtera Alam Energy Geothermal Mining in the Baturraden working area, Banyumas Regency, Tegal Regency, Brebes Regency, Purbalingga Regency and Pemalang Regency, Central Java Province. The research conducted by the Banyumas Study Circle stated that this was due to the flow of material, especially land in the Baturraden PLTPB project, into the river. The cloudiness of the Prukut River is felt by the residents of Karangtengah,