Potret Ketimpangandan EnergiEkstraktif diMentawai

The report highlights the failure of biomass power plants (PLTBm) in the Mentawai Islands, which operated for less than a year and forced the cutting of indigenous forests due to unsuitable bamboo varieties. It argues that the push for bioenergy is suspicious given the region's higher potential for solar and hydro power. Furthermore, it documents a stark disparity in land control, where large corporate forest concessions (PBPH) threaten natural forests and indigenous territories, while local communities struggle for legal recognition of their ancestral lands.

• Biomass power plants (PLTBm) established in the villages of Rogdok, Saliguma, and Matotonan on Siberut Island failed rapidly; the plant in Silabok Abak (Saliguma) operated for only six months, while others operated for less than a year, leaving them 'mangkrak' (abandoned) by 2022.
• The 'bamboo electricity' project failed because local bamboo was too hard and thin to be used, leading to the introduction of new varieties and the forced harvesting of indigenous forest wood to fuel the plants, which in turn caused frequent machine breakdowns and required government subsidies totaling Rp12 billion over three years.
• There is a significant imbalance in land distribution in Mentawai; while 7,265 hectares of indigenous forest have been recognized across nine communities, corporate concessions (PBPH) can reach up to 100,000 hectares, and 30,000 hectares of natural forest are currently threatened by PT Biomass Andalan Energi and PT Sumber Permata Sipora.
• The promotion of bioenergy in West Sumatra is described as 'suspicious' because its potential (923.1 MW) is significantly lower than that of solar (5,898 MW), micro-hydro (1,353 MW), and water (1,100 MW).
• The electrification ratio (RE) in Mentawai is suspected to be calculated based on the construction of power plants rather than actual electricity access for the community, as the ratio rose to 71.74% by April 2022 despite the failure of the PLTBm plants.

APA

Trend Asia (n.d.). Potret Ketimpangandan EnergiEkstraktif diMentawai. https://trendasia.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Potret-Ketimpangan-dan-Energi-Ekstraktif-di-Mentawai-Rev.pdf

Chicago

Trend Asia. Potret Ketimpangandan EnergiEkstraktif diMentawai. n.d. https://trendasia.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Potret-Ketimpangan-dan-Energi-Ekstraktif-di-Mentawai-Rev.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Trend Asia |title=Potret Ketimpangandan EnergiEkstraktif diMentawai |url=https://trendasia.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Potret-Ketimpangan-dan-Energi-Ekstraktif-di-Mentawai-Rev.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{trendasiandpotret, author = {{Trend Asia}}, title = {{Potret Ketimpangandan EnergiEkstraktif diMentawai}}, institution = {Trend Asia}, url = {https://trendasia.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Potret-Ketimpangan-dan-Energi-Ekstraktif-di-Mentawai-Rev.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }