THE LOOMING DEFORESTATION THREAT FROM ENERGY WOOD PLANTATION

Trend Asia reports that PT PLN's plan for 10% biomass co-firing in 107 coal power plants could drive massive deforestation in Indonesia. The report estimates a need for up to 2.33 million hectares of energy wood plantations, which, based on historical trends, could result in the loss of over 1 million hectares of natural forest. It highlights contradictions in Indonesia's climate targets and argues that biomass is not a carbon-neutral energy source due to the resulting 'carbon debt'.

• To support 10% biomass co-firing across 107 Coal Power Plants (PLTUs), PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) would require an annual biomass supply of 10.23 million tons. Trend Asia estimates this would necessitate energy wood plantations (HTE) covering at least 2.33 million hectares, an area 35 times the size of the Special Capital Region of Jakarta.
• The development of energy wood plantations poses a significant deforestation risk. Based on MapBiomas Indonesia data showing that 38% of industrial timber plantations (HTI) as of 2019 were established through the clearing of natural forests, Trend Asia projects that HTE developments could accelerate annual deforestation rates from 630 thousand hectares to as high as 2.1 million hectares.
• The amount of land required and the resulting deforestation potential vary by tree species. Planting gamal (Gliricidia Sepium) would require the largest concession area (7,781,626 hectares) and result in the highest potential deforestation (2,099,843 hectares), while lamtoro gung (Leucaena leucocephala) would require the least land (2,334,488 hectares) and cause the lowest potential deforestation (629,845 hectares).
• Indonesia's Enhanced Nationally Determined Contribution (ENDC) 2022 contains contradictory goals: while it targets a conditional biomass production of 9 million tons per annum for the energy sector, it simultaneously increased the conditional annual deforestation rate limit for 2020-2030 to 359 thousand hectares, up from 325 thousand hectares in the Updated NDC.
• The report argues that biomass co-firing is not a carbon-neutral solution. It cites research from Chatham House (2017) stating that burning forest biomass creates a "carbon debt"—excess carbon in the atmosphere that can take years or decades to be absorbed.
• Current biomass supply for co-firing is inconsistent. Examples include PLTU Sintang in West Kalimantan, which struggled to procure palm shells due to higher profitability in foreign markets, and PLTU Jeranjang in Lombok, which stopped using rice husks due to seasonal supply and low calorific value (2,000 kcal/kg).

APA

Muhajir, M., Febrian, R., Nagara, G., Saputra, P. A., Damanik, I., Oktaviani, A. R., Erlina, M. I., Indradi, Y., & Nasution, M. (2022). THE LOOMING DEFORESTATION THREAT FROM ENERGY WOOD PLANTATION. Trend Asia. https://trendasia.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/REV-EN-Artikel-Ancaman-Deforestasi.pdf#pages=10

Chicago

Muhajir, Mumu, Ramada Febrian, Grahat Nagara, Putut Aryo Saputra, Iqbal Damanik, Amalya Reza Oktaviani, Meike Inda Erlina, Yuyun Indradi, and Marina Nasution. THE LOOMING DEFORESTATION THREAT FROM ENERGY WOOD PLANTATION. Trend Asia, 2022. https://trendasia.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/REV-EN-Artikel-Ancaman-Deforestasi.pdf#pages=10.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Muhajir |first1=Mumu |last2=Febrian |first2=Ramada |last3=Nagara |first3=Grahat |last4=Saputra |first4=Putut Aryo |last5=Damanik |first5=Iqbal |last6=Oktaviani |first6=Amalya Reza |last7=Erlina |first7=Meike Inda |last8=Indradi |first8=Yuyun |last9=Nasution |first9=Marina |title=THE LOOMING DEFORESTATION THREAT FROM ENERGY WOOD PLANTATION |publisher=Trend Asia |date=November 2022 |url=https://trendasia.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/REV-EN-Artikel-Ancaman-Deforestasi.pdf#pages=10 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{muhajir2022looming, author = {Muhajir, Mumu and Febrian, Ramada and Nagara, Grahat and Saputra, Putut Aryo and Damanik, Iqbal and Oktaviani, Amalya Reza and Erlina, Meike Inda and Indradi, Yuyun and Nasution, Marina}, title = {{THE LOOMING DEFORESTATION THREAT FROM ENERGY WOOD PLANTATION}}, institution = {Trend Asia}, year = {2022}, month = nov, url = {https://trendasia.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/REV-EN-Artikel-Ancaman-Deforestasi.pdf#pages=10}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }