West Lombok, NTB, 12/6 (ANTARA) - The government of Indonesia puts hope on The Kingdom of the Netherlands to continue facilitating Domestic Biogas (Biru) programme implemented in eight provinces including West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) for the programme is convinced as a stimulate towards society's life quality improvement.

"We do wish for an extend in implementing Biru programme, to another year for instance," said the Director of Bio-energy – Directorate General of New Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation (DJEBTKE) Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM), Maritje Hutapea, as she opened Domestic Biogas (Biru) Programme workshop at Jayakarta Hotel, Senggigi, West Lombok regency, last Tuesday.

The workshop was also attended by BIRU Programme Manager from Hivos – Netherlands Robert de Groot, along with NTB and Bali Province Biru Programme Coordinator I G Suarja, also Umar as Coordinator Assistant for Biru Programme in Lombok area.

The three of them performed as guest speakers on the workshop, underlining assistance for Biru programme implementation in NTB area. The workshop was also formed as a moment to evaluate and form a team of assistance for Biru programme implementation in NTB area.

Maritje said that Biru programme is a partnership programme between Indonesian and The Kingdom of the Netherlands governments, started on May 2009. The Netherlands government considered Hivos as a humanity institute to work on Netherlands based development duties, to implement Biru programme in various areas in Indonesia, including NTB. Hivos then worked together with The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources through Directorate General of New Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation.

"Biru Programme was proclaimed for three years long, since 2010 until 2012, and well accomplished that it is required to extend for another year for instance, Mr. Robert," said Maritje, looking to where Biru Programme Manager from Hivos, Robert de Groot, was sitting. According to Maritje, Biru Programme that has been implemented within three years in eight provinces in Indonesia practiced a co-sharing funding model among provincial governance, Hivos and Biru Programme society targets.

Provincial government contributed IDR 3 millions, IDR 2 millions by Hivos, while by the society IDR 1 million. The contribution by provincial government was to supply materials, Hivos's fund was to support constructions and materials while society took part to provide sand and masons. "If the government of the Netherlands decides not to continue Biru programme, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources would have to make some efforts on new models, for Biru Programme was convinced as a stimulate to enhance life and environment quality," Maritje said, and further added how Biru Programme can be a petrol conversion to gas support, for gas conversion was not capable enough to supply the whole village nor borders between villages and towns.

Biru Programme as part of new renewable energy utilization was attempted to fulfill 25 percent of continuing energy needs. "Biru Programme is needed to be continued, so funding should have been considered from the very beginning along with commitments by interrelated parties in new renewable energy supplying, especially in rural areas," she then added.

The Directorate General of New Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation – The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources's version of statistics stated that Biru programme bioreactor developments in eight provinces in Indonesia has reached 5,251 units until May 2012 out of the 8,000 units target by the end of year 2012. In details, West Java has 484 units, Central Java and Special Region of Yogyakarta have 449 units, East Java 3,797 units, Bali 230 units, Lombok 205 units, South Sulawesi 46 units and West Sumatra 40 units. (*)

Source: http://www.antaramataram.com/