Indonesian Forests Pay The Price For Global Biomass Energy Demand

Vast areas of pristine forest are being cut down across Indonesia to meet the rapidly rising international demand for biomass material, which is seen as critical to many countries' transitions to cleaner forms of energy, Victoria Milko reported for the Associated Press (AP).

Nearly all of the biomass from forests cleared for wood pellet production since 2021 has been shipped to South Korea and Japan.

Nearly all of the biomass from forests cleared for wood pellet production since 2021 has been shipped to South Korea and Japan, according to an AP investigation based on satellite images, company records, and Indonesian export data.

Both countries have provided millions of dollars to support the development of biomass production and usage in Indonesia.

Indonesia’s state-run utility also plans to significantly increase the amount of biomass it burns to produce electricity.

Experts and environmentalists fear that the growing international and domestic demand, combined with weak domestic regulations, will accelerate deforestation while prolonging the use of highly polluting fossil fuels.

Biomass is organic material such as plants, wood, and waste, and many coal-fired power plants can be easily modified to burn it alongside coal to generate energy.

"Biomass production — which is only recently starting to be seen on an industrial scale in Indonesia — is a dire new threat to the country’s forests," said Timer Manurung, director of Auriga Nusantara, an environmental and conservation organization in Indonesia.