Energy Transition Commitment Questioned as Coal Production Hits Record

The Indonesian Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry has announced that coal production throughout 2023 reached 775 million tons, marking a 13 percent increase compared to 2022. The Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Arifin Tasrif said this signifies the highest coal production in history. Arifin emphasized that coal production surpassed the government's target of 695 million tons.

According to the Energy Ministry's data, 213 million tons out of the realized production of 775 million tons were utilized domestically, while 518 million tons were exported. Arifin highlighted the ongoing upward trend in domestic coal consumption, rising from 177 million tons in 2022 to 213 million tons in 2023. Similarly, exports increased, reaching 518 million tons in 2023, compared to 465 million tons in 2022. "We can observe that our coal exports are also on the rise, driven by increasing energy demand and disruptions in the supply of alternative energy sources," he stated on Jan 15.