Geothermal Direct Use Alternatives in Mataloko to Increase Public Acceptance

Abstract

The island of Flores has a lot of geothermal potentials, so it is often called the geothermal island. However, there have been many rejections on the island of Flores, one of which is in the Mataloko Geothermal Working Area (WKP). This can be problematic if future geothermal development is about to take place in Mataloko. One alternative that has been widely discussed to increase public acceptance is by developing a geothermal direct use facility that can give benefit to the local communities while at the same time give education regarding the geothermal resource and utilisation to them. The purpose of this study is to identify the potential geothermal direct use in Mataloko that can fulfil those objectives. The literature study was conducted, combined with the site visit to verify the desktop study result. Several alternatives for geothermal direct use in Mataloko have been identified based on the geothermal resource, availability of commodities, and the current condition of local communities and industries in the proximity of Mataloko Power Plant. This study is admittedly still in the preliminary stage and a more detailed feasibility study for each of the alternatives is required in the future.