Understanding Social Acceptance of Geothermal Energy: A Case Study from Mt. Lawu, Indonesia

Abstract

Geothermal energy in Indonesia holds important role in country's transformations into renewable energy to ensure clean, reliable, and sustainable energy sources. In order to optimize geothermal energy project, it is important to consider the balance of economy, socio-cultural, and environmental aspects. The socio-cultural aspect is critical in the public acceptance of the project and overcome the social resistance. Understanding citizen's preferences towards the development of geothermal energy leads to the greater understanding of what shapes of strategies and policies should be taken in the project. Based on the interviews with local communities, they reject the construction of geothermal power plants in Mt. Lawu because they think geothermal power plants will give negative impacts to cultural, environmental, economic, and social life aspects in society. This perception may appear because of the lack of understanding of geothermal energy.