Indonesian forests pay the price for growing biomass energy demand

Enormous swathes of pristine forest are being cut down across Indonesia to supply the rapidly rising international demand for biomass material seen as critical to many countries’ transitions to cleaner forms of energy.

Nearly all of the biomass from forests destroyed for wood pellet production since 2021 has been shipped to South Korea and Japan, the Associated Press found in an examination of satellite images, company records, and Indonesian export data.

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

Indonesia’s state-run utility also has plans to dramatically increase the amount of biomass it burns to make electricity.

Experts and environmentalists fear the rising international and domestic demand, coupled with weak domestic regulation, will accelerate deforestation at the same time it prolongs the use of highly polluting fossil fuels.

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