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Realizing the need for emissions cuts to help stop the
phenomena of climate change and global warming, Siemens AG, a top
global producer of electronics, machinery and appliances, is asking
Indonesia to cooperate in developing environmentally friendly
technology.
Hans-Peter Haesslein, CEO of PT Siemens Indonesia, said last week that
Siemens has long been taking steps, both in Indonesia and worldwide, to
actively develop efficient and environmentally friendly products.
"In Siemens' view, Indonesia boasts huge potential, among the biggest
in Asia, in terms of emissions reductions. By developing
environmentally friendly technology and innovation, Siemens wants to
become a main player in that development.
"With the current trend toward alternative energy, Indonesia and
Siemens can work together to develop various important options for the
future."
Sector-wise, Haesslein said that in addition to the infrastructure
sector, Siemens also saw potential in sectors such as medical
equipment, lighting, the automation industry and energy supply in
Indonesia.
Haesslein said that Siemens was promoting the use of highly efficient
power plants and gradually shifting from the use of coal to gas, while
also developing wind and biomass energy.
Indonesia is the third largest emitter of CO2 in the world, releasing
around three billion tons of CO2 on average per year between 1997 and
2006, according to data from the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change.
Indonesia is now actively developing alternative energy sources to wean
itself away from oil dependency. Oil production has been declining in
Indonesia in recent years.
According to one estimate, the global losses suffered because of global
warming stood at US$190 billion in 2005, up from only $80 billion in
2004.
Herman Requardt, Siemens corporate technology head and a member of the
company's corporate executive committee, said that governments and
industries worldwide must join forces to create a global framework for
setting CO2 limits, and establishing an effective carbon emissions
trading system.
He underlined that the key to reducing gas emissions was innovation.
"Siemens is developing technological innovations that help save energy
and limit greenhouse gas emissions across the board," he said in a
statement sent to The Jakarta Post.
The company spends around US$2.8 billion a year on research and
development efforts to create environmentally friendly technologies,
Requardt explained.
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