ABSTRACT
Energy must be considered as a vital input into the process of production. Of all issues associated with resource development and exploitation, energy has attracted the most attention. It is also the one about which there are the most preconceptions and misconceptions. Indonesia also has massive coal reserves. Their exact extent is unknown, with estimates varying from about 3 billion tons to as high as 15 billion tons. Estimates from the Indonesia Department of Mines put mineable coal reserves at about 2.6 billion tons. The energy question in the Third World is a complex and important one. Energy problems are undermining development strategies and jeopardizing the survival prospects of the poorest and most vulnerable sections of the community in many parts of the Third World. In comparison to western nations, Third World countries are characterized by very low levels of energy consumption.
