Univ of Auckland to Provide Indonesia with Geothermal Development Training

Jakarta - The University of Auckland in New Zealand will provide Indonesia with training and education in Geothermal Energy Technology through a cooperative program with the state oil company, PT Pertamina. "The new cooperation between the University of Auckland and Pertamina will further strengthen the good relations that have existed between Indonesia and New Zealand during the past four decades," the dean of Auckland University's School of Engineering, Michael Davies, said in a written statement on Friday. According to Davies, the New Zealand-based certification training program would include at least 15 participants per year from Pertamina Geothermal Energy. He added that the University of Auckland would also organize short training courses on geothermal energy in Indonesia, to include coaching and mentoring programs. "We have a long history in the geothermal field with Indonesia," Davies noted. Engineers from Indonesia and New Zealand built the first geothermal electricity plant in Indonesia in the 1970s. "Besides, the University of Auckland has trained more than 160 engineers from Indonesia," he added. Meanwhile, UniServices President Director Peter Lee said cooperation between countries with high energy needs has enhanced the opportunity for a wide range of expertise and education to be shared on geothermal energy. "This cooperation is very important for our university and New Zealand, in particular, because Indonesia is our tenth largest trading partner," Peter Lee said. (*)