A qualitative field study conducted in South Sumatera, Indonesia, reveals that local responses to geothermal energy projects are fundamentally governed by customary ancestral traditions and religious values. Published in the journal Geothermal Energy by researchers Anita Trisiah and Gerdien de Vries, the investigation examines why geothermal development encounters community friction despite Indonesia holding vast natural reserves. The authors carried out field interviews inside participants’ homes across rural settlements located near major geothermal manifestations along the Great Sumateran Fault. Their findings demonstrate that community evaluations of technological risk, environmental change, and local welfare are deeply rooted in the Tunggu Tubang cultural tradition, which forbids the sale or transfer of ancestral land. Consequently, community responses toward renewable energy initiatives cannot be understood through technical, financial, or regulatory explanations alone, but depend directly on how project interventions intersect with customary heritage and place-based values.
The researchers placed the South Sumatera findings within a broader global and national context of geothermal development. Internationally, geothermal projects in Chile faced intense local opposition when proposed drilling occurred on a mountain imbued with spiritual significance, transforming industrial drilling into an unwelcome cultural intervention. In Japan, local resistance arose over concerns that subterranean exploration could harm traditional hot springs vital to regional cultural identity. Conversely, geothermal projects in New Zealand and Iceland achieved local acceptance by offering employment, supporting cultural tourism where residents interpret traditional geothermal phenomena, and respecting indigenous practices. Across Indonesia, which possesses forty percent of global geothermal resources, community acceptability improved when local hiring raised socio-economic conditions, such as on Java where geothermal heat vapor enabled continuous coffee drying. However, resistance emerged in West Sumatera over fears that drilling would diminish soil fertility, and in Bedugul, Bali, where projects threatened thirty-six sacred Hindu temples.
To explore these issues directly, the authors conducted fieldwork in South Sumatera, a province hosting ten percent of Indonesia’s total geothermal potential along an active volcanic arc. Accessing the remote field site involved an arduous travel route, starting with a five-hour, 190-kilometer drive from the provincial capital to the first regency center, followed by four hours of driving over asphalt and rocky roads to the first village. Reaching the remaining four villages, including two located higher on the mountain, required trips of one to two hours each. The field research occurred between July and August 2021 during global COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. The primary author completed an eight-day mandatory quarantine upon arriving in Indonesia and observed health protocols, including mask wearing, social distancing, and handwashing.
The investigation used semi-structured qualitative interviews designed to assess three core dimensions: local knowledge, perceived benefits and risks, and cultural and religious issues. Given the highland setting and limited internet connectivity, interviews were conducted in participants’ homes and agricultural fields to ensure comfort and capture authentic context. To navigate regional language differences, the researcher employed a local guide who assisted with interpretation and arranged residential lodging. A purposive sample of fifteen participants was gathered across the five villages using stakeholder mapping and snowball sampling. The author first interviewed the five elected village heads, known as kepala desa, who hold five-year terms and act as formal community gatekeepers.
An analysis of interview responses revealed that technical comprehension of geothermal technology was remarkably low among community members. While all fifteen participants knew that a geothermal project was being developed in their area, only one respondent demonstrated an accurate understanding of the process, describing it as water vapor heated underground and drilled to reach the surface. Several interviewees believed that drilling beneath the earth directly produced household electricity, while others equated the development with regional coal mining operations. Media exposure significantly reinforced these negative associations, as residents read online news reports regarding geothermal exploration in other Indonesian provinces causing groundwater depletion. Community members worried that similar hydrological impacts would harm local paddy fields and disrupt customary ancestral land, known as Tanah Ulayat, creating widespread skepticism during the earliest stages of project introduction.
These environmental fears and informational gaps led to severe operational delays. Originally planned in 2005, the geothermal project encountered intense public resistance during its initial phase, prompting community members to stage protests and block access roads. Residents worried that drilling would mirror the environmental degradation seen at a coal mining site located 131 kilometers away, which remained barren despite corporate reforestation efforts. Locals feared the project would generate industrial pollution, deplete freshwater resources, damage coffee plantations, and accelerate deforestation. Supported by the local regent, who officially rejected the implementation plan, community protests halted development entirely. It was not until 2012, following prolonged negotiations and changing political dynamics among a newly appointed regent, provincial authorities, state officials, corporate leaders, and community representatives, that an agreement was reached to resume the project, though local residents still remained largely unaware of geothermal energy’s sustainable nature.
Central to the local opposition was the traditional Tunggu Tubang culture, a matrilineal heritage system governing family property and communal identity. Under this tradition, ancestral land—comprising residential properties, farming fields, and fish ponds—is viewed as a sacred intergenerational trust that cannot be sold or traded away. This culture is expressed through five symbolic artifacts: the fishing net, signifying family protection and unity; the spear, or tombak, representing visionary leadership; the axe, or kapak, embodying justice and dispute resolution; the jar, or guci, reflecting mediation and the safekeeping of family aspirations; and the rice storage container, or tubang, representing preparedness against adversity. These symbols reflect practical ties to forest hunting, firewood collection, and rice cultivation. Consequently, surrendering customary territory for corporate infrastructure was widely regarded as a violation of foundational cultural values and family responsibilities.
Economic aspects of the project introduced notable social friction and generational concern within the villages. Employment with the geothermal developer provided wages that substantially exceeded farming earnings, enabling workers to purchase motorcycles and renovate homes. However, these visible disparities sparked social jealousy between households with company jobs and those without. Elders also expressed deep concern that youth were abandoning agricultural duties on Tunggu Tubang lands, threatening cultural traditions that depend on active family farming. To manage inter-community friction, the operating company instituted a rotational hiring scheme, alternating temporary one-year contracts among the five villages. Despite coordination with village heads and religious leaders, local frustration mounted due to an ongoing mismatch between labor demand and community expectations. Furthermore, compensation for construction disturbances such as noise pollution was provided only during the project’s early stages, leaving residents without ongoing benefits while disturbances persisted.
Environmental concerns intensified as construction of roads, pipelines, and transmission towers advanced. Heavy equipment generated noise and airborne dust, with dust settling upon coffee blossoms and rendering them infertile, directly threatening local agricultural livelihoods. An unexpected hazard emerged during exploratory well drilling when Sumatran tigers began appearing near residential areas, an occurrence never previously recorded in the region. News reports recorded five tiger-related incidents, leading to three fatalities and two injuries. Evidence indicated that seismic activity from drilling operations disturbed wildlife habitats, driving dangerous predators toward residential villages. This severe ecological disruption heightened local fears and reinforced negative perceptions of the industrial project among farming households.
Quality-of-life impacts presented a stark dilemma for local inhabitants between physical improvements and cultural preservation. New roads and bridges built by the developer improved transportation access between isolated mountain settlements, significantly shortening travel times. However, promised grid electricity remained limited; highland villages continued relying on small generators and modest hydropower insufficient for running appliances beyond lights and mobile chargers. Crucially, building transmission towers required acquiring Tunggu Tubang land, requiring developers to secure unanimous agreement from all matrilineal heirs. When families refused, developers were forced to relocate tower sites. Additionally, local Islamic traditions—including daily Quran recitation at the Guru Ngaji’s home and strict prohibitions against alcohol—fostered anxiety that incoming workers would introduce alcohol consumption and disrupt social harmony. Trisiah and de Vries conclude that renewable energy developers must treat local communities as co-inhabitants of place rather than mere stakeholders, ensuring energy policies genuinely respect customary land ethics and indigenous religious practices.
Subject of Research: Influence of cultural and religious values on local perceptions of geothermal energy development in South Sumatera, Indonesia
Article Title: Local Perception and Frames of Geothermal Energy: the Relevance of Cultural and Religious Values
Article References: Trisiah, A., & de Vries, G. (2026). Local Perception and Frames of Geothermal Energy: the Relevance of Cultural and Religious Values. Geothermal Energy, 14(1), Article 13. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40517-026-00381-w
Image Credits: AI Generated
DOI: 10.1186/s40517-026-00381-w
Keywords: geothermal energy, renewable energy, South Sumatera, Tunggu Tubang, Indonesia, energy transition, community perception, environmental impacts, Local, Perception, Frames, Geothermal
