Application of Satellite Remote Sensing Techniques to Identify Renewable Energy Sources for Agricultural Production and Energy Security in Lahendong, North Sulawesi, Indonesia: An Approach to Reduce Global Warming

Addressing the energy problem and the environmental damage caused by global warming requires a new, sustainable, and eco-friendly energy source. The diminishing presence of fossil fuels and other nonrenewable energy sources underscores the increasing importance of harnessing and advancing renewable energy. The National Energy Policy for 2006–2025 in Presidential Regulation Number 5 of 2006 states that 17% of the country’s energy supply must come from renewable sources. Geothermal, hydropower, biomass, solar, and marine energy are all innovative and renewable energy sources that are available in Indonesia. Based on studies, Lahendong is an area that has geothermal energy potential that can be utilized to meet energy needs. However, the existence of agricultural industry in a potential geothermal area also plays an importance role in providing sustenance for humans, as well as requiring significant energy and water inputs. This study discusses the utilization of remote sensing data to identify the geothermal area and the potential of land conversion for agricultural production and energy security. The methodology of the study involved computing radiative heat flux (RHF) that associated with land surface temperature (LST) and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). Subsequently, the NDVI classification was performed to determine the emissivity value. The process also entailed extracting lineaments from geological maps to assess fault and fracture density (FFD). Furthermore, we used a weighted overlay technique, such as the analytic hierarchy process (AHP), to determine potential geothermal areas. The inputs for this analysis included LST, FFD, NDVI, and the distance from surface manifestations. The results revealed the successful identification of 9 geothermal anomaly areas as surface manifestations, along with the recognition of 15.02 square kilometers of high-potential geothermal zones, estimating an energy output of 141.56 MW. The research also found potential agricultural uses for the study area, including heating greenhouse, agro-processing, and warming soil for outdoor root systems.