Babel Governor: Rengit Island a model for clean energy ecosystem implementation
The presence of the Green Energy Ecosystem Technopark (GEET) on Rengit Island represents a concrete step in delivering clean energy to open up economic development opportunities for island communities.
Governor of the Bangka Belitung Islands Hidayat Arsani said Rengit Island in Belitung Regency is becoming a national pilot for the development of clean energy ecosystems in island areas, aimed at supporting energy needs for the social and economic activities of the community.
“The presence of the Green Energy Ecosystem Technopark (GEET) on Rengit Island is a concrete step in delivering clean energy to open up economic development opportunities for island communities,” said Hidayat Arsani in Pangkalpinang on Sunday.
He said the Bangka Belitung Islands Provincial Government, together with PT PLN (Persero), has established GEET Rengit Island to address the challenge of limited electricity supply previously faced by the people of Rengit Island, while also supporting energy needs for social and economic activities on the small island.
“For us, this is not merely the construction of electricity infrastructure, but a concrete step in delivering clean energy in island areas, while also addressing the challenge of meeting energy needs on small islands,” he said.
He stated that GEET Rengit Island integrates a number of clean energy technologies, including solar power generation, energy storage systems, wind turbines, green hydrogen, fuel cells, agrovoltaics, and an energy management system.
“The GEET ecosystem on Rengit Island serves as an example of the utilisation of clean energy technology that can be developed in a tangible way in island areas,” he said.
According to him, the presence of GEET provides direct benefits to the community, as the previously limited electricity supply can now be available for 24 hours with cleaner and lower-emission energy.
“This condition certainly opens up opportunities for the community to develop economic activities, including fishermen through the use of cold storage and land utilisation with the agrovoltaic concept,” he said.
Member of the National Energy Council of the Republic of Indonesia, Sripeni Inten Cahyani, appreciated the collaboration between PLN and the regional government in strengthening energy resilience, including in frontier, outermost and disadvantaged (3T) regions and scattered islands.
“This is a clear example of how regional energy resilience can support national energy resilience,” she said.
Director of Technology, Engineering and Sustainability at PT PLN (Persero) Edwin Nugraha Putra assessed that the development of green energy on Rengit Island has a broader impact, not only for meeting the community’s electricity needs but also for the development of the economic sector.
“We hope that clean energy will not only solve electricity issues but also become a driver of economic activity and added value for the people of Rengit Island,” he said.