Government Accelerates Renewable Energy Utilisation to Reduce Fossil Fuel Dependency
Jakarta – The Indonesian government is accelerating the utilisation of renewable and new energy sources (EBT) to reduce reliance on fossil fuels whilst strengthening national energy resilience.
Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia stated that one key measure involves expediting the development of solar power plants (PLTS) up to 100 gigawatts (GW).
“Currently, our power plants still use diesel, some coal, and some gas. The President has directed us not to depend on fossil fuels, particularly diesel, so we are being directed to develop 100 gigawatts of solar power,” Lahadalia said in a statement received in Jakarta on Thursday.
According to him, the large-scale PLTS development is part of the government’s effort to accelerate energy transition by utilising alternative energy sources within the country.
Lahadalia added that optimising renewable energy utilisation extends beyond solar power to include various other energy sources such as geothermal and hydroelectric power.
“By using power plants like these, we will no longer depend on foreign sources for fossil fuels,” he said.
Previously, President Prabowo Subianto emphasised that accelerating renewable energy development is necessary to strengthen national energy independence.
“We are committed to achieving energy self-sufficiency, which we are confident will be accomplished within four years,” President Prabowo said at the first anniversary celebration of Danantara Indonesia in Jakarta on Wednesday, 11 March.
The President has tasked Lahadalia as Chairman of the Energy Transition Acceleration Task Force to expedite the deployment of clean energy domestically. He has ordered the acceleration of solar power plant construction to expand renewable energy-based electrification.
“We will implement renewable energy electrification from solar power in the shortest timeframe possible. We will develop 100 gigawatts,” Prabowo said.
Beyond large-scale solar development, the government is also promoting an electric vehicle conversion programme as part of energy transition acceleration.
According to him, Indonesia possesses significant potential from various alternative energy sources such as geothermal, palm oil, and biomass from agricultural commodities.
The President noted that several countries face greater energy challenges than Indonesia, whilst Indonesia has abundant alternative energy resources such as palm oil, cassava, maize, sugar cane, and geothermal reserves.
“We have geothermal reserves that are very substantial – if I am not mistaken, the second-largest reserves in the world that have not yet been fully exploited,” he said.