IESR says multi-pathway strategy key to accelerating 100 GW solar power programme

The Institute for Essential Services Reform (IESR) has assessed that the success of the 100 gigawatt (GW) solar power plant (PLTS) programme requires integrated leadership and a multi-track strategy from the government.

“A multi-track strategy must be implemented so that this programme can be carried out effectively, respond to diverse needs, and not depend on a single project scheme or a single source of financing,” said IESR Chief Executive Officer Fabby Tumiwa in Jakarta on Sunday.

IESR, Fabby said, considers that achieving 100 GW of solar power requires a multi-track strategy, in which the government needs to combine large-scale projects, rooftop solar, diesel replacement, village electricity, productive economic activities, and the gradual replacement of fossil fuel power plants.

He said development cannot rely solely on the large-scale solar projects listed in the Electricity Supply Business Plan (RUPTL).

Fabby said the 100 GW solar programme can be implemented through several tracks, including accelerating rooftop solar for households, commercial buildings and industry.

Then there is the village electricity programme, improving the quality of village electricity access through the Red and White Village Cooperatives (Koperasi Desa Merah Putih) or village-owned enterprises (BUMDes), so that they can support productive activities.

“In addition, the expansion of the diesel replacement programme through solar power and batteries, the acceleration of large-scale solar projects in the RUPTL, the use of solar power as an electricity supplier for supporting facilities of coal-fired power plants, and so on,” he said.

Furthermore, the government also needs to cancel plans for new coal-fired and gas-fired power plants that have not yet entered the construction stage, as well as reduce the capacity factor of existing fossil fuel plants and replace them with solar power and batteries.

With this approach, he said, the cumulative solar power capacity can technically reach around 80 GW by 2030. However, IESR stressed that more effort is needed, especially the implementation of distributed solar power from various actors, to achieve the 100 GW capacity by 2030.

“In addition, implementation must still pay attention to system and human resource readiness, the development of the industrial supply chain, financing sustainability, and project quality,” he added.