MPR leadership urges renewable energy to underpin national AI
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Deputy Speaker of the MPR RI Eddy Soeparno emphasised that the development of artificial intelligence (AI) and information technology in Indonesia must be underpinned by clean, stable, and sustainable energy to enable competition in the global digital economy.
In a statement in Jakarta on Thursday, he said that the digital transformation encompassing artificial intelligence, big data, and cloud computing requires large electricity consumption, particularly for data centres.
Without adequate energy support, Indonesia’s ambition to become a major player in the digital economy will be difficult to achieve.
‘The development of technologies such as AI, big data, and cloud computing requires enormous energy. If we want Indonesia to be a key player in the global digital economy, we must ensure a sufficient, stable, and increasingly cleaner energy supply,’ he said.
The remarks were delivered when he was the keynote speaker at the MPR Goes to Campus event at Bina Nusantara University (Binus) in Bandung, West Java on Thursday, 4 March.
He explained that several countries that are global AI development hubs have begun prioritising renewable energy as the primary source for operating their data centres.
‘Global technology companies such as Google, Microsoft, and Amazon place renewable energy as the foundation of their data centre operations. This is about environmental sustainability, as well as energy efficiency, stability, and economic competitiveness,’ he said.
Eddy assessed that Indonesia has a large potential to support the agenda, given national renewable energy potential reaching thousands of gigawatts from solar, hydro, geothermal, and wind sources.
‘Indonesia has renewable energy potential of more than 3,600 gigawatts from various sources. This is a major asset to make Indonesia a hub of the digital economy and a centre for technology development in the region,’ he said.
He urged accelerated investment and policy reforms in the renewable energy sector to sustain the growth of the digital and AI industries.
In addition, Eddy emphasised the importance of collaboration between government, industry, and higher education in building a national technology ecosystem.
‘Universities like Binus play an important role in preparing future digital talents. At the same time, research in renewable energy and information technology must run in tandem so that Indonesia is not only a market for technology products but also a creator of innovation,’ he said.
According to Eddy, accelerating the energy transition also opens new economic opportunities, including the creation of green jobs in the technology and energy sectors.
‘The energy transition is not only an environmental agenda but also an economic one. By developing renewable energy to underpin the digital technology ecosystem, we can create new industries, new jobs, and increase Indonesia’s competitiveness in the future,’ he said.