Indonesia’s Jakarta (AP) In the next 15 years, Indonesia’s government intends to retire all coal and other fossil fuel power plants while significantly increasing the nation’s capacity for renewable energy, according to President Prabowo Subianto.
Geothermal resources abound in Indonesia, and within the next 15 years, we intend to phase out all fossil fuel-fueled power plants, including coal-fired ones. During this time, we intend to install more than 75 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity, Subianto stated during the Group of 20 meeting in Brazil on Tuesday.
Additionally, Subianto expressed optimism that Indonesia would reach net zero emissions by 2050, ten years ahead of its 2060 commitment.
Although they tempered their expectations, experts and environmental campaigners praised the announcements.
One of the biggest producers and consumers of highly polluting coal in the world is Indonesia. Fossil fuels provide the majority of its energy. The nation is currently powered by more than 250 coal-fired power plants, and more are being constructed, especially at new industrial parks that process globally significant commodities like aluminum, cobalt, and nickel.
According to the International Energy Agency, Indonesia’s energy industry released more than 650 million tons of carbon dioxide in 2022, which was the seventh-highest amount in the world. By 2050, the country’s energy consumption is predicted to triple due to population and economic expansion.
According to experts, if the president is sincere about his promises, significant reforms must be swiftly put into effect in Indonesia.
Bhima Yudhistira, executive director of the Indonesia-based Center of Economic and Law Studies, told The Associated Press in a written statement that if the government is serious about accelerating the energy transition, efforts to close coal-fired power plants and stop new permits for coal-fired power plant construction must be transparent so that partners, investors, and financial institutions can see the pipeline and progress.
When Joko Widodo, Subianto’s predecessor, was in power, Indonesia agreed to a number of plans with foreign parties in order to phase out or at the very least significantly reduce the usage of coal.
Among them were the biggest Just Energy Transition Partnership deals to date, totaling $20 billion. The agreement is still in effect even though it has had trouble changing on the ground. The predicted trillions of dollars required to build the infrastructure required to switch to renewable energy and retire existing coal-fired power plants early are still not covered by JETP arrangements.
Prabowo also discussed Indonesia’s enormous potential for renewable energy from wind, geothermal, hydropower, solar, and other sources while he was in Brazil. The International Renewable Energy Agency estimates that just 14.5% of these renewable sources are now being used. Less than 15% of Indonesia’s total generating capacity, or roughly 13 gigawatts, is currently installed in renewable energy.
We are dedicated to green and sustainable energy. “We have a lot of resources,” he remarked. We are confident that we can reach (net) zero before 2050 because we have other renewable energy sources.
The state power utility, Perusahaan Listrik Negara, and Indonesia’s Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources were not immediately available for comment.
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