TheJakartaPost
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Powering commitment in renewable energy
Indonesia’s renewable energy contribution ranged from 5.2 to 7 percent in 2017 — making the 16 percent target in 2019 and 23 percent target in 2025 impossible.
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Solar panel in the city. (Shutterstock/File)
T
he government’s vision for greener and sustainable energy has lost its allure compared to other more popular and visible programs. Energy sovereignty, included in President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s Nawa Cita (nine-point development program), is translated into a target of achieving 23 percent renewables in the energy mix by 2025 in the National Energy Plan.
The plan is now facing a perilous path. Recent reports published by the Institute for Essential Services Reform and International Institute for Sustainable Development reveal that Indonesia’s renewable energy contribution ranged from 5.2 to 7 percent in 2017 — making the 16 percent target in 2019 and 23 percent target in 2025 impossible.
The commitment to renewable energy is waning as the election year approaches. Providing greater, more affordable access to electricity constitutes an important and popular cause, yet that means fossil fuels are chosen over more expensive renewable technologies.
The cumbersome bureaucracy in the monopolized power sector has also made it less attractive for Independent Power Producers or communities to invest in renewable energy.
