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Govt to distribute 500,000 free rice cookers to cut LPG imports
Indonesia is heavily reliant on LPG. Statistics Indonesia (BPS) recorded in 2021 that about 82 percent of Indonesian households used LPG for cooking.
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A shopper observes several models of rice cookers at a home appliance shop in Bintaro, South Tangerang, on Oct. 10, 2023. (Antara/Muhammad Iqbal)
T
he government is set to distribute 500,000 rice cooker units for free this month in an effort to reduce the country’s dependence on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and accelerate the energy transition. The ministry said it had started the procurement process.
The ministry’s Electricity Director General Jisman P. Hutajulu, said it would benefit households due to the lower cost of cooking and increased use of clean energy.
“The program gives an advantage to households due to the lower cost of cooking than using LPG. As for the government, the program reduces import subsidies for the 3-kg LPG tube. Also, the program increases electricity sales for the state-owned electricity firm [PLN],” he said.
Indonesia is ramping up efforts to phase out fossil fuels that make up the main source of its energy sector. While expanding its renewable energy usage, it is also seeking funding to retire its coal-fired power plants earlier than their lifespan.
Under the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP), a funding program in which governments and the private sector from developed countries offer US$20 billion for developing countries to transition, the Indonesian government is proposing to retire the Cirebon-1 and Pelabuhan Ratu plants that both contribute 1.7 gigawatt power for Java and Bali islands.
Indonesia is heavily reliant on LPG. Statistics Indonesia (BPS) recorded in 2021 that about 82 percent of Indonesian households used LPG for cooking, while firewood and kerosene were used by 11 and 2 percent of households, respectively. Only 0.7 percent used electric stoves.
"We are on our [full] electrification journey. Do we always want to burn LPG? Import more LPG?" said Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Arifin Tasrif.
