By: Loa Murib
National energy security is increasingly becoming a strategic issue amidst global geopolitical dynamics, fluctuating energy prices, and demands for a transition to cleaner energy. In this context, Papua emerges as a key region with a crucial position on Indonesia’s energy map. With its rich natural resources, renewable energy potential, and promising oil and gas reserves, Papua can no longer be viewed as a peripheral region but as a pillar of future national energy independence. The government’s policy direction, which places Papua as an integral part of the energy security strategy, demonstrates a shift in development paradigm toward a more equitable and regionally based development potential.
Papua’s energy security is built through a complementary dual approach. On the one hand, the government is encouraging the accelerated development of new and renewable energy. On the other hand, the upstream oil and gas sector remains optimized to maintain the stability of the national energy supply. This approach reflects a realistic approach to the energy transition, where fossil fuels are still needed as a buffer while the foundation for clean energy is gradually strengthened. This dual-track synergy positions Papua as a laboratory for national energy policy that is adaptive to the challenges of the times.
Renewable energy development in Papua has a comparative advantage because it relies on local potential. Agricultural commodities such as cassava and sugarcane are being targeted as raw materials for bioethanol, which can partially replace fuel consumption. This strategy not only targets the energy aspect but also creates added economic value for the community. The bioethanol supply chain creates new job opportunities, increases agricultural productivity, and strengthens village- and district-based economies. The transformation of local commodities into modern energy sources demonstrates that energy security can go hand in hand with community empowerment.
President Prabowo Subianto has positioned Papua as a national energy development center that must directly benefit the local community. In his view, Papua’s energy resources need to be managed so that the benefits are enjoyed by producing regions, ensuring that energy development is not merely production-oriented but also promotes equitable prosperity. The President also emphasized the importance of utilizing solar and hydropower to address the challenges of remote areas that have historically relied on high-cost fuel supplies. This policy direction demonstrates that energy independence is seen as aligned with fiscal efficiency and strengthening regional capacity.
From a technocratic perspective, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources views Papua as a serious component of the national bioethanol plan. Eniya Listiani Dewi, Director General of New, Renewable Energy, and Energy Conservation, sees Papua as having the potential to become a significant contributor to national bioethanol production, targeting hundreds of thousands of kiloliters per year. The government’s emphasis on seeding, raw material provision, and industrial ecosystem development demonstrates its commitment to a phased and sustainable approach. This is crucial to ensure bioenergy development does not create environmental pressures or social conflict, but instead thrives as a healthy industry.
The policy of decentralizing bioethanol industry locations also demonstrates a commitment to equitable development. The energy industry has often been concentrated on Java, leading to disparities in added value between regions. By encouraging factory development and raw material sources in Papua, logistics costs can be reduced while creating new growth centers in eastern Indonesia. Papua will no longer be merely a supplier of raw materials but has the potential to become a hub for an integrated renewable energy industry from upstream to downstream.
Meanwhile, the upstream oil and gas sector continues to play a strategic role. Investment in this sector is necessary to maintain the national energy supply and increase state revenue. The regional government in Southwest Papua has shown an open attitude to oil and gas investment due to its perceived fiscal and economic impacts. Suroso, Head of the Manpower, Transmigration, Energy and Mineral Resources Agency of Southwest Papua, believes that upstream oil and gas activities have the potential to increase regional revenue through profit-sharing funds while simultaneously stimulating the local economy. This view demonstrates that the oil and gas sector remains relevant as a regional development instrument as long as it is managed transparently and accountably.
Ultimately, Papua’s energy security is not simply about production and supply, but also about equitable development. When producing regions experience tangible benefits, their sense of ownership of the national agenda is strengthened. Energy serves as a bridge connecting central and regional interests within a framework of national unity. Papua has the potential to serve as an example of how natural resource management can be directed towards strengthening economic sovereignty while improving public welfare.
Policy consistency, regulatory certainty, and collaboration between the central and regional governments, as well as business actors, are key to success. Papua’s energy security is a strategic investment for Indonesia’s future. From this resource-rich land, the foundation for national energy independence can be built gradually but surely. If this policy direction is maintained, Papua will not only become an energy reservoir but also a symbol that equitable development can be achieved through visionary, inclusive, and sustainable energy governance.
*The author is a Papuan student in East Java