Jakarta – Indonesia has an extraordinary wealth of new and renewable energy (EBT) resources, especially geothermal, which is now the backbone of efforts to realize energy self-sufficiency as well as the transition to green energy. The government together with energy SOEs and various stakeholders are accelerating concrete steps to maximize this potential as part of a grand strategy to achieve Net Zero Emission (NZE) by 2060.
Secretary General of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM), Dadan Kusdiana, revealed that Indonesia has a geothermal energy potential of up to 23 gigawatts (GW), but so far only around 11 percent of that capacity has been utilized. This shows that there is still a very large space for further development.
“Similarly, although the potential for solar energy exceeds 3,000 GW, its application is still a challenge. We also have hydropower potential, especially in the Eastern Indonesia region, and very large bioenergy potential,” said Dadan at a renewable energy forum in Jakarta.
This large geothermal potential not only makes Indonesia one of the countries with the largest geothermal reserves in the world, but also a strategic opportunity to reduce dependence on fossil energy. Efforts to utilize geothermal energy are now being pushed more massively by various parties, including state-owned enterprises.
President Director of PLN Indonesia Power, Edwin Nugraha Putra, said that PLN Indonesia Power has an important role in accelerating the energy transition, especially through the development of geothermal energy. One of the concrete steps taken by the company is to establish strategic cooperation with experienced global companies such as INPEX Geothermal.
“One of our collaborations with INPEX Geothermal includes joint studies and development of geothermal energy. With this collaboration, PLN Indonesia Power can be more aggressive in developing geothermal energy in the country,” said Edwin.
He added that his party is currently strengthening its mission to become a Geothermal Top Global Player, in line with the large national geothermal potential that has not been optimally utilized.
From the civil society side, Climate Imperative Foundation Program Officer, Adhityani Putri, emphasized that the energy transition in the current era is being driven by a technological revolution that fundamentally changes energy consumption patterns. She explained that in the future, various industrial and transportation sectors will be increasingly integrated into a clean electricity system through deep electrification.
“If Indonesia wants to become a clean energy superpower, it must build its backbone, namely the transmission network. This is indeed a challenge because Indonesia is an archipelagic country, but we already have a good blueprint from PLN and the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources,” said Putri.
She estimates that in the next 20 years, the Asian region and other developing countries will experience a surge in electricity demand. Therefore, Indonesia’s readiness to build green energy infrastructure is very crucial so as not to be left behind in the global competition towards a low-carbon future.
The steps taken by the government, BUMN, and strategic partners show that Indonesia is not only serious about its climate commitment, but also takes advantage of the great opportunities from the energy transition to strengthen national energy resilience. By optimizing geothermal and other renewable energy, energy self-sufficiency is no longer just a dream, but a goal that is increasingly real in sight.
