By: Ricky Rinaldi
Amid increasing global pressure on energy security, Indonesia is showing a new, optimistic and progressive direction. The government no longer views energy as a sectoral technical matter, but rather as the main foundation of national development. Through a cross-sector collaboration strategy, the strength of the government, BUMN, private sector, academics, and civil society are mobilized together to realize one big goal: sovereign and sustainable energy self-sufficiency.
From May to June 2025, concrete steps of this strategy began to appear real. In the national energy forum held by the Indonesia Petroleum Association, PLN established five strategic collaborations with domestic gas providers, including Pertamina EP and the manager of the Masela Block. This collaboration aims to guarantee gas supplies to a number of main national power plants such as Muara Tawar, Bontang, and Riau, while reducing dependence on LNG imports. PLN’s President Director, Darmawan Prasodjo, said that the energy transition must be built through a resilient and independent ecosystem, which he said can only be achieved through collaboration of all parties, both government and non-government.
President Prabowo Subianto also stated in his speech that energy self-sufficiency is an integral part of the grand strategy of maintaining national sovereignty. He emphasized that without sufficient and independent energy, Indonesia will always be in a vulnerable position to global dynamics, and this will hinder the achievement of national development goals in other fields such as the economy, education, and defense.
Support for this effort also comes from the mining sector. The government through the Directorate General of Minerals and Coal, Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, is accelerating the development of clean technology and Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) for the utilization of more environmentally friendly coal. The Director General of Mineral and Coal, Tri Winarno, said that the government is realistic about the role of coal which is still needed in the near future. However, according to him, the utilization of coal must be carried out with an increasingly clean and efficient approach, so that it remains a pillar of national energy without adding to the environmental burden.
Meanwhile, PT Pupuk Indonesia is collaborating on the utilization of gas from the Masela Block for the production of blue ammonia, which is considered to be able to strengthen the synergy between the energy sector and food security. President Director of Pupuk Indonesia, Rahmad Pribadi, said that this kind of integration is concrete evidence that energy and food are two strategic sectors that strengthen each other, especially in the context of national independence.
Collaborative steps are also seen in efforts to develop water-based energy infrastructure. Through the Government Cooperation with Business Entities (KPBU) scheme, the government combines dam, irrigation, and Hydroelectric Power Plant (PLTA) projects in one integrated plan. The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources official said that this approach not only accelerates development, but also increases budget efficiency and provides direct benefits to the community, especially in remote areas that have not been reached by electricity.
From the perspective of civil society and academics, support for the government’s efforts is also strengthening. The Indonesian Renewable Energy Society (METI) sees that the cross-sector collaboration that is being built shows Indonesia’s readiness to enter the energy transition era more maturely. METI General Chairperson, Wiluyo Kusdwiharto, said that the government’s openness in involving many parties has strengthened the position of renewable energy as a real solution and not just discourse.
The involvement of academics is also increasingly widespread. PT Pertamina Geothermal Energy (PGE) is collaborating with Pertamina University and the University of Auckland to develop a geothermal training program for the younger generation. This program not only aims to produce internationally certified experts, but also to make Indonesia a center of excellence for geothermal energy in the Asia Pacific region. PGE considers that technology transfer and direct training in the field are important keys to realizing sustainable energy independence.
As a basis for the direction of national energy development, PLN has released the 2025–2034 Electricity Supply Business Plan (RUPTL) which targets an additional generating capacity of 69.5 gigawatts in the next ten years. As much as 61 percent of the additional capacity is designed to come from renewable energy. In addition to focusing on energy provision, the government is also targeting the creation of 1.7 million new jobs from the clean energy sector, showing that this strategy is also aimed at directly improving people’s welfare.
The government is aware that challenges still exist. Issues of regulation, licensing, financing, and limited human resources are notedimportant. However, through licensing reform, integration of inter-ministerial policies, and strengthening vocational education in the energy sector, the government has shown a serious commitment to addressing these challenges comprehensively.
With increasingly solid synergy and a clearer vision, Indonesia is on the right track towards energy independence. The cross-sector collaboration that is currently being implemented is not just a symbol or slogan, but a real movement of development. When all components of the nation work together to build the country’s energy, the dream of energy self-sufficiency is no longer a fantasy, but a future that is being realized day by day.
*) Strategic Issue Observer
[edRW]
