Coal-dependent Indonesia has begun to tap into its vast solar power potential

[ASEAN NOW Content Team]

 

Aji Tri Atmojo lives on the outskirts of Jakarta, Indonesia, in a typical Javanese house with wooden walls, but his rustic abode received a modern twist after he erected a row of solar panels on his roof.

He has cut his monthly electricity expenditure in half since installing them in 2020 at a cost of 10 million rupiah (US$702.25), and the investment should pay for itself in five years.

 

Indonesia's energy mix is still heavily reliant on coal, despite a mixed track record with renewables. However, if early signals of a surge in solar adoption are sustained, it might have a revolutionary impact on Southeast Asia's largest economy.

"Because coal is used to generate virtually all of Indonesia's electricity.
My family will be able to minimise greenhouse gas emissions in this manner "Reuters spoke with Aji.
Indonesia wants to phase out coal and become carbon neutral by 2060, if not sooner.

Despite being a tropical archipelago of 17,000 islands with year-round sunshine, Indonesia ranks last among the G20 countries in terms of solar generating capacity.

 

However, governmental changes, a rapid drop in the price of Chinese-made photovoltaic cells (PV), and environmentally conscious middle-class consumers like Aji, an engineer at a dairy company, are driving demand in the world's fourth-most populated country.

According to state-owned power company Perusahaan Listrik Negara, the number of private rooftop solar panel customers has increased more than sevenfold to roughly 4,500, with an installed capacity of 44 MW, up from 1.5 MW at the end of 2018. (PLN).

[VocalNeal]

One guy fits panels to his roof and a "journalist" thinks it is a new eco trend?