Jakarta. President Prabowo Subianto has set a target for Indonesia to begin developing 30 gigawatts (GW) of solar power capacity this year as part of a broader plan to build 100 GW of solar power plants within four years.

Indonesia currently has only about 1.5 GW of installed solar power capacity, according to data from the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry and the Indonesian Solar Energy Association (AESI).

Reaching the government's 100 GW target would therefore require installed solar capacity to increase by more than 60 times from current levels. 

The ambitious target is part of the government's efforts to strengthen energy security and accelerate Indonesia's transition toward cleaner energy.

“We will also build 100 gigawatts of electricity from solar power. And this must be implemented within four years. But this year alone, our target is 30 gigawatts. This year alone,” Prabowo said Thursday during the launch of a national electric motorcycle at the production facility of Ilectra Motor Group (ALVA) in Cikarang, West Java.

The president said the solar power program would go hand in hand with efforts to reduce Indonesia's reliance on fossil fuels, including diesel used in diesel-fired power plants.

He instructed state utility PLN to begin phasing out diesel-fired generation.

“PLN must abandon approximately 13 gigawatts of diesel-fired power plants. We must leave them behind immediately,” Prabowo said.

Prabowo also linked the electricity transition to the faster adoption of electric vehicles, including motorcycles, cars, buses and agricultural equipment.

He said switching to electric vehicles would not only reduce emissions but could also generate economic benefits by cutting Indonesia's fuel imports by between $28 billion and $30 billion.

“With electric motorcycles and cars, electric buses, electric tractors, and as many of our machines as possible using electricity as their main source of energy, we will be more secure and more prosperous,” Prabowo said.

$78 Billion Investment Needed

The Institute for Essential Services Reform (IESR), an energy think tank, has previously warned that the success of the 100 GW solar program should not be measured solely by installed capacity.

The program should also strengthen energy security, develop domestic industries, create green jobs and improve living standards, IESR said.

IESR estimates that developing 100 GW of solar capacity would require cumulative investment of between $51 billion and $78 billion over five years. By comparison, replacing fossil-fuel power generation would require between $139 billion and $212 billion in investment.

Replacing diesel generation with solar power alone could save about Rp17.2 trillion ($1 billion) and reduce emissions by an estimated 24.3 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, according to the institute.

IESR has cautioned that implementation will depend on the readiness of Indonesia's power system and workforce, the development of domestic supply chains, sustainable financing and project quality.

The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry has previously said the 100 GW solar program would begin with 17 GW of solar capacity supported by about 33 GW of battery energy storage systems.

Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia has said the government plans to hold a groundbreaking ceremony for the large-scale green energy program in Bali.

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